cmyk

cmyk

y

12 PAGES | `4.00BHUBANESWAR | TUESDAY, MARCH 9 | 2021

y

Actor Urvashi Rautela feels every industryneeds more representation of women toget real societal change

WOMEN’S DAY THOUGHTSWrestler Bajrang Punia bags gold medal atMatteo Pellicone Ranking Series event,becomes World No 1

BAJRANG BAGS GOLD

SPORTS | P12LEISURE | P2

The EU is preparing to widen its sanctions onMyanmar’s armed forces to targetbusinesses they run INTERNATIONAL | P10

EU SANCTIONS ON JUNTA

VOLUME 10, ISSUE 336 | www.orissapost.com

IRREGULAR by MANJUL

Lion, cobra... See, it’s all about

jungle raj!

WEATHERBHUB

34.9° 33.8°CTK

21.0°MAX

MINTE

MP

Humidity 93% 84%Rainfall Nil Nil

ForecastFog or mist

in themorning

23.4°

INDEX VARIATION

SENSEX 50441.07 35.75

NIFTY 14956.20 18.10

DOLLAR 73.78 `0.07

EURO 87.05 `0.14

GOLD `44,322 `361

SILVER `65,856 `253BULL

ION

BOU

RSES

CU

RREN

CY

MARKET WATCH

Task force on forest fires PRIYADARSHI TWIN-CITY CP

AGENCIES

Los Angeles/London, March 8:Meghan Markle struggled as a newmember of Britain's royal familyafter her marriage to Prince Harryto such a degree that she even con-templated suicide, the Duchess ofSussex revealed in an explosive tell-all interview with American chatshow host Oprah Winfry.

The two-hour special, aired on theCBS network in the US Sunday andset to be aired on ITV in the UKMonday night, saw Prince Harryjoining his wife half-way throughas the couple also spoke about con-cerns of racism within the royalranks after being asked about theirson Archie's expected skin colourwhen mixed-race Meghan was preg-nant with their first child.

“I just didn't want to be aliveanymore,” Meghan said, adding

that when she “went to the insti-tution for help” she was told itwould not be forthcoming as it“wouldn't be good for the institution”.

The 39-year-old former Americanactress, who is pregnant with hersecond child, revealed that the cou-ple are expecting a baby girl andshared how the palace decided thattheir first-born, Archie, could notbe a prince and would thereforehave no security.

She alluded to "concerns andconversations about how dark hisskin might be when he's born".“Who is having that conversation?"asked a stunned Winfrey. Meghanreplied: "That was relayed to mefrom Harry, those were conversationsthe family had with him, and I thinkit was really hard to be able to seethose as compartmentalised con-versations. They were saying theydidn't want him to be a prince or a

princess and that he wasn't goingto receive security."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex'schildren do not automatically be-come princes or princesses becauseof a rule that has been in placesince 1917, unless the Queen stepsin. Both Meghan and Harry refused

to divulge who exactly made re-marks about their son's skin tone,with Meghan admitting that if sherevealed who was involved in suchtalks it “would be very damaging tothem”.

“That conversation I'm nevergoing to share," asserted Harry. The

36-year-old Duke of Sussex, who isstill sixth in line to the Britishthrone, also spoke of his hurt athis father Prince Charles not tak-ing his calls after the couple de-cided to step back as frontline roy-als last year.

“[I had] three conversations withmy grandmother [Queen ElizabethII] and two conversations with myfather [Charles], before he stoppedtaking my calls,” he said.

“It was, like, I needed to do thisfor my family. This is not a surpriseto anybody. It's really sad that it's gotto this point. But I've got to do some-thing for my own mental health,my wife's and for Archie's as well,because I could see where this washeaded,” he said, in reference tothe couple's decision to relocate.

They have since moved toCalifornia after formally steppingdown from royal duties in March

2020, and it was announced lastmonth that they would not be re-turning as working members ofthe royal family.

Harry said the couple were onlyable to afford their new life inCalifornia because of his motherDiana – Princess of Wales. “Myfamily literally cut me off finan-cially. I've got what my mum leftme. Without that, we never wouldhave been able to do this… I thinkshe saw it coming,” he said.

Asked by Winfrey how they wouldrespond to accusations that theywere “money-grabbing” becauseof deals they have signed withNetflix and Spotify since moving toCalifornia, Harry replied: “First ofall this was never the intention.We're certainly not complaining.Life is great. We've got a beautifulhouse, beautiful family. The dogs arereally happy.”

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: With an aim to pro-mote and facilitate investment at district-level,the state government has decided to set up ded-icated District Investment Promotion Agencies(DIPAs) in each of the 30 districts in the state.

DIPAs will work as an extended arm ofIndustrial Promotion & Investment Corporationof Odisha (IPICOL) and will be set up in phasesfrom April 2021 to December 2021.

Official sources said in the industries de-partment, the DIPAs will operate under the lead-ership of respective District Collectors while othersenior officials such as SP, DFOs and line de-partment officials will be its members.

The Collector will be supported by a team ofprofessionals for investment facilitation, projectmonitoring and promoting local entrepreneur-ship. The agencies will be housed in the collec-torate, the sources said. The DIPAs will providehandholding support to entrepreneurs during proj-ect implementation and work for creation of aland bank for fast grounding of projects.

It will also promote enterprises and investmentleveraging local strengths of respective districtsto create a large-scale employment. The agen-cies will further take the responsibility of earlyresolution of investor grievances. The DIPAs willalso monitor implementation of major road,power and water supply projects which will fa-cilitate industrialization and economic growth.

DIPAs will play an active role in setting up oflarge as well as MSME projects in respective dis-tricts. This initiative will provide a significantboost to the business environment and therebygenerate significant local employment, theysaid. The performance of DIPAs will be moni-tored by the State Level Single Window ClearanceAuthority headed by Chief Secretary and willalso be evaluated through annual rankings of dis-tricts based on investors’ feedback.

AGENCIES

New Delhi, March 8: After nearlythree-decades of the Indra Sawhneyjudgment, the Supreme CourtMonday said the 50 per cent capon reservation laid down by a 9-judge bench in 1992, could be re-ex-amined in view of subsequent con-stitutional amendments and thesocio-economic changes that hasfollowed.

A bench headed by JusticeAshok Bhushan issued notice toall state governments and UnionTerritories whether reservationcould be allowed to breach the ex-isting 50 per cent limit, and alsosought their views on Centre'sEconomically Weaker Section(EWS) quota amendment. Thebench also comprising Justices LNageswara Rao, S Abdul Nazeer,Hemant Gupta and S RavindraBhat said: "States have to be givenopportunity to have their say."

The observation came while theapex court was hearing a batch ofpetitions challenging the validityof the Maratha reservation.

The top court said this matteris not limited to just one state,therefore it is important to hearother states too, as its decisionin the matter would have widerramification.

The top court will also examinethe possibility of referring to IndraSawhney's judgment to a largerbench and it will begin day-to-dayhearing in the matter March 15.

On December 9, last year, the topcourt had refrained from modify-ing the stay order in implementingreservation for Marathas in joband education in Maharashtra.

"We are of the view that look-ing into the issues raised in this ap-peal and the consequences to the fol-lowed, it is necessary that finalhearing of this appeal be completedas early as possible. One of the is-sues before this Constitution Benchbeing interpretation of Constitution(One Hundred-Second Amendment)Act, 2018," said the top court.

The petitioners have challengedthe Bombay High Court judgementpassed in June 2019.

They have contended that theAct, which provides for 12 per centand 13 per cent quota to Marathacommunity in education and jobsviolates the principle laid in the 9-judge bench judgement of the apexcourt in 1992, which capped thereservation at 50 per cent.

The High Court had upheld theMaratha quota, where it ruled thatreservation should be 12 per cent injobs and 13 per cent in education.

50% quota cap may go

Meghan Markle reveals suicidal thoughts, alleges royal racism THE COUPLE ASKED ABOUT THEIR SON ARCHIE'S EXPECTED SKIN COLOUR WHEN MIXED-RACE MEGHAN WAS PREGNANT WITH THEIR FIRST CHILD

DIPA IN EVERYDISTRICT SOON

District InvestmentPromotion Agencies will be

housed in collectorates

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8:The state gover nmentMonday appointed seniorIPS officer and ADGP, CrimeBranch, SaumendraPriyadarshi as the new com-missioner of Bhubaneswar-Cuttack commissioneratepolice. He will replace theincumbent PoliceCommissioner, SudhanshuSarangi, who has been trans-ferred as the CMD of theOdisha State Police Housingand Welfare Corporation Ltd.

Priyadarshi, a 1995 batchOdisha cadre IPS officer, isa resident of Khurda dis-trict. Speaking to OrissaPOST, Priyadarshi said, “Thegovernment has given hugeresponsibility showing im-mense faith on me. I will trymy level best to perform myduty with utmost sincerityand honesty. My first prior-ity will be to bring increas-ing crime activities in thetwin-city under control.”

Sarangi, who was ap-

pointed as theCommissioner of Police inAugust 2019, will replace1988 batch IPS officer MAkhay who currently holdsthe post of CMD, OPH&WC.Akhya has been posted asthe DG of Home Guard &Fire Services. The post ofDG of Home Guard & FireServices had been lying va-cant after Satyajit Mohantytook voluntary retirementto join as the chairman ofthe Odisha Public ServiceCommission (OPSC).

Sarangi had recently car-ried out a top secret opera-tion to catch Biban, theprime accused in the sen-sational Anjana Mishra gan-grape case, from his hideoutat Aamby Valley inMaharashtra.

WOMEN POWER

Women motorcyclists, ‘We-The Road Queens’, take out a bike rally, ‘Ride for Women’s Pride’, from the CommissioneratePolice office in Bhubaneswar to mark the International Women’s Day, Monday PIC: BIKASH NAYAK

The 50 per cent cap onreservation laid downby a 9-judge bench in

1992, could be re-examined inview of subsequentconstitutional amendmentsand the socio-economicchanges that has followedSUPREME COURT

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, Mar 8: With casesof forest fires being reported fromSimilipal National Park and manyother places from across the state,the state government Monday con-stituted a task force to review thesituation and suggest necessarymeasures to curb it.

The nine-member task force, underthe chairmanship of former principalchief conservator of forest (PCCF)Sandeep Tripathy, will examine thecauses behind the incidents of for-est fire and suggest measures fortheir immediate containment, offi-cial sources in the forest and envi-ronment department said.

Representatives from the Centre,state government, civil society andcommunity have been included inthe task force which will suggest fur-ther steps for prevention of forestfires. A notification issued by theforest and environment depart-ment said the task force will suggestmeasures for augmentation of theexisting fire management proto-cols including geomatics-based firealert system.

The high-level task force willalso recommend suggestions forimproved community participa-tion in fire management and pre-vention and conduct post assess-ment of forest fire affected areas, lossto wildlife, biodiversity.

The task force has been assignedwith the responsibility of improv-ing the Standard OperatingProcedure (SOP) issued by the de-partment for fire prevention andmanagement in the state to pre-vent and restrain such fire occur-rences in the wild.

With the reporting of fire inci-dents from many pockets of theSimilipal tiger reserve, the gov-ernment has decided to engage theOdisha Disaster Rapid Action Force(ODRAF) to tackle the raging for-est fire in the wild. Further, thePRI members would be integratedin community mobilisation in mit-igation of forest fire.

The forest IT and geomatics cellof the forest department sends co-ordinates of forest fires to mobilephones of the field staff after re-ceiving alerts issued by the forestsurvey of India (FSI).

The forest department has said

this year early onset of summercoupled with no intermittent rainsled to fungal decay of leaf that ledto a sudden spurt in fire incidents.

As many as 4,500 fire lines (linecreated in forest to separate dryleaves) have been created in forestsacross the state. Now there is highlevel mobilization of more than6000 field staff who are engaged indousing fires, said the department.

“The forest fire in Simlipal isnow almost contained. The corearea with precious wildlife has notbeen impacted much with firesmostly confined to the peripheralareas of the Simlipal tiger reserve,”

the department said in a press state-ment. The department claimedthat the forest fire prevention andmanagement SOP has performed ef-fectively over last three years witha reduction in number of incidents,with 36,827 fire points in 2017, 31,680points in 2018, 19,787 points in 2019and 11,088 points in 2020.

After fire incidents were reportedfrom over 100 places in Sambalpurdistrict, divisional forest officer(DFO) Sanjeet Kumar said peopleresponsible for setting fire in forestareas will be immediately arrested.

Earlier in the day, some BJPMLAs led by Mohan Majhi havewritten a letter to Chief SecretarySC Mahapatra to take immediatemeasures to control the forest firesin the state. The state government,March 3, had sent a high-level teamto Similipal National Park to ex-amine the situation and controlthe raging inferno.

Its members Representatives from the Centre,

state government, civil society andcommunity have been included in

the task force

Terms of referenceIt will examine the causes behindthe incidents of forest fire andsuggest measures for theirimmediate containment

JEE Mains results outNEW DELHI: Six candidatesscored perfect 100 in engineeringentrance exam JEE-Mains, resultsof which were announcedMonday, sources in the NationalTesting Agency said. The perfectscorers are Pravar Kataria andRanjim Prabal Das from Delhi,Guramrit Singh from Chandigarh,Saket Jha from Rajasthan,Sidhanth Mukherjee fromMaharashtra and Ananth KrishnaKidambi from Gujarat. NTA scoresare normalised scores and arebased on the relativeperformance of all those whoappeared for the examination. P8

P10TUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

internationalWe willmake the

choice to lead, to bebold and to lift upthe women andgirls everywherewho light our way JILL BIDEN | FIRST LADY, US

Banksy, the acclaimed anonymousBritish street artist, has offered toauction a piece of his artwork,called ‘Game Changer’, in an effortto raise funds for the UK’s NationalHealth Service (NHS)

BANKSY TO AUCTIONARTWORK FOR NHS

cmyk

cmyk

Spain can’tcontinue to bebuilt with

women in themargins, with a fewthat break glassceilings while themost vulnerable continue on stickyfloors

IRENE MONTERO | EQUALITY MINISTER, SPAIN

of theday uote

Even with thecontinuationof financial

assistance from theUnited States toAfghan forces afteran Americanmilitary withdrawal, I am concernedthat the security situation willworsen and the Taliban could makerapid territorial gains

ANTONY BLINKEN | SECRETARY OF STATE, US

I do notunderestimatehow

challenging the lastfew months havebeen with somechildren in class andmost at home, but I do know howimportant it is for all children to beback in school, not only for theireducation but for their mentalhealth and wellbeing

GAVIN WILLIAMSON |EDUCATION SECRETARY, UK

Vietnam beginsvax campaignHanoi: Vietnam Mondaykicked-off its mass Covid-19vaccination campaign,deemed to be largestinoculation drive in thecountry’s history, with over100 million doses expected tobe administered nationwide.According to the HealthMinistry, the first dose of theAstraZeneca Covid vaccinewas administered at 8 am tohealth workers directlytreating infected patients inthe capital Hanoi, Ho ChiMinh City and Hai Duongprovince, reports Xinhuanews agency.

Equatorial Guineablasts kill 15Ouagadougou: A series ofexplosions at militarybarracks in Equatorial Guineakilled at least 15 people andwounded more than 400others, authorities said. Statetelevision TVGE read out astatement from PresidentTeodoro Obiang Nguemawhich said the explosion wasdue to the “negligenthandling of dynamite” in themilitary barracks located inthe neighborhood ofMondong Nkuantoma in Bata.He said that the explosionoccurred at 4 pm local time.

Afghan receivesCOVAX dosesKabul: The UN children’sagency says Afghanistan hasreceived nearly half a millioncoronavirus vaccine dosesvia the global COVAXinitiative. War-tornAfghanistan received 468,000AstraZeneca vaccinesMonday, the first shipmentthrough COVAX, UNICEF saidin a statement. The vaccineswere made by the SerumInstitute of India, and arrivedin the capital of Kabul aboardan Emirates flight, UNICEFsaid. More vaccines willarrive in the coming weeksand months. India previouslydonated 500,000 doses ofAstraZeneca vaccines toAfghanistan.

Aviation tycoonkilled in crashParis: A French billionaireaviation industrialist andmember of parliament hasdied in a helicopter crashalong with the pilot,authorities said. OlivierDassault, 69, was heir to apowerful family businessempire that made Falconprivate jets and Rafalefighter planes and ownedmany other businessesincluding Le Figaronewspaper.

SHORT TAKES

Sahrawi women take part in a parade organised by the Polisario Front independence movement at the Awserd refugeecamp in Tindouf, Algeria REUTERS

RED FOR A REASON

AGENCIES

Brussels, March 8: The EuropeanUnion is preparing to widen itssanctions on Myanmar’s armedforces to target businesses theyrun, in protest at the Feb 1 mili-tary coup, according to diplomatsand two internal documents seenby Reuters.

The measures, which diplomatssaid could be agreed by EU foreignministers March 22, would targetcompanies “generating revenuefor, or providing financial supportto, the Myanmar Armed Forces”,said one of the documents datedMarch 5.

While the bloc has an arms em-bargo on Myanmar, and has tar-geted some senior military offi-cials since 2018, the measures wouldbe its most significant response sofar since the coup. EU diplomats toldReuters that parts of the military’sconglomerates, Myanmar EconomicHoldings Limited (MEHL) andMyanmar Economic Corporation(MEC), were likely to be targeted,

barring EU investors and banksfrom doing business with them.

The conglomerates are spreadthroughout the economy from min-ing and manufacturing to food andbeverages to hotels, telecoms andbanking. They rank among thecountry’s biggest taxpayers andsought partnerships with foreigncompanies as Myanmar opened upduring the democratic liberalization.

A UN fact-finding mission in2019 recommended sanctions againstthe two companies and their sub-sidiaries, saying they gave the armyextra sources of revenue that couldfinance human rights violations.

A Myanmar junta spokesmandid not answer a call seeking com-

ment on the EU’s plan to broadenits sanctions.

EU preparing sanctions on Junta3 more protesterskilled in MyanmarYangon: Three demonstratorswere killed in Myanmar Monday,witnesses said, while shops,factories and banks were closedin the main city Yangon inprotests against last month’smilitary coup. Security forceswere also deployed at hospitalsand universities, state mediasaid. Two of the victims died ofgunshot wounds to the head inthe northern town of Myitkyina,the witnesses said. It was notimmediately clear who fired onthe protesters although bothpolice and the military were atthe scene. Photos posted onFacebook showed the bodies oftwo men lying on the street.Witnesses said they were takingpart in a protest against the coupwhen police fired stun grenadesand tear gas. Several peoplewere then hit by gunfire fromnearby buildings. One witness,who said he helped move thebodies, told Reuters two peoplewere shot in the head and died onthe spot. Three people werewounded. “How inhumane to killunarmed civilians,” said thewitness, a 20-year-old man. “Wemust have our right to protestpeacefully.” At least one personwas killed and two injured duringa protest in the town of Phyar Ponin the Irrawaddy Delta, a politicalactivist and local media said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hong Kong, March 8: Hong Kongleader Carrie Lam said Mondaythe city’s government “fully wel-comes” changes to the city’s elec-toral system that will substantiallyincrease central government con-trol over Hong Kong politics and ex-clude Beijing’s critics.

Chinese authorities have saidthe draft decision before China’sNational People’s Congress wouldmean the largely pro-Beijing com-mittee that elects Hong Kong’sleader would also choose a large partof the legislature to ensure thatthe city is run by “patriots.” TheElection Committee would alsohave the right to vet candidatesfor the Legislative Council, weed-ing out any suspected of being in-sufficiently loyal to China and theruling Communist Party.

Currently, half of Hong Kong’slegislature is directly elected byvoters, although the mass resig-nation of opposition legislators toprotest the expulsion of four oftheir colleagues for being “unpa-triotic” means the body is now en-tirely controlled by Beijing loyal-ists.

“There are loopholes in the elec-toral systems, there are also flawsin the systems in Hong Kong,” Lamsaid at a news conference after shereturned from the meeting inBeijing. “I fully understand thatthis is not a matter that can be ad-dressed entirely by the govern-ment.” “I’m glad that the central au-

thorities have, again, exercised itsconstitutional powers to help ad-dress this problem for Hong Kong,”she said.

She declined to elaborate on theviews she had shared to the centralauthorities regarding the electoralreforms, and said many pieces oflegislation in Hong Kong wouldhave to be amended. The NPC,China’s ceremonial legislature,will all but certainly endorse thedraft decision, though it may nottake immediate legal effect.

Unconfirmed reports say thelegislation will also expand thesize of the Legislative Council from70 to 90 and the Election Committeefrom 1,200 to 1,500. Seats on theElection Committee now reservedfor directly elected district coun-selors will also be eliminated, fur-ther cementing Beijing’s controlover the body.

Lam also said she could not con-firm whether legislative elections— already postponed for one yearlast September ostensibly becauseof the coronavirus pandemic —would be further deferred due to theelectoral reforms.

HK leader ‘fully welcomes’proposed electoral changes

AGENCIES

Damascus, March 8: SyrianPresident Bashar Assad and hiswife have tested positive for thecoronavirus, the president’s of-fice said Monday, with both hav-ing only mild symptoms of theillness.

In a statement, Assad’s office saidthe first couple did PCR tests afterthey felt minor symptoms con-sistent with the COVID-19 illness.It said that Assad, 55, and his wifeAsma, will return to work afterspending between two to threeweeks in isolation in their home.

Both were in “good health andin stable condition,” it added.

Syria, which marks 10 years ofwar next week, has recorded nearly16,000 virus cases in government-held parts of the country as wellas 1,063 deaths, but the numbersare believed to be much higherwith limited amounts of PCR testsbeing done.

Syria began a vaccination cam-paign last week, but no detailshave been given about the process.The health minister said the gov-ernment procured the vaccinesfrom a friendly country, which hedeclined to name.

Syrian Prez, wifetest Covid +ve

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Beijing, March 8: A proposal bya member of China’s national ad-visory body to drop English as acore subject for primary and sec-ondary school students has trig-gered a heated debate among ex-perts and netizens with a majorityof them favouring to retain it, say-ing it would make the country ca-pable of competing with other na-tions.

English gradually gained promi-nence in largely Mandarin spok-ing country as schools and collegesmade it compulsory since 2001 witha strong backing from the govern-ment.

Xu Jin, a member of the NationalCommittee of the Chinese People’s

Political Consultative Conference(CPCC) which is holding its annualsession here, has proposed thatEnglish should not be a core subjectlike Chinese and mathematics andmore course hours should be givento improving students’ skills inphysical education, music and art.

Xu is a member of the Jiu SanSociety, one of China’s eight non-Communist political parties per-mitted by the ruling CommunistParty of China (CPC).

English and other foreign lan-guages should also not be includedas compulsory subjects for the na-tional college entrance exam, hesuggested, according to China Daily,one of the state-run English dailies.

While English takes up about 10per cent of class hours, less than 10

per cent of university graduatesuse the language at work, he said.

Moreover, smart translation de-vices can offer sophisticated trans-lation services and in the age ofartificial intelligence, translators willbe among the top 10 professions to

be eliminated, Xu said.His proposal has triggered a

heated discussion on social mediaand the hashtag removing Englishas a core subject for primary and sec-ondary school students had beenread 120 million times on Sina

Weibo, a microblogging site akin toTwitter in China, as of Sunday.

Some netizens agreed with hisproposal, saying they had wasted toomuch time studying English atschool and did not use it in their dailylives, while others said the idea isnot in line with the country’s pur-suit of further openness and is un-likely to be endorsed by authori-ties. Significantly, in an online pollconducted by the state-run ChinaYouth Daily, more than 110,000 re-spondents opposed the proposaland said English should be taughtearly at schools to enable China tocompete with other countries.

However, around 100,000 peoplesupported the proposal, saying itwould be better to spend more timelearning Chinese language and cul-

ture. Zhang Lianzhong, a profes-sor at Beijing Foreign StudiesUniversity, said the Ministry ofEducation has made English a com-pulsory course from third grade in2001. The decision had proved tobe a smart one as hundreds of mil-lions of Chinese students havebroadened their horizons and im-proved their cultural awarenessand critical thinking ability throughlearning the language, Zhang saidin an interview with Beijing News.

Xiong Bingqi, deputy head of the21st Century Education ResearchInstitute in Beijing, said the key isto reform China’s exam-orientededucation system so that Englishteaching will focus on improving stu-dents’ language skills, not exam-taking ability.

China debates over move to scrap ‘teaching English’English gradually gained prominence in the Mandarin speaking country as schools and colleges made it compulsory since 2001 with a strong backing from the govt

REUTERS

Sanaa, March 8: Yemen’s Houthiforces fired drones and missiles atthe heart of Saudi Arabia’s oil in-dustry Sunday, including a SaudiAramco facility at Ras Tanura vitalto petroleum exports, in whatRiyadh called a failed assault onglobal energy security.

The Saudi energy ministry saidthere were no casualties or loss ofproperty from the attacks. The de-fence ministry said it interceptedan armed drone coming from thesea prior to hitting its target at anoil storage yard at Ras Tanura, siteof a refinery and the world’s biggestoffshore oil loading facility.

Shrapnel from a ballistic mis-sile fell near a residential com-pound in Dhahran used by state-con-trolled Saudi Aramco, the world’sbiggest oil company, the ministriessaid.

The attacks drove Brent crudeprices above $70 a barrel to theirhighest since January 2020, whileUS crude futures touched theirloftiest since October 2018.

The sites are located on the Gulfcoast across from Iran and near

Iraq and Bahrain, which is hometo the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet. Yemenlies thousands of kms southwest onthe Gulf of Aden.

Announcing the attacks, theHouthis, who have been battling aSaudi-led coalition for six years,also said they attacked militarytargets in the Saudi cities ofDammam, Asir and Jazan.

“Such acts of sabotage do notonly target the Kingdom of SaudiArabia, but also the security andstability of energy supplies to theworld, and therefore, the globaleconomy,” a ministry spokesmansaid in a statement on state media.

The Saudi-led coalition earliersaid it intercepted 12 armed dronesaimed at “civilian targets” withoutspecifying a location as well as twoballistic missiles fired towardsJazan. The Eastern Province ishome to most of Aramco’s pro-duction and export facilities. In2019, Saudi Arabia, the world’s topoil exporter, was shaken by a bigmissile and drone attack on oil in-stallations just a few km (miles)from the facilities hit on Sunday,which Riyadh blamed on Iran, acharge Tehran denies.

Yemeni Houthis attackSaudi oil heartland

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Singapore, March 8: Singapore willstart vaccinating migrant workersagainst COVID-19 as part of its na-tional immunisation strategy, start-ing with 10,000 people living in thecountry’s five largest dormitories.

This batch of 10,000 workers havenever been infected by COVID-19,the Ministry of Health (MOH) saidMonday, announcing the vaccina-tion programme for the migrantworkers. The migrant workers,which include a huge number ofIndians, make up about 90 per centof Singapore’s COVID-19 tally, whichstands at 60,046. The death toll is 29.

The packed dormitories hous-ing the foreign labourers were thebiggest infection clusters duringthe peak of the COVID-19 outbreakin the island last year.

Infections among the foreignworkers have fallen in the past few

months, with no new cases reportedon most days, according to a re-port by Channel News Asia.

Workers who have received bothdoses of the vaccine would be sub-jected to a lower frequency of test-ing, ie every 28 days, instead ofthe current 14-day cycle, theChannel reported. Vaccinationswill progressively be made avail-able to all other migrant workers,the MOH said.

The ministry said the migrantworker dormitories are where largeCOVID-19 clusters could rapidlydevelop and grow, with a high riskof transmission to the local com-munity.

Singapore to inoculate migrant workers

AGENCIES

London, March 8: Prime MinisterBoris Johnson hailed the “nationaleffort” that has gone into fightingagainst coronavirus as schools andcolleges opened on Monday to markthe step one in the UK’s phasedroadmap to lift strict lockdown re-strictions in place for months to con-trol the spread of COVID-19.

Secondary schools and collegeswill be inviting students for theirfirst rapid lateral flow test, withschools and colleges having dis-cretion on how to stagger the re-turn of their students over thisweek to facilitate testing and asafe return to the classroom. Afterthree initial tests onsite, studentswill be provided with two rapidtests to use each week at home.

“The reopening of schools marksa truly national effort to beat thisvirus. It is because of the deter-mination of every person in thiscountry that we can start movingcloser to a sense of normality – andit is right that getting our youngpeople back into the classroom isthe first step,” said Johnson. “Weare being cautious in our approachso that we do not undo the progresswe have made so far and I urgeyou all not to give up on your effortsto keep your families and otherssafe. Get the vaccine, get tested, andremember that we are all in this to-gether,” he said.

The government has confirmedtwice-weekly testing using lateralflow tests will be given for free to alladults in households with primary,secondary school and college-agedchildren and young people, includingchildcare and support bubbles, tohelp break chains of transmission.

UK reopens schoolsin first step of lockdown easing

P11

businessTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

We noticed people spendnumerous hours in repeated

work, whereas they can use the samefor more productive and innovativework. Our main aim is to let people bemore creative and let us do the regularstuff, to offer an inexpensive solutionthat is affordable for everyoneSHEETAL KAPOOR | FORMER CEO, OXXY HEALTHCARE

Before Elon Musk-led Tesla finally makes itsIndia entry, ride-hailing platform Ola Mondayannounced world’s largest two-wheelermanufacturing facility called Ola Future Factorythat will have annual production capacity of onecrore vehicles and will be operational by 2022

OLA SHOWCASESELECTRIC SCOOTER

cmyk

cmyk

Our goal is toenable safetransportation

for women, which inturn has a hugeimpact on thechoices they makeand the opportunities they canaccess. Our partnership with ManasFoundation has been very positivelyreceived by drivers who displaytheir certificates with great prideinside their cars

PAVAN VAISH | HOD, SUPPLY AND CITY OPS

(MOBILITY), UBER INDIA

of theday uote

It isheartening tosee young

women in the age-group of 20-40 yearsengaged in microdigital transactionof financial services across retailstores in the country. From assistedto self-service mode, the journeyrequires persistence in the eco-system.

ANAND KUMAR BAJAJ | FOUNDER, MD &CEO, PAYNEARBY

The Covid-19pandemicbacked by

ever-changingconsumerpreference hasaccelerated theadoption of online and offline playthat will define the next phase ofretail growth in the country

AMITABH KANT | CEO, NITI AAYOG

Parthasarathysteps downNew Delhi: Mahindra &Mahindra (M&M) Monday saidVS Parthasarathy, thePresident of its MobilityServices Sector and Memberof the Group Executive Board,has decided to leave the groupeffective close of April 1, 2021to pursue personal interests.Parthasarathy, who joinedM&M in 2000 and began withan HR stint, has expresseddesire to leverage his richprofessional experience toconsult, mentor, build andscale businesses, M&M said ina filing.

SBI Card plans toraise up to `2K crNew Delhi: SBI Cards andPayment Services Ltd (SBICard) Monday said it plans toraise up to Rs 2,000 crorethrough the issuance of debtsecurities in one or moretranches. A meeting of theboard of directors of thecompany is scheduled to beheld Friday (March 12) toconsider and approve raisingof funds by way of issuanceof non-convertibledebentures, aggregating toRs 2,000 crore, SBI Card saidin a regulatory filing.

Nayara Energygets new CEOMumbai: Nayara Energy, thelargest private-sector oilretailer, Monday announcedthe appointment of AloisVirag as the new chiefexecutive effective April 1.The appointment follows theincumbent chief executive BAnand's elevation as thepresident of the company,which is majority-owned by afew Russian government-owned energy giant Rosneft.In his new role Anand will beresponsible for developingstrategic partnerships in theenergy market, the company,formerly Essar Oil, said.

Mindtree, Sify tocover vax costsNew Delhi: IT firm Mindtreeand Sify TechnologiesMonday said they will coverthe vaccine cost foremployees and their familymembers. Mindtree ChiefPeople Officer Paneesh Raosaid the company willfacilitate Covid-19vaccination for all its Indiaemployees as well as theirimmediate family members,as per the guidelinesprovided by the governmenton the use and timelines.

SHORT TAKES

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

New Delhi, March 8: The Indianretail sector is likely to generate2.5 crore new jobs by 2030 and alion's share will be the offline + on-line model which will account fornearly 50% of the total retail em-ployment addition, a Nasscom re-port said Monday.

The online + offline model willlead to $125 billion retail exports and$8 billion in incremental GST con-tribution in the next 10 years, ac-cording to the report by Nasscomin association with leading man-agement and consulting firmTechnopak.

Retail 4.0 will result in a signifi-cant rise in the size of the domes-tic market, job creation and ex-ports. The changing demand andsupply drivers are likely to acceleratethe growth momentum, with the

India retail market reaching up-to$1.5 trillion by the financial year 2030.

The offline + online model willalso enable $125 billion worth ofexports and account for 37 per centof total retail tax contributionamounting to nearly $8 billion in-

cremental GST contribution by2030.

According to the report, e-com-merce in India is growing at 3-4times the rate of traditional brickand mortal retail.

"Retail 4.0 is rapidly evolving to

offline + online (O+O) retail mod-els that will bring incremental eco-nomic contribution, job growth,and exports. To achieve this, agreater need for collaboration amongretail stakeholders, policymakers,and supporting sectors for tech-awareness will be the key, which willaccelerate the sector's growth inthe years to come," said DebjaniGhosh, President, Nasscom.

As per the survey of over 360 re-tail stakeholders, 79 per cent of therespondents felt that technologywill play a pivotal role in the retailgrowth in the country.

"There has been a rising aware-ness and willingness to embraceonline with 70 per cent of the over-all respondents have a positive out-look towards online + offline col-laborations," it added.

"Retail sector is one of the growthengines for the nation's economy,with a double-digit contribution tothe GDP, and employment to nearly35 million individuals in FY2020,"said Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog.

"The government of India is inprocess of formulating the NationalRetail Trade Policy which will notonly create a conducive environ-ment for retail trade but will alsosimplify policies hindering thegrowth of the sector in the country,"Kant informed in a statement.

‘Retail sector to add 2.5 crore new jobs by 2030’Retail 4.0 will result in asignificant rise in the sizeof the domestic market,job creation and exports.The changing demandand supply drivers arelikely to accelerate thegrowth momentum

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: Google.Org,the philanthropic arm of the techgiant, Monday said it will provide$25 million in grants to non-prof-its and social enterprises globally,including in India, that are work-ing on empowering girls andwomen.

The company, which has com-mitted support one million ruralwomen entrepreneurs in India, alsostated that its Internet Saathi dig-ital literacy training programmehas benefitted over 30 million womenacross the country.

"In India, in the past few years,we have invested more than $40million alongside the entrepre-neurs, the innovators, the non-prof-

its who are doing amazing work. Weannounced another million dollarinitiative building on that work inparticularly to help getting digitalskills to those who are most vul-nerable, including women,"Jacquelline Fuller, Vice Presidentat Goo gle and President ofGoogle.Org, said in a virtual brief-ing.

She added that one of the first ini-tiatives under that effort is led bythe NASSCOM Foundation, whereinthe organisation is getting a $500,000grant from Google.Org to supportone lakh women agri workers.

"They (Nasscom Foundation) aregoing to reach one lakh womenfarmers and provide digital skillsand financial literacy. Learningthese skills has been shown to in-

crease their incomes by about 30 percent," she said.

Talking about the new $25 milliongrant, Fuller said this is a global im-pact challenge aimed at non-profit

organisations that are working to-wards helping women and girls.

"We are providing $25 million,it's an open call. So any non-profitor social enterprise anywhere

around the world can apply. Andthe winners will get funding up to$2 million per organisation. We'realso going to provide Googlers, so

there'll be expertise, whether that'sin software engineering or user ex-perience, or even marketing to comealongside and help bring these proj-ects to fruition," she said.

Fuller noted that while more girlsare now going to school and morewomen are represented in the work-place, the Covid-19 pandemic has hadgender-regressive effects.

"The Covid crisis is one of thegreatest threats we have ever seento this progress. We know thatglobally, women are about twiceas likely to have lost their jobs dur-ing the Covid crisis. And we seewomen who are doing double dutyaround the world while they areworking, also teaching childrenat home in many places, provid-ing caregiving," she said.

GOOGLE UNVEILS $25 MILLION GLOBAL GRANT FOR NGOsIn India, we haveinvested more than$40mn alongsidethe entrepreneurs

and innovators, who aredoing amazing work. Weannounced another milliondollar initiative building onthat work in particularly tohelp getting digital skills to those who are most vulnerableJACQUELLINE FULLER I VP, GOOGLE & PREZ, GOOGLE.ORG

REUTERS

New Delhi, March 8:Bad loans andcredit costs are expected to rise atIndian banks as easy money poli-cies to shore up a pandemic-batteredeconomy may start to tighten, FitchRatings said Monday.

The coronavirus lockdowns lastyear slammed an already strug-gling financial sector, but recentquarterly reports have shown an im-provement in profits and assetquality.

Noting that the recent im-provement masked underlying pan-demic stress, Fitch said bankswould increasingly feel the pinchfrom the continued impact on smallbusinesses and rising unemploy-ment.

"Fitch believes that the dispro-portionate shock to India's informaleconomy and small businesses,coupled with high unemploymentand declining private consump-tion, have yet to fully manifest onbank balance sheets," the ratingagency said in a note.

India’s economy returned togrowth in the third quarter, butmany sectors continue to operatebelow capacity and some indicatorspoint to stress in retail customers,Fitch said.

Fitch added it sees high risk ofa "protracted deterioration" in assetquality with more pressure onloans to retail and stressed smalland medium-sized enterprises.

The Reserve Bank of India hadin January warned that banks maysee bad loans double to 14.8% undera severe stress scenario.

State-owned banks, with theirlimited capital buffers, will be morevulnerable to the impact of thepandemic than private-sector peers,and the government's plan to pump$5.5 billion into these lenders overfiscal 2021 and 2022 is unlikely to beenough, Fitch said.

The ratings agency estimatesstate-owned lenders need $15-58billion in capital, under variousstress scenarios.

Higher contingency reserves atprivate banks, which offer thembetter earnings and capital re-silience, make them better poisedfor growth in 2021, Fitch said.

Bad loans to rise atbanks as easy liquiditymay tighten: Fitch

NOTING THAT THE RECENTIMPROVEMENT MASKEDUNDERLYING PANDEMIC

STRESS, FITCH SAID BANKSWOULD INCREASINGLY FEEL

THE PINCH FROM THECONTINUED IMPACT ONSMALL BUSINESSES ANDRISING UNEMPLOYMENT

INDIA’S ECONOMYRETURNED TO GROWTH INTHE THIRD QUARTER, BUTMANY SECTORS CONTINUE

TO OPERATE BELOWCAPACITY AND SOMEINDICATORS POINT TO

STRESS IN RETAILCUSTOMERS

THE RATINGS AGENCYESTIMATES STATE-OWNED

LENDERS NEED $15-58BILLION IN CAPITAL, UNDER

VARIOUS STRESS SCENARIOS

RISING CONCERNS

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: The gov-ernment is likely to amend the tele-com licence norms this month to in-corporate the guidelines of nationalsecurity directive on telecommu-nication sector that will help incontrolling installation of networkequipment from China and othernon-friendly countries.

Under the provisions of this di-rective, the government will de-clare a list of trusted sources andtrusted products for installationin the country's telecom network.

"DoT is almost ready to amendlicence conditions to incorporateguidelines NSD (national securitydirective). It should be done in the

coming week," an official sourcesaid.

Notably, Chinese telecom gearmaker Huawei has had its run-insin the past with the governmentsof Canada and the US. The US hasalleged that it did not comply withits cybersecurity and privacy laws,leaving the country and the citi-zens vulnerable to espionage.

The list of the trusted sourceand product for installation in tele-com networks will be decided basedon the approval of a committee

headed by the deputy national se-curity advisor.

The committee will consist ofmembers from relevant depart-ments, ministries and will alsohave two members from the in-dustry and independent experts.

The directive, however, does notenvisage mandatory replacementof the existing equipment alreadyinducted in the network of tele-com operators and it will also notaffect annual maintenance con-tracts or updates to existing equip-ment already inducted in the net-work as on date of effect of thedirective.

While the government has notbarred procurement of equipmentfrom Chinese companies, it amendedthe general financial rules (GFR)2017 to enable the imposition of re-strictions on bidders in public pro-curement from countries that sharea land border with India on groundsof defence of India, or matters di-rectly or indirectly related thereto,including national security.

Public companies need to scraptenders if a qualified bidder is froma country that shares a land borderwith India, which includes China.

CENTRE LIKELY TO AMENDTELECOM LICENCE NORMS

Under the provisions ofthis directive, the

government will declarea list of trusted sources

and trusted productsfor installation in

the country's telecom network

Talent Sprint launches 3rd cohort for WEBhubaneswar: Talent Sprint, a leading Ed Tech platform and NSE group company, announced the launch of the thirdcohort of the pioneering Women Engineers Program (WE) with support from Google. The third cohort is beingscaled up to accommodate 500 participants. The cohort is aimed at first year women engineering students acrossthe country and will commence from May 2021. The Talent Sprint WE programme seeks to address this genderimbalance by selecting, training, and nurturing gifted women engineering students from across India, with diverseacademic pedigrees and socio-economic backgrounds to fulfill their potential in the field of software engineering.The first two cohorts received 27,000 applications, of which 220 participants were invited to join the programme.

‘Domestic air trafficfalls 37% to 78 lakh passengers in Feb’

AGENCIES

Mumbai, March 8: India's do-mestic air traffic fell 37% year-on-year to 78 lakh passengers inFebruary amid travel curbs and ca-pacity restrictions due to the pan-demic, according to Icra.

Even the sequential growthslowed down for the second con-secutive month in February witha nearly flat growth over January2021, rating firm Icra said in a re-lease. Domestic passenger trafficin January this year was recordedat 77.34 lakh, according to DGCAdata.

Similarly, 1.23 crore people trav-elled on local routes in February2020 as against 78 lakh passengerin February this year. "The num-ber of flights departing has alsogradually increased from 416 on dayone (May 25, 2020, when domesticoperations were resumed) to 2,885on day 267 (February 14, 2021).

"For February 2021, the averagedaily departures were around 2,296,significantly lower than the aver-age daily departures of 3,137 inFebruary 2020, though better thanaround 2,190 in January 2021," saidKinjal Shah, Vice President, Icra.

OnePlus inks pactwith Hasselblad; to invest $150mnPRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: Premiumsmartphone maker OnePlus Mondaysaid it plans to invest more than$150 million over the next threeyears to further build its mobileimaging capabilities to enhancethe camera experience for its users.

The Chinese company has alsoannounced a three-year partner-ship with camera manufacturerHasselblad to co-develop the nextgeneration of smartphone camerasystems for future OnePlus flag-ship devices.

The two companies have alreadybeen cooperating on the revampedcamera system – HasselbladCamera for Mobile – for the newOnePlus 9 Series that will belaunched globally on March 23.

"OnePlus has always prioritiseda premium user experience overeverything else. Beginning in 2021,we are making a concerted effortto significantly improve the smart-phone camera experience for ourusers, with the expertise of a trulylegendary partner in Hasselblad,"OnePlus founder and CEO PeteLau said in a statement.

With OnePlus' top-of-the-linehardware and computational pho-tography and Hasselblad's richaesthetic knowledge in traditionalphotography, the OnePlus 9 Serieswill be a major leap forward in thecompany's ability to deliver a pre-mium, flagship camera, he added.

"Hasselblad believes in the powerof images and our mission is to con-tinue pushing the boundaries onimaging technology. By partner-ing with OnePlus, we hope to putHasselblad's iconic design andoutstanding image quality for in-credible photography," Jon Diele,VP at Hasselblad, said.

SBI celebrates Women’s DayBhubaneswar: State Bankof India (SBI),Bhubaneswar Circlecelebrated InternationalWomen’s Day amid muchfanfare. The bankconducted cooking and artcompetitions on itspremises to mark the day. SBI Bhubaneswar CircleCGM Ruma Dey felicitated the winners. On theauspicious occasion, Dey also inaugurated a sand artset on the bank’s premises. Moreover, ACP, Traffic alsoorganised a programme to felicitate the womenemployees of Commissionerate Police. The PoliceCommissioner of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar SudhansuSarangi, Addl. DCP KK Panigrahi, SBI GM (NW-1) CLNChayulu, Bhubaneswar zone DGM Bikram Anand,Bhubaneswar zone Regional Manager Srikant Dashwere present at the ceremony.

Samsung launches Galaxy A32Bhubaneswar: Samsung launched ofGalaxy A32 at a price of Rs 21,999 for 6GB+ 128GB variant. This is the second GalaxyA series smartphone in India this year.Galaxy A32 comes with best-in-class64MPQuad Camera, stunning 6.4" FHD+sAMOLED screen with 90Hz refresh rate forsmooth in-app navigation, browsing andgaming and a host of other innovativefeatures. Galaxy A32 packs 5000mAhbattery. Galaxy A32 delivers a big boost in performancewith its advanced Octa-Core Mediatek Helio G80processor. The smartphone also come equipped with in-built Game Booster software and supports Android 11and One UI 3.1. Galaxy A32 consumers also get AltZLifefeature. The model is available in four colours - Black,White, Blue, and Violet. As an introductory offer,consumers can get cashback up to Rs 2000 on HDFCBank Credit Card, Debit Card and EMI transactions.

BIZ-BUZZ

Printed and published by Tathagata Satpathy on behalf of Navajat Printers and Media Pvt. Ltd. and printed at Navajat Printers, B-15 Industrial Estate, Rasulgarh, Bhubaneswar -751010, Odisha;Phone:7894447142(Marketing). Editor: Tathagata Satpathy, RNI No. ORIENG/2011/37159

cm

yk

cm

yk

cm

yk

cm

yk

yy

sportsTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP12

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Ahmedabad, March 8: TheIndian team managementfaces a problem of plentygoing into the five T20Is

against England, an assign-ment which marks the be-ginning of the side’s build-upto this year’s T20 World Cupat home.

There are 19 players avail-

able for selection and withtwo in contention for eachslot, the XI for the five games,starting here Friday, will bean indication to how headcoach Ravi Shastri, captainVirat Kohli and bowling coachBharat Arun are looking atthe next six to seven monthsfor the shortest format.

Will they look for a settledcombination to first clinchthe series and then experi-ment or will they field ab-solute rookies in the squadlooking at the bigger picture?

For a team that’s so closelyfollowed, the result does mat-ter and that’s why one can ex-pect a settled first eleven for thefirst three games since allmatches are at the same venueon similar kind of tracks.

The roaring comeback ofRishabh Pant will lead to a lotof interesting developmentsat the top of the order. Pant’sinclusion means that KLRahul, who till a few monthsback was the first choicekeeper-opener, is unlikely todon the big gloves. ShikharDhawan and Rohit Sharmawere a settled white ball open-ing pair till recently butRahul’s emergence as a potentwhite ball specialist has spicedup the competition.

Dhawan recently had ascore of 150 odd in the VijayHazare Trophy for Delhi andwhen it comes to Rohit, there’snothing to be discussed.

So where does the teammanagement fit in Rahul,who has been a successfulIPL opener? Will he be slot-ted in the middle-order asDhawan’s game is not suitedto batting lower down?

These are two pertinentquestions and in the answer,will be a follow-up question.With skipper Kohli himselfcoming in at No.3 and twogame-changers like Pant andall-rounder Hardik Pandyaexpected to play the big shotsat No.5 and 6, where does itideally leave Rahul?

The only place he can beslotted is No.4 but ShreyasIyer and Suryakumar Yadavare also jostling for a place.If one closely follows the pat-tern of picking the playing XI,Surya, a sentimentalfavourite, will have to wait forhis turn as Shreyas has donenothing wrong.

But when it comes to athree-way battle betweenRahul, Shreyas and Surya,the Karnataka man beats thetwo Mumbai boys hollowwith his repertoire of strokesand ability to shift gears.

Similarly, in the pace de-partment, BhuvneshwarKumar, once upon a timeIndia’s best white ball expo-nent, is coming back after along lay-off and will be en-gaged in a two-way fight withDeepak Chahar and ShardulThakur.

For Bhuvneshwar, his ex-perience and being a betterbowler at the death comparedto Chahar holds him in goodstead but he hasn’t played alot of cricket save a fewMushtaq Ali games.

Ditto for Chahar, a potentoutswing bowler but moreof a one-trick pony with lackof variations during the back-10. Shardul is a crafty bowlerwho can swing it at briskpace and among the threecan use the long handle tothe best effect.

Yuzvendra Chahal,Washington Sundar and AxarPatel are the three spinnersexpected to feature in theplaying XI on the sluggishMotera tracks. In anotherthree-way fight, ThangarasuNatarajan, with his varia-tion of yorkers, stands a bet-ter chance to start off com-pared to Navdeep Saini.

Two players, who will onlyget a look-in if someone isinjured or forcefully rested areIshan Kishan and RahulTewatia as the two simplycan’t be fitted anywhere.

In all, there are too many

good players and very littlespace to fit all of them withthree sure-shot picks –Mohammed Shami, RavindraJadeja and Jasprit Bumrahalready resting or recuper-

ating from injury.Once they comeback, it

will be a bigger selectionheadache for the manage-ment but one that they won’tmind.

INDIA SPOILT FOR CHOICESEyes on team combination in England T20Is: Dhawan/Rahul for opening slot with

Rohit, Iyer/Suryakumar for No.4 and Chahar/Bhuvi for new ball bowler’s slot

SHREYAS IYER SURYAKUMAR YADAV DEEPAK CHAHAR BHUVNESHWAR KUMAR

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Lucknow, March 8: A rusty Indianwomen’s cricket team will be seek-ing some rhythm in the secondODI against South Africa hereTuesday after being outplayed bythe visitors in the series-opener.

Though captain Mithali Raj andher deputy Harmanpreet Kaur hadinsisted that rustiness won’t be anissue in their first series in 12months, India clearly looked a sidewhich had not played for a longtime in the opener of the five-matchseries Sunday.

A better prepared South Africa,on the other hand, were clinicaland will be hard to beat in the com-ing games. After the game, Kaur re-alised the players needed sometime to gel as a unit. Barring Kaur,Raj and Deepti Sharma to a certainextent, none of the batters couldapply themselves on a decent bat-ting surface.

A lot of them were guilty of poorshot selection as pointed out byKaur after the game. The spinners,who are traditionally consideredIndia’s strength, hardly troubled theSouth African duo of Lizelle Lee and21-year-old Laura Wolvaardt, who

put up the highest ever openingwicket stand against India to runaway with the contest.

There were some positives, how-ever, such as Raj scoring a gritty half-century and pacer Jhulan Goswamishowing she is still among the bestin the business. Both the veteranswere playing their first game sinceNovember 2019.

Kaur too looked good in her 100thODI but would have liked to convertthe start into a big score. OpenerSmriti Mandhana struck three de-lightful fours before falling to aloose shot and would be backing her-self to bat long Tuesday.

Pacer Monica Patel was handedher debut Sunday and more capscan be handed out in the secondgame with the management keep-ing one eye on preparations forthe World Cup next year.

Pulling off one back againstSouth Africa seems like a dauntingtask considering the way theyplayed in the opener. They lookeda team high on confidence havingblanked Pakistan at home recently.Their pace attack led by ShabnimIsmail was impressive and Indianswill have to find a way to negate thatthreat.

Rusty India eves aim to fight back

United down City in Manchester derbyAGENCIES

Manchester, March 8: ManchesterUnited tur ned the tables onManchester City ending the lat-ters’ 21-game unbeaten streak witha 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium inthe Premier League encounterhere, Sunday.

Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shawscored for the Red Devils in theManchester derby to reduce the leadto 11 points. City are at the top of thePremier League standings with 65points from 28 matches while Unitedare second with 54 points.

Fernandes got the first goal ofthe match in just the second minuteas he converted a goal after the vis-itors were awarded a penalty inside38 seconds. This goal have United anearly momentum in the match.

The first half saw no more goalsand at halftime, United went inwith a 1-0 lead over table-toppers City.In the second half, Luke Shaw gotthe second goal in the 50th minute

and as a result, the visitors gaineda 2-0 lead.

Manchester City will next take

on Southampton Wednesday whileUnited will lock horns with WestHam March 14.

Later in the night, Gareth Baleand Harry Kane both scored twiceto help Tottenham make it threePremier League wins in a row andboost their top-four hopes after a 4-1 victory against Crystal Palace.

The duo combined twice withKane the architect for both goals byBale before the England captainhit a wonder strike and then createdhistory with another in the 76thminute.

Son Heung-min assisted Kane’ssecond and it was their 14th goalcombination in the Premier Leaguethis season to beat the previousrecord of 13 set by Alan Shearer andChris Sutton for Blackburn in the1994-95 season.

Christian Benteke had threat-ened to spoil proceedings for JoseMourinho’s side when he equalisedjust before halftime, but two quick-fire goals after the break ensuredthe hosts rose to sixth. Tottenhamare two points behind fourth-placedChelsea with 11 games remaining.

Bruno Fernandes rejoices his goal against Manchester City as his teammateAnthony Martial rushes in to join the celebration, Sunday

Benzema saves Real’s dayAGENCIES

Madrid, March 8: Diego Simeonesaid it was ‘a shame’ Atletico Madridcould not see out victory over RealMadrid in Sunday’s city derby ashe scoffed at those who predicteda runaway title triumph from histeam.

A fine early strike from LuisSuarez after terrific work fromMarcos Llorente put Atletico inthe ascendancy on home soil, butthey could not hold on to a narrowlead and Karim Benzema fired an88th-minute equaliser to keep thevisitors in with a sniff of a suc-cessful La Liga defence.

Seconds before Benzema tuckedthe ball past Jan Oblak, Suarez at-tempted to play in Saul Niguez fora chance to double Atletico’s lead,but the striker’s pass was poorly ex-ecuted.

It was a reminder of how quicklygames can change, and it remainsto be seen whether Benzema’s goal

proves a turning point in the season.Atletico had been heading five

points clear of second-placed

Barcelona and eight ahead ofMadrid, with a game in hand onboth, but now those gaps are threeand five points.

A return of nine points fromAtletico’s last six games has al-lowed the big two in Spain to closethe gap on Simeone’s pretenders tothe throne.

Atletico were third last term,finishing well behind championsMadrid and Barcelona, and thesigning of Suare z from theBlaugrana has proved a master-stroke. The Uruguayan’s 17th LaLiga goal of the season was a deli-cious finish, and one of the positivesSimeone might have pointed to.

Yet after losing to Madrid awayfrom home earlier this season,Atletico appear to have a majorproblem with their city rivals. It isnow 10 successive La Liga derbieswithout a win against Madrid forSimeone’s side, who have drawnsix of those games and been beatenin the other four.

India scrape pastGreat Britain 3-2 PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Antwerp (Belgium), March 8:Striker Mandeep Singh struck abrace as the Indian men’s hockeyteam eked out a close 3-2 win overGreat Britain to end their Europe touron an unbeaten note here Monday.

Harmanpreet Singh’s strike inthe very first minute and two goalsby Mandeep in the 28th and 59thminutes helped India remain un-defeated on the tour. For GreatBritain, James Gall (20th) andstriker Adam Forsyth (55th) werethe goal scorers.

In their previous match, India’sSimranjeet Singh had scored a lategoal to hold Great Britain to a 1-1draw and against Germany, the PRSreejesh-led side had secured a 6-1 win and a 1-1 draw respectively.

India started off aggressivelyMonday and earned themselves apenalty corner in the very firstminute of the game. The opportu-nity was duly converted by India’s

vice captain Harmanpreet to givehis side an early lead.

Great Britain restored parity inthe 20th minute through midfielderGall’s field goal. India’s momentto regain the lead came in the 28thminute when forward Mandeepsuccessfully converted a penaltycorner on the rebound.

Though India secured a penaltycorner in the early minute of thethird quarter and even made asmany as five circle entries, theywere denied each time by GreatBritain defence. India’s defence,however, remained resolute as theyheld on to the 2-1 lead.

India dominated the proceed-ings at the start of the fourth quar-ter, but a quick turnaround sawGreat Britain grabbing the oppor-tunity as Forsyth scored anequaliser in the 55th minute.

It was Mandeep who rose to theoccasion late in the game as hisstrike helped India cap off their firstassignment of 2021 with a 3-2 win.

Bajrang takes gold,No.1 rank in RomePRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Rome, March 8: Olympic-boundIndian wrestler Bajrang Puniapulled off a two-pointer in the last30 seconds of the gold medal boutto defend his title at the MatteoPellicone Ranking Series event, aresult that propelled him back toWorld No.1 rank.

Up against Mongolia’s TulgaTumur Ochir, Bajrang was trailing0-2 till the final moments of the65kg final but managed to level thescores, 30 seconds from the finalwhistle. Since the last scoring pointcame from the Indian, he was de-clared the winner on criteriaSunday night.

Bajrang will now be back in thenational camp but wants to trainoutside before the Asian champi-onship, scheduled to be held inKazakhstan from April 9 to 11.

Bajrang was placed second inthe rankings before the event andis now on top of the table in the 65kgcategory with 14 points. The fresh

rankings are based on results ofonly this tournament which meansthat gold-medallists get the top spot.

Vishal Kaliramana too impressedin the non-Olympic 70kg categoryby winning a bronze with a 5-1 winover Syrbaz Talgat from Kazakhstan.

India returned with seven medalsfrom the first Ranking Series eventin a year with Vinesh Phogat andSarita Mor winning gold and a sil-ver respectively in the women’sevent. Greco Roman wrestlers –Neeraj (63kg), Kuldeep Malik (72kg),Naveen (130kg) – bagged threebronze medals.

MCFC pip Goa, enter final

POST NEWS NETWORK

Goa, March 8: Two hundred and10 minutes of football over twolegs, yet there was no winner tohead into the final betweenMumbai City FC (MCFC) and FCGoa. Such was the battle that itcame down to ISL’s first-ever sud-den death in a penalty-shootout to

decide the first finalist of season7. And it turned out to be MCFCwho had the last laugh as theyedged Goa on penalties 6-5 at theGMC Stadium, Bambolim.

One of the highlights of thethriller was when both coachessprung a surprise as they decidedto substitute their goalkeeperswith the contest heading into the

penalty shootout. Goa brought on Naveen Kumar

while Mumbai raised some eye-brows when they decided to fieldPhurba Lachenpa in place of skip-per and one of the best goalkeep-ers of the season Amrinder Singh.But, as it turned out to be, theSikkimese gloveman survived thebattle of nerves, helping theIslanders book a place in the finalfor the first time.

With all to fight for in the secondleg, this contest was always goingdown to the wire. Goa remainedin the ascendance with Mumbaifailing to register a single shot ontarget in the entire game. The open-ing half proved to be a cagey affairwith neither side able to asserttheir dominance.

After a goalless 120 minutes, theshootout initially looked to beheaded Mumbai’s way after Goamissed their first two penalties.But Mumbai then missed a cou-ple, restoring parity. Finally, afterGlan Martins had missed his kick,Rowllin Borges stepped to drivehome the winning penalty and senthis team to the final.

MCFC players begin celebration after winning the game in shootout, Monday

Simi calls Meghan‘evil’, gets trolled

New Delhi: Indian actress-TV host Simi Garewalwas trolled for her tweet on the Duke and Duchessof Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle,following the couple’s 90-minute explosive in-terview with Oprah Winfrey.

“#OprahMeghanHarry I don’t believe a wordMeghan says. Not a word. She is lying to make her-

self a victim. She is usingthe race card to gain sym-

pathy. Evil,” Simi hadtweeted earlier Monday.

Soon, Twitterati em-pathising with the for-

mer royal couple andtheir interview,slammed the 73-year-old. ManyquestionedGarewal’s veracityto make such boldclaims, consider-ing the fact thatshe is not even

related to theRoyal family.

“I don’tknow whatwill Meghando now asthe wholepoint of her

interview wasto convinceSimiGarewal,”wrote a user.Anotheruser wrote:“Such anevil andinsensi-tive com-ment.”IANS

P2 KATONA TO PREFER SURROGACY IF SHE OPTS FOR MORE KIDS

leisure Singer Kerry Katona said she and her current partnerRyan Mahoney could consider surrogacy. Katona hasdaughters Molly (19), and Lilly-Sue (18), with BrianMcFadden, besides Heidi (13), and Max (12), with MarkCroft, and six-year-old DJ with the late George Kay.

Hollywood actress Gabrielle Union recently openedup about having suicidal thoughts in the past. “I’vehad so many rock bottom moments as an adult,starting with being raped at 19 at gunpoint at myjob,” Union said at Goop Health Virtual Summit.

TUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

yy

cmyk

cmyk

AQUARIUSYour communicationskills will work wonderstoday. Your eloquencewill win you preciousbrownie points, and may prove highly ben-eficial in meetings. In fact, all your argu-ments will sound very persuasive. The trickis not to get ruffled, says Ganesha, whenpeople don't agree with you.

PISCESYou are unlikely to be yourcalm and lucid self today.You will likely catch your-self worrying unnecessari-ly and putting in more efforts than required atwork. However, some leisure time will comeyour way in the evening wherein you willregain your usual perspective, says Ganesha.

SAGITTARIUSDark and gloomy shall beyour temperament formost part of the daytoday. But the afternoonmay just see the skies clearing. Theapparent mood change, says Ganesha;will mainly be because of good newsfrom abroad and business profits fromyour partner.

LIBRALove is in the air, andpassion lurks rightaround the corner. Sokeep your eyes and earsopen, because you may soon find your-self entrapped in a passionate loveepisode. But the price of new love isalways steep, and your beloved mayburn a hole in your pocket.

SCORPIOYou shall groom yourselfall prim and proper today.The thought of how youlook dominates your mindtoday. You are likely to capture the imagi-nation of people – both at work and atsocial gathering. Cash will exit left, rightand centre from your pockets on account offun and entertainment.

LEOMaybe it is the weather,or just one of thosedays, but today, you areextremely prone to wildmood swings, says Ganesha. You mustremember that nothing is permanent,except change. So go with the flow anddo not get caught in the undercurrent ofthe changes that are taking place allaround you.

VIRGOToday, your ingenuitywill breed ideas likerabbits. You have thehealer's hands, and soshall you make right many a wrong, pre-dicts Ganesha. You shall be most under-standing, and reading people's mind willdo wonders for you and your beloved.

GEMINIToday will prove to be anemotional and engagingday for you, predictsGanesha. Fortune will favour you, thoughyour emotions may cloud your reasoningand slow down your progress. Your sparetime will be spent on devising methods tomake the best use of your knowledge.

CANCERToday, you will usemoney to fulfil yourneeds. If there is any-thing that according toyou needs changing, you will throw somemoney to get it changed. Your loved oneswill celebrate your financial gains andspend some more of it in the process.

ARIESYou have been too busywith work and socialobligations. It is hightime you took a break and did some-thing for yourself. Your health mayneed attention. Ganesha says, every-thing else should take a backseat ifyou're stressed out.

FORTUNE FORECAST

TAURUSYou will manage toachieve all short-termgoals that you had settoday and your focus will now shift to set-ting long-term ones. Work pressure willcontinue but you will make it a point to findsome time to renew your leisure activities.

CAPRICORNCertain revelations abouta relationship will drawyour attention; you willfind it intriguing and willspend a good amount of time trying tosolve the mystery, says Ganesha.

BREVITY

CALVIN AND HOBBES

PEANUTS CROSSWORDSUDOKU

SOLUTIONS

CRO

SSW

ORD

SUD

OKU

CHECK FOR SOLUTIONS OF THE PUZZLES TOMORROW

post To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 0 to 9 and the letters A to E.

WHEN GABRIELLE UNIONHAD SUICIDAL THOUGHTS

Mumbai: Several actors took tosocial media to wish fans on theoccasion of International Women’sDay. They shared pictures ofwomen who inspire them and alsoshared motivational quotes cele-brating the day.

Ve t e r a n a c t o r A m i t ab hBachchan posted a picture col-lage of the women in his family,wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan,g r a n d d a u g h t e r s A a r a d hya

Bachchan and Navya NaveliNanda, mother Teji Bachchan aswell as daughter Shweta BachchanNanda. He posted in Hindi abouthow everyone has been saying Itis Women's Day today but a day likethis should be celebrated everyday.

Actress Ananya Pandey posteda picture of her maternal and pa-ternal grandmothers. Calling themher ‘best’.

Actress Juhi Chawla postedthrowback video about womenempowerment and how we areborn with it, adding that it is im-portant to be truthful to oneself.She captioned it: “The same mes-sage, then, now & forever Redh e a r t H ap py Wo m e n ' s D ayGrinning face with smiling

e ye s T h u m b s u p#WomensDay.”

A c t o r M a d h u r iDixit Nene posted apicture of the womenin her family as wellas Saroj Khan.She wrote: “Myhumble grati-tude to all thewomen whohave been apart of myjourneyand whocontinuet o i n -spireme.Happy

Women’s Day,” she says.Actor Ayushmann Khurrana

posted a series of pictures fromrural areas and posted, “Violenceagainst women and girls is un-acceptable and must be stopped.It is everyone’s responsibility.Together, we must#ENDviolence against girls andwomen in India. #WomensDay@unicefindia.” IANS

TOP STARS OF MUMBAI FILM INDUSTRY WISH FANS

‘Women’s Day shouldbe celebrated everyday’

Mumbai: Actress UrvashiRautela feels every industry

needs more representation ofwomen, so that progressive

change comes along.On International Women’s Day,

the actress said: “We need women’srepresentation that reflects allwomen and girls in all their diver-sity and abilities, and across all cul-tural, social, economic and politicalsituations. This is the only way we willget real societal change that incor-porates women in decision-makingas equals and benefits us all.”

“There is no force more power-ful than a woman determined to

rise,” she added.Urvashi represented India in2015 Miss Universe pageant and

eventually entered the film in-dustry. She will soon be seen in

the web series Inspector Avinashstarring Randeep Hooda in the

title role. IANS

Nomadland, TheCrown sweep Critics

Choice Awards

‘Industries need more women’s

representation’

Late actorChadwick

Boseman won theBest Actor for his

role in ‘MaRainey's BlackBottom’ while

Carey Mulliganwas adjudged asthe Best Actressfor ‘PromisingYoung Women’

Los Angeles: The 26thAnnual Critics ChoiceAwards saw Chloe Zhao’sNomadland and the se-ries, The Crown, win mostof the accolades duringthe ceremony hosted byTaye Diggs in an in-per-son/virtual hybrid show

Monday morning ac-cording to Indian time.

Just like the recently-concluded Golden Globesaward ceremony, a fewpresenters were on astage in Los Angeles,while nominees appearedon screen from all acrossthe world.

The Americandrama film,Nomadland,starringFrancesMcDormand,won BestPicture whileChloe Zhao wonthe Best

Director and Best AdaptedScreenplay.

Actor ChadwickBoseman, who passedaway last year due tocolon cancer, won theBest Actor for his rolein Ma Rainey's BlackBottom and CareyMulligan won the BestActress for PromisingYoung Women.

The Crown saw JoshO’Connor and EmmaCorrin win in the BestActor and Best Actress inDrama Series respectively,

while Gillian Andersonwon the Best SupportingActress award in DramaSeries for her role of for-mer British PrimeMinister Marg retThatcher on the show.

Jason Sudeikis’ TedLasso won big awards in

the TV comedy cate-gory, winning the BestComedy award, as wellas trophies for Sudeikis(Best Actor in Comedy

Series) and HannahWaddingham (Best

Actress in aComedySeries).

A file photo of Chadwick Boseman

P3

downtown

cmyk

cmyk

TUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARTO LORD’S ABODE

Gold jewellery received asdonations being carriedfrom the Srimandir officeto the shrine in Puri,Monday

INFECTED RECOVERED DEAD

World 11,75,54,128 9,30,57,557 26,07,110

India 1,10,63,140 1,08,82,798 1,57,853

Odisha 3,37,803 3,35,168 1,917

COVID-19 TRACKER

Narayani Motors was established in Bhubaneswarin 2005. Over the last 15 years, the company has beenrecognised as a popular brand for its products andpost-sale services. Now the company has manyshowrooms across the state. During an interactionwith Orissa POST, owner of the companyPurshotam Budhraja talks about the journey.

n How has the journey of NarayaniMotors been so far?

n Narayani Motors started witha low budget but now it hasachieved several milestonesduring the last 15 years. I be-lieved in hard working toachieve success. True rela-tionship with our customersand meeting the customers’ de-mands are the mantra of ourcompany.

n Effects of the pandemic

n We saw zero demand from thebeginning of the financial year2020-21 till October due to thepandemic and the lockdown.However, since November, 2020business has been picking itspace. We hope that company’starget may be achieved in thecurrent fiscal which were un-able to do during the last fi-nancial year.

n Plans for financial year 2021-22

n We aim to develop our show-rooms in this fiscal and alsosupply our products as per thecustomers’ demand. We havelined up several lucrative of-fers for our customers. We havealso planned to open new show-rooms in the state.

n Your opinion on Budget 2021

n We are happy with the Budget.It was presented aiming atgrowth of industries thatwere facing severe losses.The Budget will also gen-erate demand in the mar-

ket. I hope for the best.

n What are the USPs of your company and what models are available in your showroomnow?

n Automobile business is a spe-cial genre of business. This isrun keeping in sight the inter-ests of families and the youth.Narayani Motors is a house-hold name in the state.Customers have deep faith andconfidence is us. That is why NMis dedicated to the service ofour customers. Our inventoryhas models for all categoriesof customers such as men,women, senior citi-zens and especiallyyouth. Similarly,we supply mod-els based on thedemand andlikes of cus-tomers.

n NM is a very familiar showroomin the state.

Who will you give the creditfor its success?

n There are a large number ofpeople behind its success. Inmy reckoning, success shouldnot be measured by the met-rics of customers’ love and busi-ness volume. The showroomshould have a large variety ofbrands to cater for all categoriesof customers. Customer rela-tionship, post sales service, dis-counts to customers are thekey to drive growth. Similarly,a major reason of our success

is our hard work, planningand formation of a

roadmap and religiousimplementation of theroadmap are themajor factors of oursuccess. Also, the keyto find business suc-cess is based on re-taining the faith andgoodwill of our cus-

tomers.

WE BELIEVE IN HARD WORK:NARAYANI MOTORS

Healthcare workers have been the first line of defence inthe battle against the pandemic. Health workers andthe hospital authorities risked their lives to saveothers during the Covid-19 pandemic. Chairman-cum-Managing Director of SparshHospital, Dr Priyabrata Dhir spoke withOrissa POST highlighting the impact of the pandemic on the healthcare sector and how hishospital successfully overcame the challenges

n How Cov id-19 impacted functioning of the hospital &how could you cope with that?

n Covid-19 pandemic impactedthe hospital industries acrossthe world. Many hospitals havescaled back and postponed non-emergency care. Health and so-cial system across the globeare struggling to cope with theimpact of Covid. At SparshHospital, we have the same sit-uation. With past experienceduring various disasters, ourrapid action team reacted tothis and devised various strate-gies to ensure uninterruptedservice to our existing and newpatients. We also took good careof our employees.

n What are the advanced equipment and facilities youhave added for better patientcare?

n The pandemic made us realisethat quality health care & tech-nical up-gradation is the onlymantra to win over the situation.At Sparsh Hospital during thispandemic period we update ourcritical care unit by addingworld-class and highly updatedventilators, monitors, diag-nostic tools to match with theneed of the hour.

n What are the healthcare

challenges you see in post-Covid era?

n There are many challenges inhealth care sector now. Suddendecline in health care businessimpacted sustainability thebusiness. There will be directimpact on supplier movementto supply the consumables inright time due to restrictions onlogistic movement. Getting qual-ity products w.r.t consumablesand drugs though resourceavailability is more challengingas far as exports and imports areconcerned. The elective servicesimpacted though Covidfear is mounting.

The mandatory guideline ofgovernment policy involvescosts for the health careproviders instead of availingthem profit from the services.Availability of health care re-source and service from thesupportive providers is now achallenge to meet uninterruptedservices to the patients.

n How do you try to ensure af-fordable healthcare facilities?

n Well, there are many steps thatare being taken to provide af-fordable healthcare. Revisingsupplier negotiation w.r.t creditperiod for consumables in phar-

macy and keeping the gov-ernment price fix to the med-icine used during pandemic.Restructuring and reengi-neering of staf f policy

through deferred incentive,increment and

time limitationof duty hourwhich in turn

help reduceemployee

costs arebeing un-

der-taken.

COVID POSED A HUGE CHALLENGE TO HEALTHCARE

SECTOR: PRIYABRATA DHIR

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: MissionShakti has become a tree of hopefor 80 lakh women in the state andvery soon it is going to be a massmovement of 1 crore mothers, saidChief Minister Naveen Patnaikhere, Monday.

Speaking at the state-level cele-bration of International Women’sDay, Naveen said, “Mission Shakti—a sapling planted March 8, 2001 – hasbecome a huge tree now. It has be-come a tree of hope for 80 lakhmothers. Each leaf of this tree hasone success story. That is the storyof our Mission Shakti.”

The Chief Minister asserted thatthe success of Mission Shakti wouldinspire more and more women andit would soon become a mass move-ment of one crore women. The mes-sage of a strong Odisha will be con-veyed at each household in Odisha,he said. Patnaik said that all womenin the state have strongly welcomedthe decision to create a specialMission Shakti department.

Stating that Mission Shakti hasbecome a major social and eco-nomic movement today, he said ithas given boost to the rural econ-omy. The Chief Minister hopedthat Mission Shakti would becomethe largest movement not only in

the country but all over the world.The women have played a major

role during Covid-19 pandemic.Starting from self-help groups(SHGs) to Anganwadi, Asha andhealth workers, all the mothershave worked with responsibility,Patnaik further said.

The Chief Minister said the stategovernment has always been com-mitted to the development of womenwho joined the mass movement.

Project works to the tune of `5,000crore has been announced for them.He will continue to work for thewell-being and rights of the womenin the state,Patnaik added.

During the event, three workingwomen's hostels were inauguratedat Jharsuguda, Jajpur andBhubaneswar. Various online portals,mobile applications and awarenessmaterial to eliminate witch hunt-ing were also launched. Awardswere presented to the best performingdistricts, SHGs, officials and banks.

Among others, Women and ChildDevelopment Minister Tukuni Sahu,dept secretary Anu Garg, MissionShakti director Sujata Karthikeyan,Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra,Development CommissionerPradeep Jena and 5T Secretary VKPandian were present.

Nurtured well, MissionShakti a big tree now: CMMISSION SHAKTI WOULD BECOME A MASS MOVEMENT FOR

1 CRORE MOTHERS, SAYS THE CHIEF MINISTER

Three working women'shostels were inaugurated at

Jharsuguda, Jajpur andBhubaneswar

Online portals, mobileapplications and awareness

material to eliminate witchhunting launched

CM Naveen Patnaik speaks on the occasion as 5T Secretary VK Pandian looks on

BJD women wing celebrates Women’s DayBHUBANESWAR: The women wing of BJD, Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Monday celebrated the International Women’sDay and passed four resolutions thanking the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. “Mothers, who can easily take care oftheir home and children, can take responsibility of the nation and society with ease.” Patnaik said while addressingthe BJD women workers through videoconferencing. “Every mother has leadership qualities. We must createopportunities to develop their skills and use them for the development of the nation,” he stated.Biju Babu had taken historic steps throughout the country in the 90s for the rights of women. Taking it a stepfurther, the government has provided 50 per cent reservation for women in panchayats and urban local bodies, hesaid, adding the BJD has worked dedicatedly toward making the dreams of women come true.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: SeveralCity-based organisations, societiesand others celebrated InternationalWomen’s Day here Monday with great enthusiasm and withfocus on role of women duringCovid-19 pandemic among others.Orissa POST takes a glance at thecelebrations:‘Ride for Women’s Pride’

A group of women motorcyclists,‘WE -The Road Queens’, in associ-ation with Commissionerate Police,Bhubaneswar organised a bike rallytitled ‘Ride For Women’s Pride’ tomark the contribution of womenduring Covid- 9 pandemic.

To mark the special day, 12 womenbikers dressed in white kurti, bluejeans and donning orange turbanrode motorcycles fromCommissionerate Police office toMahila Cell in Unit-I via JaydevVihar Square-Acharya ViharSquare- Vani Vihar Square-RupaliSquare via Sahid Nagar- RamMandir Square- Master CanteenSquare to Rajmahal Square.

The bike ride was flagged of bytwin city Police CommissionerSudhanshu Sarangi.

Co-founder of ‘WE-The RoadQueens’ Sangeeta Sahoo said, “Theride named ‘Ride For Women’sPride’ is to remember the exem-plary role played by frontline womenworkers during Covid-19. Thosewho are in emergency services likedoctors, health professionals, mediapersonnel, teachers, mothers, wivesand care takers to elderly parentsat homes deserve praise.” Day care centre in Utkal campus

Vice-Chancellor of UtkalUniversity Sabita Acharya cele-brated the day with the announce-ment of setting up a day care cen-tre in the varsity campus. The moveis part of the vision of enabling agender neutral campus. The Schoolof Women’s Studies organised theWomen’s Day celebrations whichwas presided by the first woman VC,Acharya.

The day care centre will be set up

soon and will encourage youngmothers to continue working. “Thepandemic has widened the alreadyexisting gender gaps in the soci-ety. But it has also shown us thepower of women leadership. Someof the countries which best managedthe pandemic are led by women,”said Acharya citing examples ofNew Zealand, Taiwan and Germanyamong many others. “We cannot re-turn to the old world anymore. Wehave to shatter the barriers andharness the power of women lead-

ership,” she further added. Virtual workshop at ILS

A four-week long virtual work-shop on ‘Women Entrepreneurship’was inaugurated at the Institute ofLife Sciences (ILS) here. The work-shop supported by the Departmentof Science and Technology at theCentre aims to provide 30 womenprofessionals selected from all overthe country to orient them to dif-ferent issues and challenges of busi-ness opportunity in the field of sci-ence and technology. The event was

inaugurated by Anu Acharya, CEO,Map My Genome. In her address, shehighlighted her experience andjourney as a successful entrepreneurin the area of human genomics.

ILS director Ajay Parida men-tioned about the significant con-tribution women have made in thearea of science and technology aswell as in taking science towards suc-cessful business enterprise. Heurged the young women scientiststo take up challenging scientifictasks using the exciting currentopportunities.

RMRC director Sanghamitra Patistressed the need for providing anenabling environment and en-couraging platforms to make themsuccessful in every field- be it sci-ence and technology or in startupsand entrepreneurship. Nabard focus on rural women

The Bhubaneswar branch ofNabard celebrated the InternationalWomen’s Day Monday on the theme‘Women in Leadership: Achievingan equal future in a Covid-19 World’.The event was graced by Aska LokSabha MP Pramila Bisoyi and WaterResources department deputy sec-retary Madhusmita Sahoo. Manywomen micro-entrepreneurs from10 districts - Balasore, Bhadrak,Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur,Jajpur, Kendrapara, Khurda,Nayagarh and Puri - who trans-formed themselves into ‘changeagents’ and contributed to the over-all development of the society wereinvited and felicitated.

Nabard Odisha Chief GeneralManager C Udayabhaskar shared indetails various support schemes ofNabard for the development of ruralwomen. He stressed upon the needto double the dosage of credit towomen SHGs/entrepreneurs/ farm-ers in the ensuing financial yearso that they can take up various re-munerative livelihood activitiesand contribute to doubling theirfamily income. He said that Nabardduring the next financial year woulddevelop 3,000 micro-entrepreneursand extended financial support forconstruction of 15,000 toilets.

Ace sprinter Dutee Chand on the occasion of International Women’sDay claimed that the incidents like gender discrimination and

favouritism in sports have reduced much with the passage of time. “Inmy experience of state as well as national and international levels, therehad been discrimination based on gender as well on beauty too. Therewas a time when ineligible but beautiful girls used to get into betterplaces in sports,” she said. She, however, claimed that the times havechanged and sports have become fairer with time. “Now, more genuinetalents are getting the right places in sports. The selections and otherprocesses are done publicly to ensure fair play and justice to true talent,”she said at a public event named ‘Womaniya’ organised by a city-basedprivate school. Dutee, however, lamented that sexual harassment andsacrifice always remained part of the concerns for women. She alsoshared her experience of discrimination based on gender despite a seriesof achievements she achieved in her career. Noted Odissi dancer ArunaMohanty spoke about equal treatment of housewives.

City underscores role of women in myriad fields

Dutee sees dip in gender discrimination cases

Aska Lok Sabha MP Pramila Bisoyi felicitates Jashoda Pradhan of GadibrahmaSHG at a function organised by Nabard OP PHOTO

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8:Bhubaneswar-based startup,Swarajya Vending Industries, hasinstalled smart sanitary napkinvending machine at Bhubaneswarand Khurda railway stations onthe occasion of InternationalWomen’s Day.

Bhubaneswar Station managerC R Das inaugurated the vendingmachine as the chief guest of theevent. Speaking on the occasion,Sandipanni Bharadwaj, ManagingDirector of Swarajya VendingIndustries, said, “It’s a uniquevending machine, which dispensessanitary napkins of differentbrands and different sizes. And italso accepts all modes of payment.”

Napkin vendingmachine installedat railway station

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: ChiefSecretary SC Mahapatra Mondaydirected the police officials andregional transport officers (RTOs)to strengthen enforcement activ-ities especially on two-wheelersto curbing road mishaps in thestate. He asked the officials to pre-pare district specific workable ac-tion plan in this regard.

Holding a meeting with all thedistrict Collectors and superin-tendents of police (SPs) throughvideoconferencing, he directed toprepare the action plan to reducethe road mishap fatalities in theirdistricts concerned.

In Odisha, the major reasons forthe road mishap deaths are over-speeding and helmetless driving.Out of 5,333 road fatalities re-ported in 2019, 2,397 persons were killed due to non-use of hel-mets. The chief secretary directedthe district administrations to control speed and helmetlessdriving.

Transport secretary MadhuSudan Padhi said 286 accident-prone areas (black spots) identifiedin 2016, 435 in 2017 and 275 in 2018have been rectified while work ison for modification of 335 blackspots identified in 2019.

ENFORCE TRAFFICRULES, RTOs TOLD

downtownTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP4

cmyk

cmyk

POST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, March 8: Social activistAditya Dash’s mother PadmalayaDash has filed a petition in theSupreme Court seeking CentralBureau of Investigation (CBI) probeinto the mysterious death of her son.

In the petition filed through theSupreme Court advocate SwastikDalai, the petitioner pleaded theapex court to direct CBI to initiateinvestigation into the death of so-cial activist and motivational speakerAditya Dash. The petitioner alsoprayed the apex court to issue di-rections to the Orissa High Court todispose of the petition filed beforeit in a time-bound manner. The pe-titioner contended that almost ninemonths have been passed, but thestate Crime Branch has not come upwith any breakthrough.

The Supreme Court is likely tohear the petition March 12.

The petitioner contended thatthe tardy pace of CB investigationhas caused grave and immeasura-

ble damage to the petitioner andurged the court to not allow thestate Crime Branch to carry on theinvestigation endlessly into themysterious death of Dash rathertransfer the investigation to CBIso that it is concluded early.

“The pace of the investigation isgoing on at snail’s pace and no di-rect or indirect evidence was foundyet,” the petitioner contended.

Significantly, Dash’s mutilatedbody was found on the railwaytracks near Lingaraj Temple Roadpassenger halt here, July 7, 2020.The case was initially being probedby the Bhubaneswar GRP. Later,the Director General of OdishaPolice ordered the Crime Branch totake over the investigation of the caseJuly 30. October 22 last year, ‘Peoplefor Seva’, the NGO the deceasedwas associated with had submit-ted a memorandum to the OdishaGovernor Ganeshi Lal seeking aCBI investigation.

Aditya Dash’s mom moves SC seeking CBI enquiry

The petitioner alsoprayed the apex court to issue directions to theOrissa High Court to dispose of the petitionfiled before it in a time-bound manner

POST NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi, March 8: UnionPetroleum and Natural GasMinister Dharmendra PradhanMonday urged Union HealthMinister Harsh Vardhan to set upa National Institute of Virology(NIV) in Bhubaneswar.

In a letter to Vardhan, Pradhanstated that Bhubaneswar hasemerged as a prime centre of med-ical research and education in east-ern India with the presence ofworld-class institutes such as AllIndia Institute of Medical Sciences,Institute of Life Sciences, ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centreand ICAR-ICFMD (InternationalCentre for Foot & Mouth Disease).

“Owing to its strategic locationand skilled manpower, Bhubaneswaris well positioned to be considered

as location for one of the four pro-posed NIVs. NIV Bhubaneswar willbenefit from proximity to the above-mentioned R&D centres of excel-lence and leverage it for pushing col-laborative research efforts. Thiscan cater to the population of east-ern, south-eastern and centralIndian states. This will also be in linewith the Purvodaya vision of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi,” Pradhansaid. He urged the Health ministerto seriously consider the settingup of one of the four proposed NIVsat Bhubaneswar.

Pradhan also congratulatedVardhan for the country’s successfulfight against the novel coronavirus.He said that India’s success storyof curbing the spread of virus andsupplying vaccines to the worldhas been acknowledged by the WHOand international organisations.

FOOD SAFETY

Hosted by CMC, a workshop on food safety in progress at Town Hall in Cuttack, Monday OP PHOTO

DUTEE FETED

Arundhati Jewellers owner Brahmananda Meher felicitates ace sprinter Dutee Chand at Janpath in Bhubaneswar on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Monday OP PHOTO

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: TheBhubaneswar MunicipalCorporation (BMC) has decided touse biomining method to get rid ofthe legacy waste, garbage that remainpiled up for several years, atBhuasuni dumpyard here as it wouldhelp recover around 60-acre land.

According to sources, BMC hasrecently issued a request for proposal(RFP) for the mammoth exercise.

“We’ve issued an RFP for bio-mining of legacy waste at Bhuasuni.The operator is expected to install aplant of the required capacity for theprocess,” a senior BMC official said.

According to the civic body of-ficial, around 16 lakh metric tonneof legacy waste remain pile up atBhuasuni, on the outskirts of theCapital city. It will take aroundthree years to biomine the waste andreclaim the land.

Biomining is the technique ofextraction and segregation of min-erals and useful materials frommounds of waste. The recoveredearthy fines can be used for land-

scaping, gardening or road medi-ans within the City or at the site. Non-recyclable plastic material, on theother hand, shall be used in road con-struction or as an alternative fuel(refuse derived fuel) in cement plants.

“The heavy fractions like sand andgravel will be used for construc-tion of road shoulders or for plinthfilling. Stones and concrete recov-ered, if any, will be used for road sub-grade or for reuse in the construc-tion industry,” said the official.

“In a bid to achieve the desiredtarget, we’re looking to have a min-

imum average quantity of 2,000MT per day. The material retrievedfrom the legacy waste will be im-mediately sent to the recycle/iden-tified vendors without hoardingthem at site for more than 20 days,”the official added.

Notably, land reclamation is arelatively new approach used toexpand municipal solid waste ca-pacity and avoid the high cost of ac-quiring additional land. Otherwise,once the dumpsite gets filled withgarbage, there will be no optionother than closing it permanently.

BMC’s novel way to treat legacy waste

PRADHAN PITCHES FORNIV IN CAPITAL CITY

BHUASUNI DUMPYARD

Biomining is the technique of extractionand segregation of minerals and useful

materials from mounds of waste

The recovered earthy fines can be used forlandscaping, gardening or road medians

within the City or at the site

Non-recyclable plastic material, on theother hand, shall be used in road

construction or as an alternative fuel (refusederived fuel) in cement plants

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: ChiefMinister Naveen Patnaik Mondayurged the Centre to identify anddevelop the places linked to freedomstruggle.

“With the passage of time, theyouth of our country need to bereminded of the sacrifices of ourforefathers in a context they canidentify with. One of the ways inwhich this can be done is to high-light the events of our freedomstruggle and develop the placeslinked to it,” he said

The Chief Minister was ad-dressing the preparatory meetingof the National Committee toCommemorate Azadi ka AmrutMahotsav (celebration of the 75

years of Independence) throughvideoconferencing. The meetingof the panel was held under thechairmanship of Prime MinisterNarendra Modi.

He emphasised on the need tohighlight significant events led bylesser known leaders as well as tocapture the pan-India nature of themovement.

Stating events that happened out-

side India need to be captured, Patnaiksaid, “Our greatest tribute to thefounding father of our nation will beto carry forward in letter and spiritthe values and ethos of ourIndependence movement as en-shrined in the Constitution of India.”

The ideals of freedom, justiceand equality which defined thefreedom struggle need to be reit-erated in today’s circumstances,he said, adding all efforts should bemade to ensure every Indian, re-siding anywhere in the world, shouldbe touched through the various ac-tivities as part of the commemo-ration ceremonies. Service ori-ented activities can be part of theprogramme to encourage com-munity service among the citizensespecially the youth, he added.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: TheHigher Education departmentMonday directed the GangadharMeher University for diversionof the unutilised fund of Rs 5crore towards execution of threenew projects sanctioned duringfinancial year 2020-21.

In a letter, Higher Educationjoint secretary Birendra KumarNayak wrote to the registrar ofGM University that in FY 2018-19the government had sanctioned Rs5 crore in favour of university forconstruction of a sports complex.However, this work has not beenstarted even after lapse of a longtime. “Meanwhile, you have sub-mitted a proposal for executionof the other three projects in-cluding construction of a utilitybuilding, construction of bound-ary wall at new GMU campus andconstruction of a cubicle. Thetotal estimated cost of this projectis estimated around Rs 6.55 crore.

Therefore, it is hereby decidedto sanction the following threeprojects and cancel the sports com-plex project. The unutilized amountof Rs 5 crore shall be diverted forexecution of the three projects.

Develop places linked tofreedom struggle: Naveen

The Chief Minister wasaddressing the preparatory meeting ofthe National Committeeto Commemorate Azadika Amrut Mahotsav

Divert unusedfund to threeprojects, GMvarsity told

The govt had sanctioned`5Cr for GM Universityfor construction of asports complex, but the work could not commence even afterlapse of two years

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: At a timewhen the rising graph of snatchingcases in the city has become a majorheadache for the cops and denizens,the Commissionerate Police Mondaysaid special squads are being formedat each police station to deal withthe street crimes.

Speaking to media persons,Bhubaneswar De putyCommissioner of Police (DCP)Umashankar Dash said that theteam comprising one or two officersassisted by four constables at eachpolice station of the city will ex-clusively deal with growing num-ber of snatching cases.

Notably, two unknown armed

looters on bike Sunday snatchedaway the gold chain of a lady inBharatpur area of the city. The lady,Anasuya Behera of KhandagiriBari under Bharatpur police limits,was plucking flowers for puja nearher residence Sunday morningwhen the miscreants reached thespot. One of them holding a sharpweapon pushed her to the groundand tried to snatch her chain. Whenshe resisted the loot bid, the ac-cused hit her leg with the weaponand decamped with the chain. Theincident of loot was caught in CCTVcameras installed in nearby houses.

Meanwhile, in another incident,some bike-bor ne miscreantssnatched away a lady’s bag con-taining cash and mobile phone near

Raj Bhawan square here Sundayafternoon.

Speaking on the issue, the DCPsaid that the city police have beenwitnessing around 50/60 snatch-ing cases every month during thepast few years.

The criminals who get arrestedby police again engaged in the sameactivities after getting out of the jailon bail.

The police have been formingspecial squads at the police stationsto check various ‘street crimes’.

Dash mentioned the need for in-stallation of more number of CCTVcameras in the city.

The police are also planning tocome out with an album of such ha-bitual looters at police station lev-els to keep strict vigil on them.

Teams at police stations to crack down on snatchersApp soon to monitorhotel check-ins in CityThe Commissionerate Police

will launch a mobile app thisweek to keep tabs on anti-socials visiting hotels inCapital city. A pilot project tothis effect has remainedsuccessful, said the DCP.

AFFIDAVITBy virtue of an affidavitbefore Notary, Cuttack I,Kirtiraj Nanda, S/o.Jeetendra Kumar Nanda,At/P.O.- Odagaon, P.S.-Odagaon, Nayagarhdeclare that I want tochange my name from“Kirtiraj Nanda” to“Kirrttiraj Nanda” for allfuture purposes.

CLASSIFIEDAFFIDAVIT

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bhubaneswar, March 8: Thebody of a man with its head sev-ered was found on a railway tracknear Lingaraj Road railway stationhere Monday morning. The 42-year-old deceased identified asSushant Sahu is a resident ofHousing Board Colony inBhimatangi area here. Sushantwas a florist who had a makeshiftshop near his residence.

According to the deceased’s wife,Sushant left house after havingdinner at around 10pm Sunday.However, he did not return homefor a long time prompting his fam-ily members to search for him tilllate in the night.

The family members of the de-ceased told media persons thathe might have jumped before amoving train under the influenceof liquor. Police sources revealedthat the deceased and his wife hada heated argument over some is-sues Sunday night before he lefthome. Cops suspect that Sahumight have committed suicideover family discord.

Locals spotted the decapitatedbody lying near the track Mondaymorning. Informed, the GRPreached the spot. Police recoveredthe body and severed head andsent them for post-mortem.

Man’s decapitatedbody found onrailway track

FILE PHOTO

WASSUP TODAYBHUBANESWAR

n Protest by Congress party, MasterCanteen Square, 11am

n Workshop by ‘Satabdi Ra Kalakaar’,Biju Natya Kendra, Nayapalli, 3pm

n Guru Dakshina Utsav by KalaAshram, Rabindra Mandap, 6pm

BALIANTAn 44th annual ‘Astaprahari’,

Dudurabasta, Srimahaveer peeth, 8am

BRAHMAGIRIn Jagara Mahotsav, Esaneswar

Peeth, 7pm

Programmes/announcements for wassup today may be sent todowntown@orissapost.com for

record, it must also carry thesender’s mobile number for our

verification, but not for publication.

POST NEWS NETWORK

Paradip, March 8: For the firsttime in the state, farming of ma-rine algae has begun in four dis-tricts of Odisha.

The initiative has been jointlytaken by the state FisheriesDepartment and a private firm ofTamil Nadu. The four districtswhere farming has begun areJagatsinghpur, Ganjam, Puri andBalasore, an official informed.

“The Jagatsinghpur adminis-tration has started marine algaefarming at the mouth of RiverMahanadi in the district. The ma-rine algae have been entangledwith ropes on bamboo-made frames.The frames are floating on seawa-

ter to help facilitate growth of thealgae,” Marine Fisheries OfficerManoranjan Mohapatra said.

It will take around 45 days to ma-ture. Fishermen in Odisha wouldbenefit a lot in eking out their liv-ing from marine algae farming,the department official pointed out.

Notably, marine algae which areusually found in deep sea look likeHydrocharitaceae (in local parl-ance called as Chingudia Dala).The marine algae are ideal forpreparing medicines, shaving lotion,cosmetic and ice-cream. Severalaquatic animals feed on it.

The market price of marine algaeis Rs 50 per kilogram. Tamil Naduhas been carrying out marine algaecultivation for a long time.

stateTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP5

cmyk

cmyk

POST NEWS NETWORK

Baripada, March 8: Forest fires inSimilipal National Park have seri-ously affected the survival of her-bivorous animals and other wildlifespecies in the sanctuary. These an-imals are facing food crunch as theraging fires have gobbled up largechunks of the forest.

Reports said thousands hectaresof pasture land, twigs and leaves,bushes and small plants have beenreduced into ashes. The fire whichhas occurred due to the mistakes ofhumans has put lives of herbivorousanimals at stake. Many medicinalplants and a huge number of insects,prey to various species of birdshave also perished in the fire.

The wildlife sanctuary has 1,076types of plants, 94 types of orchids,604 types of medicinal plants, 45types of mammals, 304 types ofbirds, 62 types of reptiles and 20types of amphibians.

The forest dwellers who earntheir living from the forest and theanimal and birds getting their foodfrom it are posed with serious chal-lenges threatening their survival.Herbivorous animals like deer,sambhar, elephant, rabbit, wildboar and the cattle, goats and sheepliving the foothill survive on thegrass, leaves and branches of thetrees growing in the forest. However,they have been reduced to ashesnow. This has resulted in foodscarcity for the animals

Also the herbivores while runningaway from the fire are falling preyto carnivores and poachers.

Environmentalist Sanat KumarDash has called all stakeholders tojoin hands to save the wildlife sanc-tuary from the fire which is threat-ening the survival of vast array offlora and fauna and is a storehouseof oxygen.

Meanwhile, Divisional ForestOfficer (DFO) Santosh Joshi can-celled Sunday leaves of all forest staffunder the division even as freshreports of fire incidents have been

reported from over 20 points underUdala, Dujura, Bangiriposi,Rasgovindpur ranges close toSimilipal biosphere reserve.

Leaves of all the staff underBaripada division have been can-celled for indefinite period, Joshi saidadding that 100 more personnelhave been engaged on contractualbasis in the fire fighting operation.The forest officials are trying todouse the fire but staff crunch has

hit their efforts. There are only1,200 forests personnel engaged indousing fire while there is a needfor around 5000.

He warned the miscreants of im-mediate arrest if anyone is foundto have set forests on fire. Joshi ap-pealed to locals to conserve forestsand refrain from lilting the dryleafs in the forest.

Expressing concern over the rag-ing forest fire, the Queen andPrincess of erstwhile Mayurbhanjroyal family - Rasmi RajyalaxmiBhanjadeo and daughter Akshitaalso pitched in to douse the flamesat Tangadhua, Raipal and Badampurvillages under Bangiriposhi rangein Mayurbhanj district. The queenalso discussed with local villagersthe methods that should be imple-mented for dousing the fire and toprevent its spread any further.

Herbivores face food crunch as Similipal burns

RAGING INFERNOThe wildlife sanctuary

has 1,076 types of plants,94 types of orchids, 604

types of medicinalplants, 45 types of

mammals, 304 types ofbirds, 62 types of reptiles

and 20 types ofamphibians

The forest dwellers who earn theirliving from the forest and the animaland birds getting their food from itare posed with serious challengesthreatening their survival

The herbivores while running awayfrom the fire are falling prey tocarnivores and poachers

POST NEWS NETWORK

Bolangir, March 8: Tensiongripped the Bhima Bhoi MedicalCollege and Hospital here afterfamily members of a patient whodied Monday created a ruckus al-leging medical negligence. The sit-uation went out of control when thefamily members and relatives of thedeceased reached the hospital andstarted vandalising properties.They vented their ire at the doctorsand nurses as well by attackingthem. For some time, the hospitalcompound resembled a battlefield.

After getting information about

the incident, police reached thehospital and overpowered the pro-testers and brought the situationunder control.

Reports have been lodged fromthe deceased patient’s side as wellas by the hospital authorities. Policeso far have detained nine personsin this regard.

According to a source, a youth ofBhurshipali village succumbedwhile undergoing treatment at thehospital Monday. The family mem-bers of the youth alleged that med-ical negligence had led to his death.

A detailed probe is under way, itwas learnt.

Deceased’s kin ransackhospital in Bolangir

POST NEWS NETWORK

Sambalpur, March 8:SambalpurDivisional Forest Officer (DFO)Sanjeet Kumar announced Mondaya cash award of Rs 5,000 for any-one giving information about per-sons who are setting forests on firein the district. The DFO alsowarned of stringent legal actionagainst those found guilty. Headded that the wrongdoers willbe immediately arrested. “Thosefound committing such acts willbe arrested immediately. A cashaward of Rs 5,000 will be given tothe informers,” Kumar said.

“Mass awareness campaign isbeing spread regarding the safetyof the forests. We have also ap-pealed to the public to cooper-ate with the forest department of-ficials. Setting forest on fire is apunishable offence under theOdisha Forest Act and one(s)found guilty of such crime maybe punished with a jail term ofthree to seven years,” the DFO ex-pressed.

The senior official has issuedi n s t r u c t i o n s t o a l l Fo re s tDepartment staff in this regard.

Notably, in order to keep a vigileye on wildfires at least 15 con-tractual workers will be engagedunder the direct supervision ofeach forest ranger in Sambalpurdistrict. The squads have been di-rected to keep a detailed recordof addresses of persons enter-ing into forests.

DFO announces `5,000 cash award for info on forest fire

Marine algae farming begins in four districts of Odisha

POST NEWS NETWORK

Paralakhemundi, March 8: The bodies ofa couple were found lying in a pool of bloodin a closed room at Ariba village underGurandi police limits in Gajapati districtSunday evening. The deceased were iden-tified as 21-year-old Sibal Dileswari and 28-year-old Taluru Srinu. Sources said that thethe two were in a relationship for the lastcouple of years.

However, the family members of Sibaldid not approve of their relationship. Theyarranged to marry the girl off elsewhere. Thisdecision led to the couple planning to end their

lives. A deep cut mark was seen on the neckof the girl. “Prima facie, it seems to be a caseof suicide. But, it is yet to be confirmed.Exact reason of their deaths can be ascer-tained only after post-mortem. The inquestof bodies will be held in the presence of amagistrate tomorrow,” Gurandi police sta-tion SI Loknath Behera said.

On being informed, a team of policereached Ariba village. Police have registereda case in this connection and initiated aprobe. Gurandi police personnel interrogatedthe family members and neighbours of thetwo deceased. The probe is still underway,a police official said.

Clay idol museum at Dhenkanalschool a big draw among visitorsPOST NEWS NETWORK

Satamile, March 8: Apart frombeing known for imparting qualityeducation, Patla High School inHindol block of Dhenkanal dis-trict is famous for its museumwhich houses clay idols and im-ages. The museum is the brain-child of the school’s headmasterDhaneswar Sahu.

Dhaneswar lives in Mahalundavillage under Hindol block. Hejoined Patla High School in 1984as a teacher. He was promoted to thepost of headmaster in 2012. Sincethen he has been discharging his du-ties sincerely.

When asked about the beginningof the museum, Dhaneswar said hehad once visited the NehruChildren’s Museum in Kolkata.

“I drew inspiration from the visitto set up a clay idols museum. Istarted working on it from myhouse. My wife Salila supportedme in realizing my dream. I col-lected clay and other equipmentand materials and started givingshape to my ideas,” he said.

Started in 2016, the museum wascompleted in 2018. It has idols of free-

dom fighters, poets, writers andsocial reformers. Apart from this,there are idols depict lifestyles ofthe tribal and Eskimos; traditionsand rituals associated with Odishatemples. There are idols on NCC,Scout movement, Red Cross andanimals that are on the verge ofextinction.

What attract children most isthose idols that narrate stories withmorals.

With the permission from theEducation De par tment andAdministration, the museum wasshifted from Dhaneswar’s houseto the school premises November14, 2018, on the occasion ofChildren’s Day. The then Sub-Collector Bhabesh Kumar Nayak in-augurated it.

“I am thankful to the staff andstudents who have been helping mein taking care of the museum. Tosee it, students and visitors fromdifferent parts of Odisha visit theschool. The museum helps stu-dents understand some difficulttopics. In 2019, the institution wasawarded as the ‘Best School in theDistrict’ during Independence Daycelebration. It gave me immensesatisfaction. I have a wish to makethe museum a larger one with ad-dition of some more idols relatingto different subjects and topics incoming days,” Dhaneswar added.

The school was established in1981 with classes from Class I toVIII. In 1998, Class IX and X wereadded.

Started in 2016, the museum was completed in2018. It has idols of freedom fighters, poets, writers andsocial reformers, tribals andEskimos; traditions and rituals associated withOdisha temples

Lovebirds commit suicide

POST NEWS NETWORK

Kesinga, March 8: A 55-year-old woman wasstabbed to death by a youthwho was in love with herdaughter at Karlakhuntavillage under Kesinga po-lice limits in Kalahandidistrict. The incident tookplace Sunday.

The deceased has beenidentified as Sindhu Bagand the accused as TilakarNaik, a resident of the samevillage. According to asource, Tilakar had pro-posed to Sindhu’s daughterRanjita. But, Ranjita hadturned down his proposal.

With an intent to settlethe score, Tilakar was wait-ing at a place for the mother-

daughter duo Sunday. WhenSindhu and Ranjita were re-turning from the villagepond Tilakar attackedRanjita with a knife. Sindhurushed to help her daugh-ter but became an un-wanted victim.

Hearing their cries, thevillagers came to their res-cue and rushed the severelywounded Sindhu andRanjita to Kesinga com-munity health centre (CHC)where the doctors an-nounced Sindhu broughtdead. Ranjita is undergoingtreatment and her conditionis stated to be critical.

The police handed overthe body to the family mem-bers after post-mortem andhave detained Tilakar.

Jilted lover killsgirl’s mother

Gunupur: Death threats were issued Sundayto 28 persons through posters in Katuruvillage under Gunupur municipality area inRayagada district. The posters are writtenin Telugu. Those that have received thethreats are said to be in ‘rich persons’category in the village. In the posters, it hasbeen alleged that the targeted villagershave become affluent by adopting unfairmeans. It has been alleged that they are smuggling ganja and misbehavingwith women of the village. The name of a youth has also featured in the list ofpersons who have received death threats. This development has sparked fearand apprehension among villagers. When contacted, Gunupur IIC ManojKumar Behera said that they have seized the posters and launched a probeinto it. The posters are on plain white paper. The police are trying to ascertainthe authenticity of the posters and whether they have any Maoist link.

Rayagada villagers get death threats

WORDSWORTH

power post P6

I n a strategic move China held out an olive branch to India on 7 March un-derscoring the need to stop undercutting each other and shedding mutualsuspicion. It also wants enabling conditions to be created by expanding

bilateral cooperation to resolve the border issue. All that sounds well and goodbut, there is more to it than meets the eye. The new overtures made byChina’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a press briefingreflects new strategising not due to any reappraisal of India’s might, but todiplomatically circumvent the renewed initiative of the Quad group to closeranks and take on China unitedly. Significantly, Wang made the remarks onlya few days before the first ever meeting of the leaders of the Quad groupingon March 12. This is a clear signal to New Delhi which is preparing to jointhe Quad meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President JoeBiden, Japan PM Yoshihide Suga and Australian PM Scott Morrison.

Beijing views the Quad with suspicion. Three years ago Wang was dismissiveof its revival which he described with the pejorative expression of “a head-line-grabbing idea” comparing it with “foam on the sea”. He even predictedit would “soon dissipate”. However, three years are a long period in diplo-matic manoeuvrings. Since then big events took place, including the protractedstandoff along the Line of Actual Control, a clash in Galwan and the firstde-escalation last month plus the joint naval exercises by the Quad navies.

In an attempt to buy peace with India, Wang harped on its age-old tacti-cal line that the boundary dispute was an issue left from history and not thewhole story of the China-India relationship. He insisted both the countrieswere friends and partners who should shed mutual suspicion. With India show-ing keen interest in Quad grouping, China is now singing a new tune thatthe boundary situation should not be placed at the centre of the relationshipbut at a proper place in overall ties. This is an invitation to India to returnto business as usual even as they deal with the border issue. Nothing couldbe more conciliatory than Wang’s assertion that the world expects bothChina and India to safeguard the common interests of developing countriesand advance multi-polarity in the world. His very words “China and Indiaare each other’s friends and partners, not threats or rivals” could sound likemusic to the ears of the foreign service establishment of India.

China also wants to treat the Ladakh standoff as a thing of the past andmove on. This is because China seems to be realising India is being pushedto embrace the USA as a strategic partner for its aggressive geo-political strate-gies centring around its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The least it wants tosee is increased US involvement in the India-Pacific region in collaborationwith India. The decision to include Australia in the Malabar 2020 Naval ex-ercise after a gap of 13 years following the second ministerial meeting of theQuad in Tokyo on October 6, 2020 caused further anxieties to China.

The threat posed by China to geo-strategic scenario of the Indo-Pacific re-gion represents a great challenge to the Quad countries in terms of disrup-tions of cooperation in maritime security, cyber-security, data flow, qualityinfrastructure and healthcare.

In Beijing’s perception the Indo-Pacific is a direct threat to the BRI and China’sstrategy of encircling India. During his recent visit to Malaysia, Wanglashed out at the Quad, stating that Washington was aiming to build an“Indo-Pacific NATO” through the Quad. This is a proof that China no longerdismisses Quad as “foam on the sea” that would “soon dissipate”.

India’s pull-out from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP) negotiations last year has put it in a disadvantageous position. But,the China-centric supply chains suffered after India, Japan and Australia launchedthe Resilient Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) focused on key sectors such assemi-conductors, pharmaceuticals, automobiles and telecommunications.

Viewed in this backdrop, China’s peace offer should definitely be taken withtons of salt. Chinese sweet talk is but a trap to wean India away from its strate-gic partners and make its global economic domination dream a reality. Themoot point, however, is whether Indian diplomacy has the guts and resilienceto withhold the Chinese onslaught that is bound to commence after thissweet nothing talk. Second, India has also to take care not to be seen to beextremely dependent on borrowed strength from other Quad countries.

E ach time, we check into a re-tail pharmacy outlet to buythat essential prescription

drug or an over-the-counter for-mulation, do we know enough ofthe supply chain making it possible?From the lab where a drug is re-searched and developed to the mar-ketplace where it is distributed anddelivered to patients, it’s a knottytrail. The modern pharmaceuticalsupply chain is complex and con-voluted. Many actors - drug manu-facturers, wholesalers, retailers, in-surance providers, intermediaries,et al play their part across the ecosys-tem. Moreover, globalisation andeasing of FDI norms in the sectorhave upped the challenge for drugdistribution. Medicines are madefrom Active PharmaceuticalIngredients (APIs) that may besourced from different countries. Say,some lifesaving drugs change mul-tiple hands between manufactur-ing and final distribution to the pa-tients. This scenario offers scopefor counterfeiting drugs or com-promising quality, thus posing healthrisks. Unless there is an automatedsystem offering ‘real time’ visibil-ity on the movement of drugs fromlabs to patients, the drug supplychain turns inefficient, expensiveand creates vacuum for inferiorquality products to fill in.

The government of India is com-mitted to Universal Health Coverage(UHC), one of the SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) whichall nations have agreed to achieveby 2030. Under UHC, nations havethe mandate to ensure accessibil-

ity and availability of quality andaffordable medicines for citizens. Tomeet this mandate, the governmenthas been running the PradhanMantri Bhartiya JanaushadhiPariyojana since 2015. The schemeis implemented through the Bureauof Pharma PSUs of India (BBPI)which is tasked with procurement,supply and marketing of genericdrugs. Under the aegis of thescheme, states have openedJanaushadhi Kendras at state-runmedical colleges and hospitals.

Here, the daunting challenge ismaking available some 1400 med-icines and 200+ surgicals at over7000 such generic drug outletsacross the country. In a developingcountry like India, the drug dis-tribution supply chain is mostlycontrolled by the government. Thechain, however, is highly frag-mented. Owing to the many-layereddistribution apparatus, the costof medicines at the final distri-bution point shoots up. More thanthe cost challenge, there are otherhurdles to be overcome. Usually, thegovernment-run drug supplychains lack automation with muchdependency on human interven-tions. They are beset with problemslike lack of proper tracking andmonitoring of drug indents, ab-sence of a single platform for sup-plier and drug distributors, vul-nerable data due to physicalrecord-keeping, time-consumingprocess riddled with inaccuraciesdue to manual filling of data, lackof a digital payment gateway andunavailability of current stock

position. In the absence of an automated system, there is visibledemand-supply mismatch and inadequate access to the rural hinterland.

Reforming and standardisingthe Indian pharmaceutical supplychain is crucial given its global po-sitioning. The domestic pharma-ceutical sector accounts for 3-3.5per cent of the global pharma in-dustry in value and 10 per cent involume terms. Globally, India isthe largest supplier of generics - ourgeneric drugs account for 20 per centof the global exports by volume. Ouroverall pharma exports are val-ued at about $20 billion.

A robust and seamless interfaceconnects all stakeholders, offeringa complete picture on the route ofmedicines from the point of man-ufacturing to the palm of the con-suming patient. Adoption of thissystem makes sense since it is ca-pable of profiling all drug suppli-ers and equipment manufactur-ers, manage the procurement ofdrugs and surgical equipment andgenerate purchase orders againsttenders and rate contracts. Forquelling concerns regarding qual-ity of drugs, the system has em-bedded features for rating suppliesand appraising quality of testinglabs. The automation of keyprocesses of procurement, distri-bution and quality control assistsin demand assessment and track-ing distribution of medicines. Toput it succinctly, such automatedsystems ensure end-to-end visi-bility - the holy grail of supply

chain management. To illustrate,German pharmaceutical majorMerck has placed sensors throughits supply chain that collect dataabout inventory distribution prac-tices and availability for everystock keeping unit.

Beginning from R&D to retaildistribution, niche technologiesoffer immense potential to changethe landscape of drug supply chainmanagement. Artificial Intelligence(AI) algorithms can improve end-to-end visibility, leading to more ef-ficient demand forecasting, in-ventory management, logisticsoptimisation, procurement, sup-ply chain planning and workforceplanning. Intelligent robotics canalso be applied to the pharma sup-ply chain bristling with repetitive,time devouring processes. For ex-ample, integration of robotics witha manufacturer’s current equip-ment can complete simple tasksefficiently while communicating onprogress and status with other sys-tems, all in real-time. Blockchaintechnology promises to revolu-tionise the supply chain. Usingblockchain, all stakeholders canhave transparency over the end-to-end drug delivery process.Moreover, using a blockchain sys-tem, products can be tracked, tracedand recalled when necessary.Emerging technologies promise tofast pedal the drug supply chain’stransformative journey.

The writer is President & CEO,CSM Technologies.

Views are personal.

Time to reform drug supply chain

BUILD BACK EQUALT

he pandemic has ex-posed and exacerbated awide range of inequali-ties. If leaders are seri-

ous about “building back better,”policies to overcome the systemicforces that underlie them mustform the heart of their agendas.

One such divide is the gender gap.Since the pandemic began, womenhave suffered job losses at a higherrate than men – not least becausethey are overrepresented in manyof the hardest-hit industries, suchas food service and retail – andfaced higher levels of social pre-carity and food insecurity. The pan-demic is set to increase the gen-der gap in extreme poverty as well.

Moreover, as feminist thinkerslike Silvia Federici have pointed out,the burden of domestic labour – al-ready disproportionately borne bywomen – became far heavier dur-ing pandemic lockdowns. At thesame time, women are usually thevictims of domestic violence, whichhas become more frequent and se-vere since the pandemic began.

Not surprisingly, women’s men-tal health has suffered dispro-portionately over the last year.The burden of the pandemic hasbeen particularly heavy for womenwho are also subject to other formsof marginalisation, based on race,age, or immigration status.

More broadly, the pandemic hasexpanded the divide between richand poor. A handful of billion-aires have seen their wealth sky-rocket over the last year, whilelower-skill workers have faced farlarger employment and earningslosses than higher-skill workers.The top income decile, largelycomprising workers who havebeen able to work remotely duringthe pandemic, have been able to ex-pand their savings, whereas manylaid-off workers have borrowedto stay afloat, driving up the num-ber of people who are over-in-debted or have minimal savings.

At the global level, there havebeen vast differences between the

capacity of developed and devel-oping countries to respond to theCOVID-19 crisis. Advancedeconomies have mobilised, on av-erage, 25% of their GDP to mitigateits effects, compared to 7% in de-veloping countries and just 1.5% inthe poorest countries. And whereaswealthy countries may have theirentire populations vaccinated bymid-2022, more than 85 poor coun-tries will not have widespread ac-cess to vaccines before 2023.

In this context, “building backbetter” must mean creating aneconomy that works for everyone– what in 2013 then-US PresidentBarack Obama called the “defin-ing challenge of our time.” Butthis is not just a matter of em-powering those who have been“left behind” by globalisation, byproviding more resources for ed-ucation, training, and capacitybuilding. That widely endorsed“solution” is based on rosy butdeeply flawed assumptions aboutthe contemporary world order.

In fact, addressing today’s in-equities demands a far more com-prehensive – and critical – as-sessment of underlying systemicforces. The pandemic’s dispro-portionate impact on women, forexample, is a direct result of deeply

entrenched patriarchal rules andnorms that perpetuate segmentedstructures in the home, the labourmarket, and the workplace.

It is because of these rules andnorms that, when care infra-structure deteriorates, womenpick up the slack, and when jobsare scarce, women lose out themost. Many women are then forcedinto precarious employment, wherethey are vulnerable to physicaland sexual violence. So, even as afew women shatter glass ceilings,the majority of women remainon the floor, sweeping up the shards.

Initiatives intended to empowerwomen within the current system– such as by encouraging female en-trepreneurship or ensuring equallegal rights – are certainly vital. Butanything close to true equalitywill require us to address the in-sidious effects of patriarchal powerdynamics – and that means chal-lenging and reforming the systemin which they are embedded.

The same goes for closing thegaps between the haves and have-nots, both within and across coun-tries. As the Nobel laureate econ-omist Joseph E. Stiglitz has argued,the rules of the game are designedto strengthen the position of thosealready at the top of the develop-

ment ladder, while holding back theless advantaged. Those rules havebenefited creditors over debtors,and fueled speculation rather thanproductive investment. Intellectualproperty rights and other re-strictive business practices haveincreased the market power oflarge international firms, includingthe tech giants, over smaller sup-pliers and consumers, thereby un-dermining innovation.

The rules of the game have alsoenabled large firms to hide theirprofits in tax havens, instead of pay-ing their fair share or pursuing em-ployment-generating investment.And the effect on government rev-enues has weakened the state’scapacity to supply public goods, cor-rect market failures, and even tomeet the immediate needs of cit-izens during a crisis.

Perhaps most insidious of all,the growing realisation that thegame is rigged has eroded publicconfidence in institutions, fueledpolitical fragmentation and socialdiscontent, and spurred deepeningmistrust among countries. Fromvaccine skepticism to lack of in-ternational coordination, theCOVID-19 crisis reflects the con-sequences of these trends.

Seventy-five years ago, theUnited Nations Charter issued aclarion call for collective actionto meet the new challenges of aninterdependent world. Today, ourworld is more interconnected thanever, and yet rampant inequalityis diminishing our receptivenessto the collective action we need. Toreverse this tendency requires ad-dressing the unfair power dy-namics that are embedded in theglobal economic system. “Don’tgamble on the future,” warnedSimone de Beauvoir. “Act now,without delay.”

The writer, a former president of the UN General

Assembly, is a former minister of Ecuador.

©PROJECT SYNDICATE

FOCUS

SPECTRUM

Today, our world is more interconnected thanever, and yet rampant inequality is diminishingour receptiveness to collective action we need

China’s Olive Branch

TUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

The soul in man is greater thanhis fate.

SRI AUROBINDO

PHARMA INDUSTRY

“BUILDING BACKBETTER” MUST

MEAN CREATINGAN ECONOMYTHAT WORKS

FOR EVERYONE

María FernandaEspinosa

WISDOM CORNER

To know what you know and what you do not know, that is trueknowledge. CONFUCIUS

Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great thingswhile they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin witha single step. LAO TZU

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peacewith ourselves. DALAI LAMA

PANDEMIC RESPONSE

Readers of Orissa POSTare most welcome to contribute letters(200 words), articles andcolumns (between 750-1250words). Contributors arerequested to send theircontact numbers and fullpostal address/email ID. They may alsosend in their valuable comments, opinionand suggestions, preferably by email, to: edit@orissapost.com

B-15, Rasulgarh Industrial Estate,Bhubaneswar-751010

LettersTO THE EDITOR

GLOBALISATIONAND EASING OF FDI

NORMS IN THESECTOR HAVE

UPPED THE CHALLENGE

FOR DRUG DISTRIBUTION

Priyadarshi Nanu Pany

Raging wildfire

Sir, This refers to news item “Wildfire still rag-ing in Similipal” published in Orissa POST onMarch 8. In spite of best efforts, the forest de-partment has failed to control the fire at SimilipalNational Park, the sixth largest national parkof India. More than one-third of this forest isburnt, affecting wild animals and rare speciesof vegetation. Does our forest department hasthe necessary infrastructure and is alert enoughto control such fires? Modern sensory equipmentused in forest fire early warning systems helpquickly and accurately locate forest fires. Localfire brigades extinguish most forest fires attheir first attempt. Regular forest fire drills, inwhich all the actors get to know each other andpractise working together, should be part ofdisaster management system.

Gopal Mittal, BHUBANESWAR

Bengal needs real ‘poribortan’

Sir, This refers to the news item “PM Modi scalds Mamata” published in Orissa POST onMarch 8. The most riveting electoral contest in Bengal Assembly elections is in Nandigram.Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will face BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, who was not too longago one of Mamata's key political associates. But he has become a high profile defector tothe saffron party, and an aggressive campaigner against Mamata. It is understandable thatsome voters wonder if this election is a contest between the Trinamool’s A and B teams.Nandigram is the location of a proposed SEZ by the erstwhile Left Front governmentwhich flamed out 14 years ago in a burst of violence. It became a lightning rod, along withSingur, for the things that were wrong with the Left Front administration. The area pro-vided a springboard for the TMC’s subsequent ascent to power and Adhikari played a keyrole in it. Today, the contest in Nandigram is a symbol of the unmet challenges of economicdevelopment that Mamata once seemed to herald. This election is centered on personali-ties, emotions, identity and fear. If Mamata has used the ‘outsider’ tag to combat the BJP,Adhikari is following the same approach in Nandigram. However, Prime Minister NarendraModi in Sunday’s public address promised a “real change” in Bengal. The same was prom-ised by Mamata Banerjee a decade ago, but the state needs more than just rhetoric to wit-ness meaningful “poribortan”. India's economic renaissance needs Bengal at its centre.

N Sadhasiva Reddy, BANGALORE

cmyk

cmyk

McJob

The Associated Press reported in November 2003 that Jim Cantalupo,the Chairman and CEO of the fast-food firm McDonald’s, had

published an open letter to Merriam-Webster about the 11th edition oftheir Collegiate Dictionary, published in July 2003. He complained aboutthe inclusion in that work of the word Mc Job, and for defining it as “lowpaying and dead-end work”. The affairs of dictionary makers are rarelycontroversial. But it does occasionally happen that words, or theirdefinitions, become contentious. And this isn’t the first time that Mc Jobhas been in the headlines. A report in the Independent newspaper inBritain in 1997 claimed that the Oxford English Dictionary had beenadvised on legal grounds not to include the word, though this never led toanything and the term is in the online OED. There are several problemswith Cantalupo’s objections. Not the least of them, as Merriam-Websterwas quick to point out, is that they don’t define the word in thosepejorative terms, but use the phrase “a low-paying job that requires littleskill and provides little opportunity for advancement”. They are not alone:the Fourth Edition of the American Heritage Dictionary, for example, saysit is “A job, usually in the retail or service sector, that is low paying, oftentemporary, and offers minimal or no benefits or opportunity forpromotion”. The online OED says: “An unstimulating, low-paid job withfew prospects, especially one created by the expansion of the servicesector”. There’s little that Cantalupo can dispute here; howeverunflattering it might appear to be to his organisation, that is indeed whatpeople mean by the term. Critics might also argue that he should havecomplained five months earlier, when the Collegiate was first published.Actually, he’s more like 17 years too late. Mc Job appeared in theWashington Post in 1986, though it was the publication of DouglasCoupland’s book Generation X in 1991 that popularised it. In the decadesince, it has spread around most of the world. The job of dictionaries,their editors argue, is to reflect the way that the language is actuallybeing used. Merriam-Webster rightly say that the word is in wide generaluse (not just on the Internet, as Cantalupo asserts in his letter). Theycomment: “In editing the Collegiate Dictionary, we bear in mind theguidance offered by Noah Webster that the business of the lexicographeris to collect, arrange, and define, as far as possible, all the words thatbelong to a language, and leave the author to select from them at hispleasure and according to his judgment’”. Cantalupo also objects on thegrounds that Mc JOBS is a registered trademark of McDonald’s used forthe company’s training program for mentally and physically challengedpeople. McDonald’s has actually trademarked dozens of terms beginningin Mc, such as McDouble, McDrive, McExpress, McFamily, McFlurry,McHero, McKids, McKroket, McMaco, McMenu, McMusic, McNifica,McNuggets, McOz, McPlane, McPollo, McRib, McRoyal, McScholar,McSwing, and McWorld. This plethora of terms, and the determinedattempt on the part of the company to associate Mc with McDonald’s inthe public mind, has been all too successful.

cmyk

cmyk

RAJASTHAN

TUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWARP7

DELHI

REUTERS

New Delhi, March 8: Thousandsof women joined protests by farm-ers on the outskirts of Delhi Mondayto mark International Women’s Day,demanding the scrapping of newlaws that open up agriculture pro-duce markets to private buyers.

Since December, many farmersaccompanied by their families havecamped at three sites on the out-skirts of the Indian capital to opposethe biggest farm reforms in decades,which they say hurt them.

Wearing bright yellow scarvesrepresenting the colour of mus-tard fields, the women took cen-trestage at one key site, chanting slo-gans, holding small marches, andmaking speeches through loud-speakers to target the laws.

“This is an important day as itrepresents women’s strength,” saidVeena, a 37-year-old from a farmingfamily, who gave only one name inorder to protect her identity.

“I believe if we women are united,then we can achieve our targetmuch quicker,” added Veena, whotravelled from the northern state ofPunjab to the sprawling Tikri protestspot. More than 20,000 women gath-ered at the site near Delhi’s bor-der with the state of Haryana, po-lice and event organisers said.

“This is a day that will be man-aged and controlled by women, thespeakers will be women, there will

be a lot of feminist perspectivesbrought in, and discussions onwhat these laws mean for womenfarmers,” said farm activist KavithaKuruganti.

“It is one more occasion to show-case and highlight the contribu-tion of women farmers both inagriculture in India as well as to thismovement.”

India says the reforms will bringprivate investment into a vast andantiquated farm sector, improvesupply chains and cut colossalwaste.

Faced with the protests, PrimeMinister Narendra Modi’s gov-

ernment offered to suspend thelaws for 18 months, but the farmershave refused to back down, de-manding their repeal.

Agriculture accounts for nearly15% of India’s $2.9 trillion econ-omy and employs about half itsworkforce.

Women farmers have as much atstake as men from the new laws,Kuruganti added.

“Markets that are distant as wellas exploitative make single womenfarmers more vulnerable, and in anycase a patriarchal society has dis-criminated and made them vul-nerable.”

Women farmers take centrestage at Delhi protest sites

Women farmers from Punjab and Haryana participate in a protest against thefarm laws at Tikri border in Delhi, on the occasion of International Women’sDay, Monday. PTI PHOTO

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: The Delhi JalBoard (DJB) Monday moved theSupreme Court against the Haryanagovernment to “avert a potential se-vere water crisis” in Delhi, waterutility’s vice chairman RaghavChadha said.

Chadha claimed the Haryanagovernment has reduced the supplyof raw water to Delhi, resulting inshortage of water supply in the na-tional capital.

“Such behaviour of the Haryanagovernment is not only undesir-able, but also deeply disappoint-ing. The regular fall in the level ofYamuna, especially during sum-mers, along with the discharge ofpollutants that cause rise in am-monia levels, is a matter of graveconcern,” he said in a statement.

“Delhi is facing a potential se-vere water crisis due to high am-monia levels in the Yamuna and thecontinuously depleting water levelat Wazirabad barrage, which suppliesdrinking water to the Wazirabad,Okhla and Chandrawal water treat-ment plants of the DJB,” he said.

The DJB has moved the SCagainst Haryana to avert a severewater crisis in Delhi. It has soughtdirections from the apex court to theneighbouring state to immediatelycease the discharge of untreatedpollutants into the Yamuna and re-lease sufficient water to the na-tional capital, Chadha said.

Raw water is sourced from the

Yamuna and is drawn at Wazirabadbarrage. The quantity and qualityof raw water at Wazirabad Barrageis dependent on the release of waterby the Haryana government, hesaid. Haryana supplies water toDelhi through the Carrier-LinedChannel (CLC), Delhi Sub-Branch(DSB) and the Yamuna.

CLC and DSB supply water fromHathni Kund via Munak canal andBhakra Beas Management Board.

At present, Delhi receives 479million gallons water a day (MGD)against 609 MGD from Haryana.Besides, Delhi draws 90 MGDgroundwater and receives 250 MGDfrom the Upper Ganga Canal.

“The continuous fall in theYamuna's water level is a matter ofgrave concern. Despite notifyingofficers concerned of the Haryana

government on a daily basis, noconcrete action has been taken yetand there has been no improve-ment towards restoring any nor-malcy,” Chadha said.

As per a Supreme Court order ofFebruary 1996, the pond level in

Wazirabad has to be kept full.The normal level of the Yamuna

near Wazirabad Pond should be674.50 feet but it has dropped to670.90 feet. The drastic fall in thewater level at Wazirabad pond hasaffected water production atWazirabad, Okhla and Chandrawalwater treatment plants which sup-ply drinking water to central, north,west and south Delhi.

Currently, Haryana through CLCcanal is supplying only 549.16 cusecsagainst 683 cusecs and Delhi Sub-Branch canal is supplying 306.63cusecs against 330 cusecs, Chadhahad said on Sunday. The treat-ment capacity at Wazirabad andChandrawal water treatment plantshas dipped by 30 per cent. The samehas reduced by 15 per cent at OkhlaWTP, he had said.

Delhi Jal Board moves SC against Haryana WATER CRISIS

Delhi is facing apotential severewater crisis due to

high ammonia levelsin the Yamuna and thecontinuously depletingwater level at Wazirabadbarrage, which suppliesdrinking water to theWazirabad, Okhla andChandrawal watertreatment plants of the DJBRAGHAV CHADHA I VICE CHAIRMAN, DJB

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: The economyof Delhi is expected to contract by5.68 per cent in real terms while theper capital income is projected tofall to `3.54 lakh in the current fi-nancial year due to the impact ofthe pandemic, according to DelhiEconomic Survey 2020-21.

However, the advance estimateof the gross state domestic product(GSDP) of Delhi at current priceduring 2020-21 is `7,98,310 crore,showing a contraction of 3.92 percent over the previous year.

The GSDP at current prices in-creased by about 45 per cent in thelast six years- from ̀ 5,50,804 crorein 2015-16 to ̀ 7,98,310 crore during2020-21. The per capita income alsowent down from ̀ 3.76 lakh in 2019-20 to `3.54 lakh in the current fis-cal year, stated the survey tabled inthe Budget session of DelhiAssembly by Deputy Chief MinisterManish Sisodia.

In real terms, the contractionin Delhi's GSDP is expected at 5.68per cent in 2020-21 compared to adegrowth of 8 per cent at nationallevel, said the report.

Sisodia said in the Assemblythat the pandemic halted govern-ment activities for some months,causing decline in trade and revenue

and financial constraints.Delhi has the second highest per

capita income (in real terms) inIndia. The per capita income ofDelhi at current prices during 2020-21 is estimated at ̀ 3,54,004 againstper capita income of ̀ 1,27,768 at na-tional level, the report said.

“Delhi's per capita income dur-ing 2020-21 at current prices, has beenworked out to `3,54,004 as against`3,76,221 during 2019-20 showing acontraction of 5.91 per cent. In realterms, per capita income of Delhihas been estimated at `2,54,001 in2020-21 as against ̀ 2,74,671 in 2019-20 registering a contraction of 7.53per cent,” the Survey said. It showedpredominance of service sectorwith its share of contribution toGross State Value Added (at currentprices) at 84.59 per cent during 2020-21 followed by secondary sector(13.56 per cent) and primary sec-tor (1.85 per cent).

The income from trade, hotelsand restaurants in Delhi consti-tuted `79,263 crore during 2020-21(advanced estimate) at currentprices, which is nearly 11.18 percent of Gross State Value Added(GSVA) of Delhi (base year 2011-12).More clearly, this sector's contri-bution to GSVA of Delhi duringthe last ten years was more than 11per cent, it said.

Delhi’s economy projectedto contract by 5.68 pc in FY21

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Jaipur, March 8: Former RajasthanChief Minister Vasundhara Rajeshowed her strength and warned theincumbent Gehlot government dur-ing her two-day religious sojournin the eastern belt of the state. Shealso took on her anti-faction in afiery speech.

As she addressed a mammothgathering Sunday, she silenced hercritics by announcing, “My motherhas lit the lamp and bloomed thelotus...she never let the flame ofthe lamp subside and has never letthe lotus die.”

“Each of her veins carried thespirit of nationalism along withthe spirit of the BJP. I am the daugh-ter of this mother,” she said in a roar-ing voice.

BJP national President JP Naddaduring his recent visit Jaipur hadasked the party members to self-analyse and evaluate how muchthey are contributing to the party.Now, Raje’s words are being seen asa clear answer to Nadda’s call.

It needs to be mentioned herethat the lamp here is quoted withreference to Jansangh’s symbolwhile lotus was used for BJP's sym-bol.

Raje has maintained a distancefrom the state party office since anew leadership was formed inRajasthan.

Meanwhile, addressing peopleduring her religious yatra, she alsosaid that she would like to seekblessings of God to uproot theRajasthan government which isseen split in two parts.

“The development of the entire

state has stopped under the presentstate government’s rule. So I havecome to pray to Giriraj Maharajto bless and give strength to all ofus so that we can uproot this AshokGehlot’s government, which is di-vided into two factions, to bringback development in the state,” sheadded.

“I am deeply grateful to everyonefor the love and blessings that thepeople of the state gave to me on mybirthday. My mother used to saythat going to a pilgrimage alonedoes not complete the pilgrimage.Therefore, I have come with youall on the pilgrimage of GirirajMaharaj,” she said.

“On this occasion, I thank the ho-nourable Prime Minister NarendraModi, who paved the way for the con-struction of Lord Shri Ram’s tem-ple,” she said.

“It is a happy coincidence that agrand Ram temple is being builtin the Ram Janmabhoomi with thehelp of the sacred stones of this holyKrishna Janmabhoomi area,” shefurther added.

“I have a deep connection withthis religious area, so this time I havedecided to pay homage to the holyplaces of worship here and cele-brate my birthday,” she said.

Show of strength: Raje warns Gehlot, silences anti-faction

THE FORMER CHIEFMINISTER HAS MAINTAINED A DISTANCE FROM THE STATE PARTYOFFICE SINCE A NEW LEADERSHIPWAS FORMED IN RAJASTHAN

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Jaipur, March 8: As the camelpopulation in Rajasthan witnessesa sharp decline, there are appre-hensions whether the ship of thedesert can weather the challengesit is facing and survive for the nextfive years.

Hanwant Singh Rathore, directorof Lokhit Pashu Palak Sansthan, toldIANS: “If the government does notdo anything in the next five years,camels will be finished in the desertstate. There are many villages near

Bikaner where there were 500 camelsa few years ago. Today, there isn’teven a single camel around.”

As per the 20th livestock census an-nounced by Rajasthan government,camels, which once stood at 3,25,713in number in 2012, were reduced to2,12,739. Earlier in 2007, camel num-bers stood at 4,21,836, against 3,25,713in 2012 in Rajasthan recording achange of -22.79 per cent. In fact, till1991, there were more than 10 lakhcamels in the country, a number that

has declined to 2.5 lakh as of now, outof which the maximum number ex-ists in Rajasthan.

Rathore listed multiple reasonsfor the decline in camel numbers.“First, the youth are disinterestedin caring for these animals as theysee no profit in it. Secondly, newermodes of transport such as cars,jeeps have replaced the camel asthe preferred mode of transport.Thirdly, the government doesn’tseem to be interested in boosting the

growth of this animal,” he added.Rathore says at a time when

petrol and diesel prices are soaring,why can’t the government promotethe animal for the purposes ofploughing and transportation. “Itseems that the government has nopolicy to save the animal,” he added.

The Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan(LPPS) was founded in 1996 byRathore in response to requests forsupport by Raika camel breeders inPali District. Rathore said, “Whenthe camel was declared the stateanimal in 2014, we became hope-ful that traditional breeders andcaretaker communities and our an-imals would benefit. However, thesehopes were dashed in 2015, when theRajasthan Camel Prohibition ofExport Act was passed. This hashad a negative effect, which affectedthe camel population,” he added.

“The ban in the Act prohibitscamel sales to any other state orcountry and was pushed arguingthat camels were being sent to beslaughtered in Bangladesh. Camels

were also sold to Haryana and neigh-bouring states, but now that hasstopped. Now, camels taking goodsacross the state border have alsostopped,” explains Rathore.

“We need to be able to sell our malecamels freely, including to Arab coun-tries where there is a demand forracing camels. So, remove the exportban for male camels immediately, al-though it can stay in place for femalecamels,” he added further. Rathore saysthere needs to be a policy to sustaincamels. “We have suggested to theconcerned department marketing ofcamel milk and camel dung paperand asked officials to connect camelswith the state’s heritage and cultureor promote camel safaris throughtourism. But the government, it seems,is not interested,” he alleged.

A senior government officer toldIANS, “The livestock sector is fac-ing new challenges like increasedincidence of emerging and re-emerg-ing animal diseases, vulnerabilityto exotic diseases and shortage offeed and fodder.”

Victims of apathy, camel numbers dwindling in Raj“If the government

does not doanything in the nextfive years, camels

will be finished in the desertstate. There are many

villages near Bikaner wherethere were 500 camels a fewyears ago. Today, there isn’teven a single camel around

HANWANT SINGH RATHORE

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Jaipur, March 8: The Rajasthangovernment said Monday it is ful-filling its election promise of giv-ing allowance to the educated un-employed and so far about 2.5 lakhyouths have benefited from it, Skill,Employment and EntrepreneurshipMinister Ashok Chandna said.

During the Question Hour, theminister informed the Assemblythat under the Chief Minister YuvaSambal Yojana, started in February2019, unemployment allowance hasbeen given to 2,49,433, till date. Headded that till date over 4.56 ap-plications were received for the al-lowance.

"Earlier, there was a cap of 1.60lakh on the maximum number ofbeneficiaries, which now has beenincreased to 2 lakh," he said.

In reply to the supplementaryquestion of MLA Rajendra Rathore,Chandna also said 50,202 benefici-aries have opted out of the scheme.He informed that this scheme is

being operated on first come firstserve basis.

The Minister of State forEntre preneurship said theRajasthan government is verysensitive towards the unemployedin the current economic situa-tion. In view of the state of un-employment, the government hasincreased the maximum limit ofthe candidates for granting un-employment allowance from onelakh to 1.60 lakhs earlier and cur-rently this limit has been in-creased to 2 lakhs.

He said that unemployment al-lowance of Rs 3,000 per month isbeing given to male candidates andRs 3,500 per month to transgender,female and special qualified can-didates. He informed that as onJanuary 31, 2021, a total of 15,03,834educated unemployed candidatesare registered in employment officeson the departmental portal. Ofthese, the number of undergraduateand graduate unemployed is12,24,008, he said.

2.5 lakh got unemploymentallowance so far: Raj govt

Women passengers arrive at Sindhi camp bus station to board buses, aftertravelling in public buses was made free for women and girls on the occasionof International Women’s Day, in Jaipur, Monday. PTI PHOTO

WOMEN’S DAY RIDE

P8

nationalTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

yy

cmyk

cmyk

I believe, oncethe societyacknowledges

the role of women inpolitics, they willprefer womencandidates to men.One the society realizes thatwomen can contribute better thantheir male counterparts, therewon't be any need of reservation

PEMA KHANDU |ARUNACHAL PRADESH CHIEF MINISTER

of theday uote

There are somany womenscientists and

engineers. An oldcontainer ship wasrun by women,whohave also gone tospace I told Scindia that he will 100per cent become the chief ministerone day. But he chose a differentpath. Had he not left the party, hewould have been CM. He is today abackbencher in the BJP and cannever become chief minister there

RAHUL GANDHI | CONGRESS LEADER

Who was theperson whocreated Acche

Din for a person'scompany whoseassets grew to Rs16,000 crores.Pinarayi Vijayan is not like that andthe people know about it. Yourculture is different from ours. Yourways will not work here as Kerala isdifferent

PINARAYI VIJAYAN | KERALA CHIEF MINISTER

6 labourers killed after wall falls Patna: At least six labourersdied on Monday when thewall of a primary school fellon them in Bihar's Khagariadistrict, police said. Theincident took place at ChandiTola village underMaheshkhunt police stationat around 3 pm. According toSubhash Chandra Mandal,SHO of Maheshkhunt policestation, some of thelabourers had commenced anexcavation work adjoining tothe wall of the school, thatdamaged it resulting in thecollapse, trapping labourersworking at the site.

Tiger run overby train Nagpur: A tiger was killedafter being run over by agoods train in Maharashtra'sGondia district Mondaymorning, a forest officialsaid. The incident took placearound 8 am between Gongliand Hirdamali railway stationon Balharshah-Gondia routein the district located in thestate's Vidarbha region, he said.

2 senior citizensfound murderedPanaji: Two persons, bothsenior citizens were founddead, believed to bemurdered, in South Goa'sFatorda area, police saidMonday. The bodies of thedeceased Minguel Miranda(65) and his mother in-lawCaterina Pinto (85) were foundin a storeroom of their house.

Major fire breaksout at a building Kolkata: A fire broke out onthe 13th floor of a multi-storeyed building, housingoffices of the Railways, onStrand Road here Mondayevening, an official said. Atleast 10 fire engines werepressed into service to bringthe blaze under control, aFire Brigade official said.

Youth lynchedRanchi: A 22-year-old youthwas allegedly lynched oncharges of theft in statecapital Ranchi, the Jharkhandpolice said. According to thepolice, Sachin Kumar Verma,a resident of Nawatoli villagesituated near the Kotwalipolice station, was brutallybeaten up by a group ofpeople on charges of theftSunday night.

SHORT TAKES

The Indian Coast Guardprevented the transshipment ofaround 260 kg of narcotics worthRs 2,100 crore in theLakshadweep Sea, an officialstatement said Monday

ICG AVERTS MAJOR DRUG TRANSSHIPMENT

People ofAssam have

found a suitableperforming government .They are very happy withthe developmental workof our government SARBANANDA SONOWAL | ASSAM CHIEF MINISTER

AGENCIES

New Delhi, March 8: A SupremeCourt bench headed by Chief JusticeSA Bobde Monday said news re-ports and quotes by activists havetaken "out of context" a query posed

by the apex court to a rape accused"on marrying the victim", whileemphasising that it always holdswomen with highest regard andrespect.

The bench also comprisingJustices AS Bopanna and V.Ramasubramanian said the court

had asked the man, in the contextof the case, whether he will marrythe complainant, the victim, andhad not asked him to "go and marryher". The Chief Justice stressedthat the court proceedings in the mat-ter was completely misreported.

The bench made comments dur-

ing the hearing of a plea filed by a14-year-old rape victim, who hasmoved the top court through ad-vocate V.K. Biju, and sought per-mission to terminate her 26-weekpregnancy.

Last week, during the bail hear-ing of the 23-year-old man ac-cused of raping the minor, thebench had asked the accused,"Will you marry her?"

An FIR was lodged by the girlagainst the accused after he back-tracked on his promises to marryher. On February 5, the BombayHigh Court allowed the girl's ap-plication cancelling anticipatorybail granted to the petitioner.

Challenging the high court order,the petitioner moved the top court.On Monday, Biju submitted that hewas completely against the reports

which tarnished the image of thecourt. The bench said the courtgives highest respect to women andeven in the hearing never suggestedto the accused to marry the victim.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehtasubmitted that according to thesection 165 of Evidence Act thecourt is mandated to ask anyquestion to discover facts or forany purpose.

Mehta said the court's state-ments were twisted out of con-text and a section of societywrongly started targeting the courtand the judges.

The Chief Justice said: "We havethe highest regard for women". Headded, "Our reputation is in handsof the Bar." The top court will con-tinue to hear the plea on termina-tion of pregnancy on Friday.

LAST WEEK, DURINGTHE BAIL HEARING

OF THE 23-YEAR-OLDMAN ACCUSED OF

RAPING THE MINOR,THE BENCH HAD

ASKED THEACCUSED, ‘WILL YOU

MARRY HER?’

‘Will you marry her’ remark misreported: CJI

AGENCIES

Bangalore, March 8: TheKarnataka budget for fiscal 2021-22has not proposed increase in salestax on petrol and diesel or exciseduty on liquor or in registration feeon transport vehicles, said ChiefMinister BS Yediyurappa Monday.

"As the Covid pandemic hascaused untold miseries to the peo-ple in the year 2020-21, I am notwilling to put burden of additionaltaxes on them. No taxes, includ-ing sales tax on petrol or dieselhas been increased for the year2021-22," said Yediyurappa whilepresenting the state Budget for theensuing fiscal in the legislative as-sembly. Yediyurappa, who alsoholds the finance portfolio, saidthat though sales tax on petrol anddiesel in the state was lesser com-pared to other southern states, hewas not increasing it (tax) on fuels.

"The Budget has been formu-lated in such a way so as not to in-crease the burden on the commonman," said Yediyurappa in Kannadawhile presenting his 8th budgetduring his tenure as Chief Minster.

The Budget has also not increasedexcise duty on Indian made for-eign liquor or beer for the ensuingfiscal. "The revenue target fromexcise duty on liquor and beer hasbeen fixed at Rs 24,580 crore forthe ensuing fiscal (2021-22).

The state Excise Departmenthas collected Rs 20,900 crore tillFebruary as against the fixed tar-get of Rs 22,700 crore for the cur-rent fiscal (2020-21).

With no increase in registration

fee on transport vehicles, the budgethas set Rs 7,515 crore target for2021-22. "The state transport de-partment has collected Rs 4,294crore till February as against theannual target of Rs 7,115 crore forthis fiscal (2020-21)," said the ChiefMinister amid boycott and walkoutby opposition Congress members.

The state Budget has, however,reduced stamp duty on apartmentspriced Rs 35-45 lakh to 3 per centfrom 5 per cent. "To promote af-fordable housing, the stamp dutyfor registering apartments valuedRs 35-45 lakh is proposed to be re-duced to 3 per cent from 5 per centfor fiscal 20231-22," said Yediyurappaon the occasion.

The Budget has set Rs 12,655-crore target for the coming fiscal(2021-22) from the state stamps andregistrations department. "The de-partment has collected Rs 9,014-crore from stamps and registra-tions till February from across thestate as against the annual targetof Rs 12,655 crore for this fiscal(2020-21)," said Yediyurappa.

The Budget has reduced the rev-enue target from commercial taxesto Rs 76,473 crore for fiscal 2021-22from Rs 82,443 crore set for fiscal2020-21. "The state commercialtaxes department has collected Rs71,833 crore till February as againstthe annual target of Rs 82,443 crore,"said Yediyurappa. The ChiefMinister also told the lawmakersthat the southern state (Karnataka)was second in the country in over-all Goods and Services tax (GST) col-lection despite the Covid pandemicfallout in this fiscal (2020-21).

No tax or duty hikesin Karnataka Budget

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Bhopal, March 8: The MadhyaPradesh Assembly Monday passeda bill that penalizes religious con-version through marriage or anyother fraudulent means and pro-vides for a prison sentence of upto10 years.

While the opposition Congressquestioned the need for a new law,Home Minister Narottam Mishrasaid unlike the 1968 legislation,the present act provides for an-nulment of marriage and a harshersentence.

The act also provides for fine ofup to Rs one lakh. It replaced anordinance promulgated by theBJP government on January 9. Asimilar law has been enforced inthe BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.

The ordinance barred religiousconversion by "misrepresenta-tion, allurement, use of threat offorce, undue influence, coercion,marriage or by any other fraud-ulent means". After the "MadhyaPradesh Freedom of Religion Bill2021" was passed by a voice vote,some BJP MLAs chanted "Jai ShriRam".

Replying to the debate before thebill was passed, Home MinisterMishra said the government wouldnot tolerate "Rafiq becoming Ravi"for "Love Jihad". The governmentwas not "averse to love but isagainst Jihad", he said.

Freedom of ReligionBill 2021 passed in MP Assembly

AGENCIES

Kolkata, March 8: TrinamoolCong ress supremo MamataBanerjee Monday asserted thatwomen are safe in West Bengal butnot in BJP-ruled states like Gujaratand Uttar Pradesh, while claimingthat a day will come when the coun-try will be named after PrimeMinister Narendra Modi.

Taking a jibe at Modi for allegingin a rally in Kolkata Sunday thatwomen are unsafe in West Bengal,the chief minister said that hadthere been no safety in the state,women would not have been able tomove freely even at night.

Instead of "spreading lies and ca-nards" against the TMC govern-ment in West Bengal, he shouldfocus on BJP-ruled states such asGujarat and Uttar Pradesh where,according to media reports, crimesagainst women are rampant, shesaid at a rally organised on the oc-casion of the International Women'sDay. "He (Modi) is lecturing us onwomen's safety and empowerment.What is the situation of women'ssafety in BJP- ruled states? What isthe situation in Modi's favouriteGujarat? "Media reports say thatthere have been two murders andfour rapes on an average daily in

Gujarat in the last two years....Ahmedabad (the largest city inGujarat) and Modi's favourite UP areat the top of the list of incidents ofrape in the country," Banerjee said.Modi and Union Home MinisterAmit Shah should shift focus onthese states, she said.

"Our women work here (inBengal). Had women been unsafehere, they wouldn't have been ableto move around freely even late atnight. We do not tolerate crimesagainst women," she said. Takinga dig at the PM over the inclusionof his photo in COVID-19 vaccina-tion certificates, Banerjee claimedthat a day will come when the coun-try will be named after Narendra

Modi. "The prime minister hasnamed a stadium after him. He hasput his photographs on COVID-19vaccination certificates. He hasturned the COVID vaccine to Modivaccine. A day will come when thecountry will be named after him,"she said. Referring to the steep hikein the prices of fuel, the TMC bosssaid that her government is givingfree ration to people and if Modi sin-cerely wants to do something for thepoor, he must provide LPG cylinderswithout charging anything.

The Chief Minister describedModi's rally held in the city's BrigadeParade Ground on Sunday as "B-grade", claiming that the turnout ofpeople was not good there.

"Yesterday, they held a rally inBrigade. It was actually a B-graderally. You cannot have everythingwith money. The number of peo-ple we have in our rally today,there was not even half of that yes-terday (in the BJP's rally)," shesaid. The TMC supremo was ad-dressing a gathering after lead-ing "Didir Sathe Amra" (We arewith Didi) rally in Kolkata.

Banerjee asserted that she willreturn to power for the third con-secutive time in Bengal. "The fightis between me and the BJP in all 294seats. They have the machinery,the money, the goons, and I do nothave anything. What I have is thesupport of 100 per cent of the peo-ple of the state," she said.

She also urged the people of thestate to greet callers saying "JaiBangla" (hail Bengal) instead of"hello" whenever they get a call ontheir phone.

The TMC's "Jai Bangla" sloganhas stirred a controversy as theBJP described it as one used dur-ing the Bangladesh Liberation Warin 1971.

Banerjee had earlier clarifiedthat the "Jai Bangla" slogan wasfound in poet Kaji Nazrul Islamswritings well before the BangladeshLiberation War.

‘India will be named after Modi one day’

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: TheOpposition's continuous uproarand persistent demand for a dis-cussion on the increase in petrol,diesel and LPG prices Mondayled to washout of the day's pro-ceedings in Rajya Sabha.

The upper house which met forthe first time in the second part ofthe Budget Session saw repeatedadjournments aa the Oppositioncontinued protests inside theHouse.

Rajya Sabha witnessed fouradjournments -- first around 10.05am till 11 am and again till 1 pmand then two quick adjournmentsof 15 minutes each -- before it wasadjourned for the day.

The House will now meet onits regular timing of 11 AM to 6 PMfrom Tuesday, after Chairman MVenkaiah Naidu accepted the de-mands of some members for aregular sitting. The House wasmeeting for five hours from 9 AMto 2 PM since the first part of theBudget Session that started onJanuary 31. Leader of theOpposition Mallikarjun Khargegave a notice for suspension ofbusiness for Monday and de-manded a discussion on the "hugeand frequent" rise in prices ofpetrol, diesel and LPG even whenglobal prices were "low".

RS WASHOUTOVER RISINGFUEL PRICES

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi , March 8 :Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab,Karnataka, Gujarat and TamilNadu are the six states that cu-mulatively account for 86.25 percent of the new coronaviruscases reported in the past 24hours, the Health Ministry saidon Monday.

Maharashtra has reported amaximum of 11,141 fresh cases ina single day, accounting for 59.90per cent of the total new casesrecorded while Kerala registered2,100 new infections that accountfor 11.29 per cent of the new in-fections.

Punjab recorded 1,043 new in-fections (5.60 per cent of total newcases) in the past 24 hours whileKarnataka recorded 622 fresh casesthat account for 3.3 per cent of thetotal new infections, the ministrysaid.

Gujarat recorded 575 new in-fections in the past 24 hours whichaccount for 3.09 per per cent ofnew cases while Tamil Nadurecorded 567 new infections thataccount for 3.04 per cent of the totalnew infections, the ministry said.

In the last 24 hours, a total of18,599 new cases were registered,the Health ministry said.

The Centre is regularly holdinghigh-level review meetings with thestates and Union Territories show-ing a surge in new daily cases andthe health secretary is also hold-ing weekly review meetings, itsaid.

"Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab,Karnataka, Gujarat and TamilNadu have been reporting a surgein the COVID daily new cases.They cumulatively account for86.25 per cent of the new cases re-ported in the past 24 hours," theministry said in a statement.

The Centre has recently rushedhigh-level public health teams toMaharashtra and Punjab to as-sist in COVID-19 control and con-tainment measures in view of therecent spike in cases, it added.

The central government said ithad already deputed high-levelteams to Maharashtra, Kerala,Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,Gujarat, Punjab, Karnataka, TamilNadu, West Bengal, and Jammuand Kashmir to support them intheir fight against the recent spikein COVID-19 cases.

86.25 pc new COVIDcases in 6 states: Govt

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, Mar 8: Six candidatesscored perfect 100 in engineering en-trance exam JEE-Mains, results ofwhich were announced Monday, ac-cording to officials of the NationalTesting Agency.

According to officials, NTAscores are normalised scoresacross multi-session papers and arebased on the relative perform-ance of all those who appeared

for the examination in one ses-sion. "The marks obtained are con-verted into a scale ranging from100 to 0 for each session of ex-aminees. NTA score is not thesame as the percentage of marksobtained," a senior official said.

The National Testing Agency( N TA ) h a d c o n d u c t e d t h eFebruary session examinationfrom February 23 to 26, 2021.

The exam was conducted atover 800 centres in 331 cities, in-cluding nine centres abroad --C o l o m b o, D o h a , D u b a i ,Kathmandu, Muscat, Riyadh,Sharjah, Singapore and Kuwait.

This year, a total of 6.52 lakh can-didates had registered for the en-trance examination, 95 per cent ofwhom had appeared in theB.E/B.Tech papers and 81.2 percent appeared inB.Arch/B.Planning paper. Thiswas the first time that the examwas conducted in 13 languages --Assamese, Bengali, Kannada,Malayalam, Marathi, Odia,Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu,

Hindi, English and Gujarati.Starting this year, the exam

will be conducted four times a yearto offer flexibility to students anda chance to improve their scores.The next phases will be held inMarch, April and May.

"Due to the lockdown in Bahrain,the exam could not be conducted.NTA is in constant communica-tion with Indian Embassy, Bahrain,and will work out a plan in the in-terest of candidates for the conductof Paper 2 A (B.Arch.) and 2B(B.Planning) . For Paper 1(B.E./B.Tech), those candidateswho have opted for March Sessionwill appear in March along withother candidates.

"After February, March, April,and May Sessions of JEE (Main)-2021 Exam, the ranks of the can-didates will be released taking intoconsideration the best of the fourNTA scores in accordance withthe policy. The candidates havethe choice to appear in one, two,three, four examinations for ad-mission," the official said.

JEE Mains results announcedA worker collects Sun-dried chillies at a farm in Shertha village, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad PTI PHOTO

DAILY GRIND

The perfect scorers arePravar Kataria andRanjim Prabal Das

from Delhi, GuramritSingh from Chandigarh,

Saket Jha from Rajasthan,Sidhanth Mukherjee from

Maharashtra and Ananth Krishna Kidambi

from Gujarat

P9

nationalTUESDAY | MARCH 9 | 2021 | BHUBANESWAR

The NIA taking overthe case of a vehicle ladenwith explosives being foundnear industrialist MukeshAmbani’s residence inMumbai suggests somethingwas ‘fishy’UDDHAV THACKERAY | MAHA CHIEF MINISTER

On international women’s day,Karnataka Chief Minister B SYediyurapps Monday announced a proposal to provide six-monthschild care leave to womenemployees of the Government

KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT’S GIFT ON WOMEN’S DAY

yy

cmyk

cmyk

It is anopportunity toshowcase to

the world ourachievements since1947. We need to tellpeople about thesacrifice of freedom movement heroes

NARENDRA MODI | PRIME MINISTER

of theday uote

The BJP isenjoyingmajority in the

Parliament, and hadpassed farm bills andthat of revocation ofArticle 370 even asthe people were not in their favour.Why are they not passing this(women reservation) bill when theentire country wants it?

FAROOQ ABDULLAH |NATIONAL CONFERENCE PRESIDENT

Exclusive vaxcentres for ladiesMumbai: In an uniquegesture to mark theInternational Women's Daybeing celebrated globallyMonday, Maharashtragovernment has set up 189special vaccination centresexclusively for females, anofficial said here. “To markthis significant day, we have set up an average of 5vaccination dedicated onlyfor women in each of the 36districts in the state,” ahealth department officialtold IANS. At all these specialcentres, elaboratearrangements have beenmade to welcome womentrooping in for thevaccination doses along withother facilities and presenceof female staff, he added.

Anshuman Singhpasses awayLucknow: Former RajasthanGovernor Anshuman Singhpassed away at the SanjayGandhi Post GraduateInstitute of Medical Sciencesin Lucknow Monday at theage of 86. Uttar PradeshChief Minister YogiAdityanath, RajasthanGovernor Kalraj Mishra andRajasthan Chief MinisterAshok Gehlot expressedgrief over his death.

2 Maoists surrender Ranchi: Two Maoists carryingbounties on their heads,surrendered before police inJharkhand Monday. Theinsurgents were TSPC zonalcommander RaghubanshGanjhu alias Chiretan andsub zonal commanderLakshman Ganjhu aliasPatthar.

SHORT TAKES

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: Accordingto a new analysis released by theUNICEF ‘COVID-19: A threat toprogress against child marriage’, 10million additional child marriages

may occur before the end of thedecade, threatening years ofprogress in reducing the practice.

Five countries, including India,account for about half of the totalchild brides in the world, accordingto a new analysis released by theUNICEF said on the occasion ofInternational Women's Day.

Worldwide, an estimated 650million girls and women alivetoday were married in childhood,with about half of those occur-ring in Bangladesh, Brazil ,Ethiopia, India and Nigeria, ac-cording to the analysis.

To off-set the impacts of COVID-19 and end the practice by 2030 – thetarget set out in the SustainableDevelopment Goals – progress mustbe significantly accelerated, it said.

“One year into the pandemic, im-mediate action is needed to mitigatethe toll on girls and their families.By reopening schools, implement-ing effective laws and policies, en-

suring access to health and socialservices – including sexual and re-productive health services – andproviding comprehensive socialprotection measures for families, we

can significantly reduce a girl's riskof having her childhood stolenthrough child marriage,” saidUNICEF Executive DirectorHenrietta Fore.

With 25 million child marriagesaverted in the last decade, UNICEFwarned on International Women'sDay that these gains are now underserious threat.

Quoting its previous report,UNICEF said one in three of theworld's child brides live in India. TheUN body said persistence of childmarriage remains a potential chal-lenge to India achieving SustainableDevelopment Goal 5 by 2030 even asits progress has been one of thestrongest among countries in SouthAsia during the last decade.

The analysis said findings from

NFHS surveys between 1992-93 and2015-16 show the percentage of youngwomen who married in childhoodhas halved (from 54 to 27 per cent),and the pace of decline has increasedin the last decade. "The decline hasbeen led by urban areas, which onlyhad 18 per cent of women in theage group of 20-24 reporting (in2015-16) – as compared to 32 per centin rural areas – having got marriedbefore the age of 18," it said.

Noting that a girl's risk of gettingmarried before the age of 18 has adirect correlation with their back-ground characteristics, the analy-sis said, girls in rural areas or frompoorer households are at greaterrisk, and a higher proportion ofchild brides are found among thosewith little or no education.

SOCIAL MENACE

‘10mn more girls can be pushed into child marriage’Worldwide, an estimated

650 million girls andwomen alive today were

married in childhood, withabout half of those

occurring in Bangladesh,Brazil, Ethiopia, India

and Nigeria, according to the analysis

When rulingpartieslegislators ask

supplementaryquestions you (RJDMLC Subodh Rai)cannot say anythingto them but when RJD legislators askquestions, then you become angry

NITISH KUMAR |CHIEF MINISTER OF BIHAR

Women officers of Himachal Pradesh police perform stunts on the occasion of International Women’s Day, during an event at the Ridge, in Shimla PTI PHOTO

FEARLESS ACT

Bihar Police to get twodozen sniffer dogs soon

INDO-ASIAN NEWS SERVICE

Patna, March 8: Bihar Policewill soon be strengthened withthe addition of over two dozensniffer dogs.

The Ger man She pherds,Belgium Shepherds and Labradorsare presently undergoing train-ing in Hyderabad. Named Pubji,Teja, Duke, Simba and Sheru,among others, these dogs are ex-pected to be commissioned to theinvestigating teams of the BiharPolice very soon, an official said.

An event related to sniffer dogswill be organised at the BMP 5ground in Patna soon where BiharPolice will showcase the skills ofthe old and new dogs.

"Apart from their sniffing ca-pacity, these dogs are extremelygood runners and jumpers, whichis helpful for nabbing criminals.They have been trained to detect

bombs, land mines, narcotics andliquor," the official said. As per thedata, the CID of Bihar Police has68 sniffer dogs, with the homedepartment sanctioning ̀ 1.5 lakhper month for their maintenance.Bihar Police had purchased 20sniffer dogs one-and-a-half years

back to detect liquor. One of thedo gs, Damini , a Ger manShepherd, has played an impor-tant role in cracking over twodozen cases. Two of the dogs --Maddy and Hunter -- are expertsin detecting liquor from underthe ground.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Panaji, March 8: The NarcoticsControl Bureau has arrested a Goa-based man who allegedly had linkswith the accused in a drugs case re-lated to actor Sushant Singh Rajput'sdeath, an NCB official said Monday.

The NCB raided the premises ofthe accused, Hemant Saha, atMorjim in North Goa district andrecovered 15 blots of LSD (com-mercial quantity) and 30 gm charas,NCB's zonal director SameerWankhede said in a release.

The raid was part of a series ofsearches held in Goa over the week-end. The accused was arrestedSunday from Miramar beach villagenear Panaji following a joint oper-ation by the NCB from Mumbaiand Goa, Wankhede said.

The official said the drugscase accused Anuj Keswani and

Regal Mahakaal during ques-tioning named Saha as thesup-plier of LSD and charas.

Saha, a native of MadhyaPradesh, was running a shack inMorjim area for past several years,he said. The NCP alsoconductedsearches in Mazal Wado at Assagaoin North Goa on the interveningnight of Sunday and Monday andrecovered 41 blots of LSD (com-mercial quantity), 28 gm charas,22 gm cocaine, 1.10 kg ganja, 160

gm of a white powder and 500 gmof 'blue crystal', both suspected tobe psychotropic substances, and`10,000 cash. "Two foreign nation-als -- Ugochukwu Solomon Ubabuko(hailing from Nigeria) and JohnInfinity (Congo) - have been ap-prehended in this connection andare being interrogated," Wankhedesaid. The NCB also learnt thatUbabuko was earlier arrested by Goapolice in 2013, he said.

The NCB began probing the al-leged use of drugs in some quar-ters in Bollywood after the death ofRajput (34) in June last year. It had arrested Rhea Chakraborty,her brother Showik, some staffmembers of Rajput and a few oth-ers under various sections of theNarcotic Drugs and PsychotropicSubstances (NDPS) Act. Chakraborty,her brother and some other accusedare currently out on bail.

SUSHANT DEATH CASE PROBE

NCB arrests drug peddler in Goa

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: A court hereMonday convicted Ariz Khan, al-legedly associated with the terroroutfit Indian Mujahideen, for themurder of Delhi police inspectorMohan Chand Sharma in a case re-lated to 2008 Batla House encounterwhich was questioned by certainpolitical parties and leaders.

Additional Sessions JudgeSandeep Yadav said “the evidenceproduced by the prosecution dulyproved the case beyond reason-able doubts.” The judge said thatit was “duly proved that Ariz Khanand his associates caused mur-der of police official and firedgunshot on the police official.”

The court will hear argumentson the quantum of sentence March15. Ariz Khan faces a maximumpunishment of death penalty whilethe minimum sentence for murderis life imprisonment.

He was arrested February 14,2018, after a decade being on run.The judgement assumes impor-tance as Congress leader DigvijaySingh had voiced his doubts overthe police claims about the en-counter and Samajwadi Party andBahujan Samaj Party (BSP) hadalso demanded a judicial inquiryinto the matter.

However, the Congress partyhad distanced itself from the com-ment of Singh, who later in 2016had also claimed that there was noevidence to prove the guilt of theaccused arrested in the matterand had asked the central gov-ernment to order a judicial probeinto the encounter by dubbing itas "fake".

BATLA HOUSE ENCOUNTER

Accused Ariz Khan convicted ofinspector’s killing

THE GERMAN SHEPHERDS, BELGIUM SHEPHERDS AND LABRADORSARE PRESENTLY UNDERGOING TRAINING IN HYDERABAD

AGENCIES

New Delhi, March 8: Cybercriminalshave posted sales advertisementsfor three major Covid-19 vaccinesand the prices per dose range from$250 to $1,200, with an average costof about $500, said a report from cy-bersecurity firm Kaspersky.

The majority of sellers camefrom France, Germany, the UK andthe US, said the researchers, whilemost likely what you would receivewould not be an effective, validdose. The research showed thatmajority of these undergroundsellers have made between 100 and500 transactions, indicating thatthey have been completing salesbut what exactly darknet users arepurchasing remains unclear.

For the study, the security re-searchers examined 15 differentmarketplaces on the darknet andfound advertisements for threemajor Covid-19 vaccines - -Pfizer/BioNTech, AstraZeneca andModerna. Communications aremade via encrypted messaging appslike Wickr and Telegram, whilepayments are requested in the formof cryptocurrency, primarily Bitcoin.

It is not clear how many of thevaccine doses being advertised on-line are actual and how many ad-vertisements are scams.

"You can find just about any-thing on the darknet, so it's notsurprising sellers there would at-tempt to capitalise on the vacci-nation campaign. Over the pastyear, there have been a whole hostof scams exploiting the Covid topic,

and many of them have been suc-cessful," Dmitry Galov, securityexpert at Kaspersky, said in a state-ment.

"Right now, not only are peopleselling vaccine doses, but they're alsoselling vaccination records - piecesof paper that can help you travelfreely. It's important for users tobe cautious of any 'deal' related tothe pandemic, and, of course, it'snever a good idea to buy a vaccineoff the darknet," Galov added. Thereport comes at a time when pro-duction shortages have been a majorhindrance for accelerating vacci-nation drive against Covid-19.

The researchers noted that dark-net shopping is risky business, andit is clear from the past year thatscammers have been all too eagerto profit off the current crisis.

That means no one can be at allconfident they will actually receiveanything after transferring bit-coins, let alone a real vaccine dosethat was stored properly and issafe to take, Kaspersky said.

Covid vaccine forsale on darknet for $250 to $1,200

n The majority of sellers came fromFrance, Germany, the UK and theUS, said the researchers, whilemost likely what you wouldreceive would not be an effective,valid dose

n Communications are made viaencrypted messaging apps likeWickr and Telegram, while payments are requested in theform of cryptocurrency, primarily Bitcoin

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Kota (Raj), March 8: A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped at sep-arate places by at least nine peo-ple over eight days in Rajasthan'sJhalawar, police said Monday. Twoof the accused are minors.

The girl somehow managed toreach her home Friday after whicha complaint was lodged. Four ofthe accused, including the two mi-nors, have been held, police said.Suket DSP Manjeet Singh said thegirl alleged that her friend Bulbuland another youth, Chothmal,February 25 took her to JhalawarCity on the pretext of buying aschoolbag for her.

He, however, said the girl is aschool dropout. She alleged thattwo to three other people joinedthem at a park where she wasdrugged and raped by them. She al-leged that at least nine people at dif-ferent times and separate places inJhalawar raped her over eight days.

The DSP said a medical exam-ination of the girl was conductedimmediately and four of the ac-cused were held. Two of them areminor and attempts are under wayto arrest the rest, he said.

Teen raped by ninepeople for 8 days in Raj

‘Budget session of Parllikely to be cut short’ PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

New Delhi, March 8: The BudgetSession of Parliament is likely tobe cut short and may conclude before the first phase of electionsMarch 27, sources said even as thetwo Houses will resume theirnormal timing of 11 am onwardsfrom Tuesday.

While Lok Sabha Speaker OmBirla made an announcement aboutresumption of normal timings inthe House, a similar announce-ment was made by the Chair inRajya Sabha earlier in the day.

Birla said Lok Sabha memberswould also sit in galleries, appar-ently to maintain distancing norms.Birla made the announcementwhen the House met at 5 pm afteran hour-long adjournment afterpaying tributes to two sitting and

seven former members who died re-cently. “This is a happy news for allthe members. On the request re-ceived from many members fromvarious parties, the Chairman (MVenkaiah Naidu) has decided thatfrom tomorrow, Tuesday, March 9,2021, the sitting of Rajya Sabhawill commence from 11 am up to 6pm, as per usual timings of theHouse.” “The members will beseated in the Rajya Sabha chamberand the galleries only, with some dis-tancing,” Vandana Chavan, whowas presiding over the proceed-ings of the upper house, said.

Several parties had requestedthat the session, which was origi-nally scheduled to continue tillApril 8, be curtailed due to the as-sembly elections in four states andone union territory being held be-tween March 27 and April 29.

MATTER OF CONCERN