Download - 'Old is Gold' in young India - WordPress.com

#4 9 2 3 5 3

Printed at . Chennai . Coimbatore . Bengaluru . Hyderabad . Madurai . Noida . Visakhapatnam . Thiruvananthapuram . Kochi . Vijayawada . Mangaluru . Tiruchirapalli . Kolkata . Hubballi . Mohali . Malappuram . Mumbai . Tirupati . lucknow

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday unveiledan ambitious plan tolaunch “the world’s largestgovernmentfunded healthcare programme” that willbene�t 10 crore households.

The proposed NationalHealth Protection Scheme(NHPS) will provide cover

age of up to �5 lakh per family annually to take careof secondary and tertiarycare hospitalisation costs.Mr. Jaitley reckoned thatthis will bene�t around 50crore people from poorand vulnerable families.The Budget for 201617 hada similar announcement offering a �1 lakh cover for 8crore families, but that’syet to take o�.

The Rashtriya SwasthyaBima Yojana (RSBY) nowgives poor families an annual coverage of �30,000,while several State governments have implementedtheir own health insuranceschemes with varying coverage levels.

“My government hasnow decided to take healthprotection to a more aspirational level,” Mr. Jaitleysaid.

“We have provided�2,000 crore for the next �nancial year under thisscheme,” Expenditure Secretary Ajay Narayan Jhasaid at a press conferenceafter the Budget.

“Once the contours takeshape, the details will beworked out,” Mr. Jha said.“The present RSBY schemewill be modi�ed for this,”he said.

Budget proposes protection schemeto cover 10 crore poor households

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI

A helping hand intimes of health crises

With a clear eye on the LokSabha election, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitleypulled out all the stops inthe Narendra Modi government’s last full Budget topromise a better deal forfarmers, boost the ruraleconomy and make thepoor less vulnerable tohealth exigencies.

Responding to the distress in the agriculturesector that has reared itshead in various Statesover the past year, thegovernment has decid

ed to o�er a minimumsupport price (MSP) of atleast 1.5 times the expensesborne by farmers for allcrops.

Equity markets werebrie�y spooked followingthe move to reintroduce atax on longterm capitalgains on equity shares at therate of 10% for all gains over�1 lakh. No indexation bene�t will be granted and thesecurities transaction taxwill continue.

The BSE Sensex, whichopened at 36,048.99,slipped to 35,501 during Mr.Jaitley’s speech before recovering to close at 35,906points.

Notably, the middleclassconstituency that played akey part in the BJP’s successful 2014 campaign was largely left high and dry. Despite some token measures,such as footing part of thebill for new employees’ provident fund (PF) contributions for three years, Mr.Jaitley o�ered little respiteto the salaried class.

Citing income tax data to

show that individual businesspersons paid less average tax than the salariedclass, he reintroduced a �at�40,000 deduction fromtaxable income for the latterin lieu of the existing tax exemptions for transport andmedical allowance and extended this relief to pensioners.

But any gain in takehome salaries has been virtually o�set by raising the3% education cess levied onpersonal income tax andcorporate tax. Now, a 4%education and healthcarecess will apply.

Hopes of a respite forconsumers on the indirecttax front was also extinguished in this Budget, withthe Centre hiking customsduties on a range of products, including mobilephones, wearable devices,television display panels,furniture, diamonds, footwear, cosmetics and dental�oss.

The idea is to push globalproducers to start makingthese goods in India, but tillthat happens, consumerswill need to foot highercosts.

A muchanticipated rationalisation of the high excise duties on petrol anddiesel was carried out with a�8 reduction in these duties,but consumers will get norelief as a new road and infrastructure cess of �8 per

litre has been levied to fundprojects. Unlike excise duties, the Centre is not required to share cess receiptswith the States.

The government’s inability to give away too manygoodies were largely due toits �scal constraints, withthis year’s �scal de�cit overshooting the 3.2% of GDPtarget and likely to touch3.5% on account of the GSTrelated issues. Instead of a3% de�cit in the comingyear, the Centre settled totarget the 3.3% mark, deferring the glide path to 3% to202021.

Mr. Jaitley said the focusof the Budget — farmers, rural India, healthcare andeducation for the poor — re�ected the Modi government’s emphasis on improving the ease of living for thecommon man.

Comparisons withUPA1’s last Budget, with itsfarm loan waiver and theNREGA expansion, wouldbe simplistic.

This one is actually similar tothe Budget unveiled by Jaswant Singh in200304,which talkedof improvingthe ‘lifetimeconcerns’of citizens,announceda newhealth insuranceschemeand focussed on housing, educationand employment too.

In a preelection Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley serves up a mix of

populism and prudence


NEW DELHI

AYUSHMAN BHARAT: THE BIG

BUDGET SCHEME A PAGE 7

The salaried class may feelhard done by and theyoung may not see a swiftsurge in employment opportunities as a result ofthe Budget proposals. However, the Modi government, which will face elections next year, has madesure it will have the blessings of elders.

“A life with dignity is aright of every individual, ingeneral, more so for the senior citizens,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said inhis Budget speech.

“To take care of thosewho cared for us is one ofthe highest honours,” he

stressed, before laying outa series of steps to givethem a ‘digni�ed life.’

Top government sources said the speci�c measures outlined to alleviatethe lot of senior citizenswere based on the feedback from retired personson the crisis they faced inrecent months owing tothe dipping interest rateson savings instruments, including on small savingsschemes.

Mr. Jaitley made an effort to ease the cash �owsof senior citizens that arelargely dependent on interest income. The exemption limit on interest income on bank and post

o�ce deposits has beenraised from �10,000 to�50,000 a year.

The deduction availablefor health insurance premium and medical expenditure has been raised

from �30,000 to �50,000.Deductions for medical expenditure on certain critical illnesses have beenhiked to �1 lakh for all senior citizens, up from theprevailing levels of�60,000 for senior citizensand �80,000 for very senior citizens.

While these concessionsare worth �4,000 crore,the government also extended the Pradhan MantriVaya Vandana Yojana up toMarch 2020, which assures an 8% return, andraised the investment capfrom �7.5 lakh to �15 lakh.

Deduction for health insurance premium raised from �30,000 to �50,000


NEW DELH

The cash �ows of seniorcitizens depend heavilyon interest income.

GOVT. READS GROUND SIGNALS

FROM GUJARAT A PAGE 18

‘Old is Gold’ in young India

ILLUSTRATION: DEEPAK HARICHANDAN

<> The focus of the

Budget is farmers,

rural India,

healthcare and

education

Arun Jaitley

Finance Minister

FARMERSUTRA

In a setback to the NDA, theCongress registered an impressive victory in the threebyelections in Rajasthan,while the Trinamool Congress made a clean sweep inWest Bengal.

The Congress wrested twoLok Sabha seats — Alwar andAjmer — and one Assemblyseat, Mandalgarh, from theruling BJP in the westernState with huge margins. TheTrinamool won the UluberiaLok Sabha and Noapara Assembly constituencies.

With Rajasthan due tohold Assembly elections in afew months, a resurgentCongress will pose a seriouschallenge to the BJP. The party’s victory in the byelections, being touted as the“semi�nals,” is being interpreted as a “people’s verdict” against the VasundharaRaje government’s “failureand arrogance.”

Congress president RahulGandhi hailed the party’s impressive show and called theoutcome a “rejection” of theBJP by the people. “Welldone Rajasthan Congress!

Proud of each and every oneof you. This is a rejection ofthe BJP by the people of Rajasthan,” he tweeted.

In Alwar, Karan Singh Yadav of the Congress defeatedthe BJP’s Jaswant Yadav by amargin of 1,96,496 votes,while Congress candidateRaghu Sharma defeated hisBJP rival Ramswarup Lambain Ajmer by 84,414 votes.

In the Mandalgarh Assembly constituency, theCongress’s Vivek Dhakartrounced the BJP’s ShaktiSingh Hada by 12,976 votes.

Hundreds of Congress

workers burst �recrackersand distributed sweets outside the Pradesh CongressCommittee headquarters inJaipur as the trends becameclear.

State Congress presidentSachin Pilot, who stayed inAjmer and crisscrossed thethree constituencies duringelectioneering, was carriedinside the building on theshoulders of jubilant partyworkers.

Congress sweeps byelections in Rajasthan Massive margins a jolt for BJP; Trinamool Congress bags Uluberia, Noapara seats


JAIPUR/KOLKATA

CONTINUED ON A PAGE 18

SONIA CALLS FOR OPPOSITION

UNITY A PAGE 18

After an unprecedentedpress conference by fourseniormost SupremeCourt judges on January 12over “selective” allocationof cases and amid subsequent parleys to resolvethe rift, Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra on Thursday published a subjectwise roster for allocation ofcases to various Benches tobe implemented from February 5.

CJI bringsout roster toallot casesKrishnadas Rajagopal

NEW DELHI

CONTINUED ON A PAGE 18

CMYK

A ND-NDE

friday, february 2, 2018 Delhi

City Edition

36 pages O �10.00

follow us:

thehindu.com

facebook.com/thehindu

twitter.com/the_hindu

downloaded from : www.visionias.net downloaded from : https://t.me/Material_For_Exam

#4 9 2 3 5 3

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

NOIDA/DELHI THE HINDU

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 20182EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

CMYK

A ND-NDE

CONSUMER

The standard deduction of�40,000 per year FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley announced for salaried employees in lieu of their medical and transport expenseswill be o�set by the increasein the education cess. Hence,it will not bene�t the salariedclass, according to personaltax analysts.

“In order to provide reliefto salaried taxpayers, I propose to allow a standard deduction of �40,000 in lieu ofthe present exemption inrespect of transport allowance and reimbursementof miscellaneous medical expenses,” Mr. Jaitley said inhis Budget speech. “Howev

er, the transport allowanceat enhanced rate shall continue to be available to di�erentlyabled persons. Also,other medical reimbursement bene�ts in case of hospitalisation etc for all employees shall continue,” headded.

“Apart from reducing paper work and compliance, thiswill help middleclass employees even more in termsof reduction in their tax liability,” Mr. Jaitley said. Itwould bene�t pensioners aswell, who normally did notenjoy any allowance on account of transport and medical expenses, he added. Therevenue cost of this decisionis approximately �8,000crore, the Finance Minister

said. However, the Budget also replaced the two education cesses in total amounting to 3% with a ‘Health andEducation’ cess of 4%, whichwould fetch the governmentan additional �11,000 crore,Mr. Jaitley added.

“Reintroduced standarddeduction of �40,000 is tobene�t salaried class but thetax bene�t is greatly o�setdue to the increase in cess by1% and withdrawal of present tax exemption of medical reimbursement and transport allowance,” KuldipKumar, Leader Personal Tax,PwC India, said.

“The individual tax payersdon’t have much to cheerfrom this budget,” Amit Maheshwari, partner at Ashok

Maheshwary & Associates,said. “The direct tax proposals don’t result in a signi�cant reduction in the tax inthe hands of the individualtax payer. The standard deduction is more than o�setby the elimination of transport allowance andmedical reimbursement and increase incess.”

Further, a view isthat the 10% longterm capital gains taxon stocks and mutualfunds will further hurt smallsavers who look to the stockmarket for higher returns.

“The individual tax payersseem to have been discouraged for putting more moneyin stocks and mutual funds

which tend to be more productive asset classes,” Mr.Maheshwari added.

Cheers for senior citizens

The Budget did include anumber of concessions forsenior citizens, including an

increase in the exemption limit on interest income on deposits with banksand post o�cesfrom � 10,000 to�50,000. TDS (taxdeduction at source)

will not be required to be deducted on such income.“This bene�t shall be available also for interest from all�xed deposits schemes andrecurring deposit schemes,”Mr. Jaitley said.

The Budget has also raisedthe limit of deduction forhealth insurance premiumand medical expenditurefrom �30,000 to �50,000,under section 80D.

“All senior citizens willnow be able to claim bene�tof deduction up to �50,000per annum in respect of anyhealth insurance premiumand/or any general medicalexpenditure incurred,” Mr.Jaitley said.

The Budget also raised thelimit of deduction for medical expenditure in respect ofcertain critical illness from �60,000 in case of senior citizens and from �80,000 incase of very senior citizens to�1 lakh in respect of all seniorcitizens.

The new health and education cess of 4% spoils the gain for the salaried, say analysts

TCA Sharad Raghavan

New Delhi

The return of standard deduction

The government will formulate a comprehensive policyto develop gold as an assetclass, and the Gold Monetization Scheme will be revamped to enable peopleopen a hasslefree gold deposit account.

The government will alsoestablish a system of consumerfriendly and tradeef�cient system of regulatedgold exchanges in the country, said Finance MinisterArun Jaitley, in his Budgetspeech. The Gold Monetization Scheme (GMS) was unveiled by the Prime Ministeron November 5, 2015.

It was aimed at reducingthe annual import of bullionand encouraging recirculation and remonetisation ofthe huge domestic holdingsof gold, estimated at about25,000 tonnes.

Lack of incentives

Even though the GMS aimedat a modest volume of 1% ofthese holdings per annum,it hardly mobilised gold indoubledigit tonnes, mostlydue to lack of incentives forthe various stakeholders,said James Jose, secretary,Association of Gold Re�neries and Mints.

Whatever gold collectedso far under GMS is mostlyfrom temples and other institutions. Retail participation was very tardy.

The collection centressuch as collection and purity testing centres (CPTCs)and gold re�neries, in turn,are waiting for the greenlight from banks to start mobilising gold under GMS.

“The banks need to be incentivised to accept gold deposits from consumers andalso be given avenues to deploy the collected gold profitably in longterm gold loanproducts,” said Mr. Jose.

“Banks are presently getting gold metal loans frominternational agencies, at interest rates of 1.5%, in dollarterms, and the governmentrestricts such loans only forgold metal loans for exporter purposes,” Mr. Jose added. Banks would be motivated to mobilise GMS goldfor gold metal loans to thedomestic jewellery industry, and the existing GMSwould be revamped andsimpli�ed to make it appealing for stakeholders. “Themetal loans shall be denominated in terms of goldweight in grams, with a minimum lot of 1 kg. On maturity date, it shall be repaid/settled with equivalentquantity of gold, and not inmoney/rupees,” Mr. Jose added. He also suggested thatthe tenure of the metal loancould be one year.

On expiry of one year, themetal loan could be renewed, similar to workingcapital loans from banks.

Finance Ministry and theRBI, it is felt, should deviceand approve new gold metalloan products for banks topro�tably deploy the GMSgold for longer periods.

Policy to develop goldas asset class on cardsGovt. for tradee�cient exchanges: FM

Oommen A. Ninan

Thiruvananthapuram <> Banks need to be

incentivised to

accept gold deposits

from consumers

James Jose,

Secretary, Association of GoldRe�neries and Mints

The Budgetary allocation forthe Civil Aviation Ministryhas been almost tripled to�6,602.86 crore for 201819,with about 67% of the fundsbeing provisioned for thepurchase of two new aircraftfor VVIP �ights.

A total of �4,469.50 crorehas been provisioned for“purchase of two new VVIPaircraft for special extra section �ight operations,” asper the Budget document.

The government also announced a new initiative —NABH Nirman — underwhich it proposes to expandairport capacity in the country by more than �ve timesto handle a billion trips ayear. “Balance sheet of AAI

[Airports Authority of India]shall be leveraged to raisemore resources for fundingthis expansion,” said ArunJaitley, Finance Minister.

SpiceJet chairman andmanaging directorAjay Singh said NABHNirman could takethe number of airports in India to 700from about 125 airports today.

In the last threeyears, domestic airpassenger tra�c grew at 18%a year and the airline companies placed orders formore than 900 aircraft.

On regional connectivityscheme UDAN, Mr. Jaitleysaid 56 unserved airportsand 31 unserved helipadsacross India would be con

nected. “Even those whowear hawai chappal (�ip�ops) can now travel by ha-wai jahaj (airplane),” hesaid. The government has increased the allocation to

fund the scheme by�ve times to �1,014crore.

“This proposal isfor revival of 50 airports and viabilitygap funding fornortheast connectivity,” the Budget

document said.An amount of �650 crore

is proposed to be invested inthe State carrier, Air India,for which disinvestmentprocess is being kicked o�during the next �nancialyear. This allocation stood at�1,800 crore for 201718.

67% funds allocated for buying 2 aircraft for VVIP �ights

Yuthika Bhargava

NEW DELHI

Civil Aviation gets wings

The Finance Minister’sstatement in his Budgetspeech on cryptocurrenciesdoes not mean that it isillegal to hold thesecurrencies, but only meansit is illegal to transact usingthem in place of legaltender, according toindustry players andanalysts.

“The Centre does notconsider cryptocurrencieslegal tender or coin and willtake all measures toeliminate use of thesecrypto assets in �nancingillegitimate activities or aspart of the paymentsystem,” Mr. Jaitley said

during his speech. “TheGovernment will exploreuse of block chaintechnology proactively forushering in digitaleconomy,” he added.

“The Finance Minister inhis budget speech hasreiterated the stand by theReserve Bank of India thatcryptocurrency is notrecognised as a legal tenderin India,” Nischint Sanghavi,Head of Exchange, Zebpay,said. “This is beingmisreported that bitcoin isillegal. This is not true,” headded.

“This is not the �rst timeMr. Jaitley has said thatcryptocurrencies are notlegal tender, and should not

be treated as such. As far asit not being a legal tender,Finance Minister ArunJaitley in the Rajya Sabha onJanuary 2 said exactly thesame thing,” Ajeet Khurana,head of the Blockchain andCryptocurrency Council ofIndia, said. “There isnothing new, no change inthe way the government is

handling this. And,coincidently, it is theposition of almost all thegovernments across theworld,” he pointed out.

“Legal tender is onlycoins and currency asde�ned by the RBI,” Mr.Khurana said. “So, gold,stocks, bonds are not legaltender. But the fact that theyare not legal tender makesno comment on whetherthey themselves are legal orillegal. In fact, what peoplehave missed is that Mr.Jaitley has used the wordcrypto assets for the �rsttime. That is a very positivesign. He is recognising it asan asset,” he added.

However, other

commentators say that thegovernment clarifying itsstand is a good thing in thewake of misunderstandingin the market and the factthat Bitcoin prices havebeen skyrocketing.

“With no regulationsgoverning virtual currenciesin India and despite nolicences granted to anyentity to prevent them fromoperating in suchcurrencies, there is aheightened risk ofinvestment bubble whichmay have resulted in suddenand prolonged crashexposing investors,” KartikShinde, partner – CyberSecurity, Financial Services,EY India, said.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Cryptocurrency


NEW DELHI

Centre does not consider cryptocurrencies a legal tender and will take all steps to eliminate their use

Jaitley’s view on cryptocurrencies splits opinion

The rejig that the government has announced in theBudget to do with the exciseduties and cess on petroland diesel will not a�ect theendconsumer, but willgreatly bene�t the Centre asopposed to the States, according to tax analysts.

The Budget has announced the abolition of the�6 per litre additional exciseduty on petrol and highspeed diesel, and also reduced the basic excise duty

on branded and unbrandedpetrol and diesel by �2 perlitre each.

However, these reductions are o�set by the introduction of a �8 per litre roadand infrastructure cess onpetrol and high speed diesel.

Centre to bene�t

“While this will not have anyimpact on the endconsumersince the net e�ect is thesame due to the introductionof the cess, the move will bene�t the Centre,” said PratikJain, Leader of Indirect Tax

at PwC India. “This is because 42% of

taxes like excise duty have tobe shared with the states,but cess remains with theCentre in entirety,” Mr. Jainadded.

However, this does notmean that the governmentcan use these funds for anyof its other schemes. The nature of a cess is such that itcan be only be used for thestated purpose.

“There are very few products under excise ambit,”Rashmi Deshpande, asso

ciate partner at Khaitan &Co, said.”

“When you put a cess,then you have a clear ideathat the amount will be usedonly for that subject. Considering that the Union government wants to invest indevelopment of the infrastructure sector, this cess willbe an additional source of income for this purpose,” Mr.Jain added.

Consumers and tax analysts alike were expecting anexcise duty cut in the Budgetto o�set the rising oil prices.

An excise duty cut with a riderRoad cess nulli�es bene�ts of excise duty reduction on petrol and diesel


New Delhi

As usual, the runup to Budget 2018 had beensensational with highvolume newsroom debatesand speculations.

After all, it is the �rst Budget after GST rollout.Also, it is the very last Budget of the presidinggovernment. With impending series of elections,all eyes were on the Finance Minister’s Budgetbag of priorities.

“Bharat ek krishi Pradhan desh hai.” Withthese words, the Finance Minister set the contextof the Budget, spelling out the government’spriorities loud and clear — focus on ruraleconomy, farmers’ welfare, health, nutrition,women empowerment, education, infrastructure,a�ordable housing et al, a perfect cocktail for2019 elections.

On the tax proposals, the Finance Minister puton record that tax compliance had improved withincrease in new tax �lers of returns of income.Even the Economic Survey 201819 spelt out thatthere has been a 50% increase (a substantial 3.4million) in the number of indirect taxpayers and alarge increase in voluntary registrations —Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and

Gujarat being the Stateswith the maximumnumber of GSTregistrants.

As expected, therewere no big bangchanges for indirecttaxes with GST beingunder the aegis of theGST Council. However,there was a calibrateddeparture from thetrend to reduce customsduties, with customsduty hikes announced

on various products, including mobile phones(including parts), televisions, cosmetics,automobiles and auto parts, amongst others,re�ecting the impact of “Make in India” on thepolicy front.

For keeping litigation under check, certainmeasures like prenotice consultation, issue ofsupplementary showcause notices withinlimitation period, timebound adjudication andclosure of cases without imposition ofredemption �ne in cases of voluntary payment ofall dues are steps in the right direction.

On trade facilitation, the customs legislation isto provide for measures, procedures anddocumentation for class of importers/ exportersor categories of goods or on the basis of modes oftransport. Education cess and secondary andhigher education cess on imported goods areproposed to be abolished and replaced by a socialwelfare surcharge at the rate of 10% to provide forsocial welfare schemes of the government.

However, the surcharge would be applicableimmediately but only on the basic customs duty.The Central Board of Excise and Customs is set toget a new name “Central Board of Indirect Taxesand Customs.”

While certain cardinal concerns/ issues oftrade and industry such as restriction on inputcredit, review of place of supply rules, review ofGST rates, centralised registration for servicecompanies, inclusion of petroleum and realestate etc., pertaining to the GST legislationremain unanswered. One would have to wait forthe GST Council meeting, scheduled in comingmonths, to address the same. It may be possiblethe changes in the GST Act may be introduced inthe second Budget session, provided the GSTCouncil gives a goahead.

FIRST TAKESACHIN MENON

partner, indirect tax, KPMGin India

A perfect cocktail for 2019 elections

<>Customs dutyhikesannounced onvariousproductsre�ect theimpact of“make in India”on policy front


#4 9 2 3 5 3


THE HINDU NOIDA/DELHI

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018 3EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

CMYK

A ND-NDE

CONSUMER

Reversing the trend in Budget 2018, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has increased customs duty onseveral imported products, amove that would adverselyimpact a segment ofconsumers.

The higher customs dutywould make the products expensive. The Finance Minister also proposed to increasecustoms duty on mobilephones from 15% to 20%, onsome of their parts and accessories to 15% and manyother items.

The prices of importedhigh end mobile phones likeiPhone would be costlier by4 to 5%. In December, the go

vernment had increased customs duty on imported mobile phones from 10 to 15%and as a result, handset companies like Apple and othershad increased the prices ofphones by 3 to 3.5%. Now,with another round of customs duty hike, prices wouldrise further.

“Prices should go up butwe are not going to pass onall the additional burden onconsumers,” an o�cial of aleading handphone company said.

“For high value products,a marginal increase of 3 to5% hardly makes any di�erence and it will not deter mefrom buying my next highend imported phone,” saidRitu Sharma, an executive

working in a �nance company, reacting to theannouncement.

Customs duty had alsobeen increased on fooditems, electronics, auto components, footwear, perfumeand furniture. Imported carsand motorcycles would alsobecome more expensive.

Silver and gold would alsobecome costlier. Also, pricesof imported fruit juices,fruits and vegetables wouldrise.

Prices of sun glasses andtruck and bus radial tyreswould also go up. Diamond,imitation jewellery andsmart watches would beexpensive.

“While the intention behind increasing the customs

duties on some productssuch as mobile phones is toincentivise domestic manufacturing, this will lead to anincrease in the prices forthese products, denting themiddle class consumers wallets,” said M. S. Mani, seniordirector, DeloitteIndia.

“Customs dutyrates on various products proposed to beincreased wouldmake domestic manufacturing of these products more attractive ascompared to their importedcounterparts,” said RajeevDimri, partner Deloitte India.

However, a few automakers were sceptical about the

duty hike. “The increase inthe basic customs duty of auto parts, accessories andCKD components varyingfrom 5% to 10%, clubbedwith the new social welfaresurcharge at 10% at a timewhen the auto industry is re

viving, is unfortunate, and comes as asurprise,” said Roland Folger, MD andCEO, MercedesBenz India.

“We believe it isgoing to impact the

auto industry, the consumers,” Mr. Folger said adding,“The increase in basic customs duty will highly restrictthe growth of the luxury carindustry. Further, since thecustomers will be burdened

with higher maintenancecosts, it is likely that this dutyhike may delay their routineservicing, thereby a�ectingsafety and environment atlarge,” he said.

“We are disappointedwith the increase in customsduty on cut and polished diamonds and cut and polishedcoloured gemstones from2.5% to 5%,” said PramodAgarwal, chairman, Gem &Jewellery Export PromotionCouncil (GJEPC).

“This move hampers India’s chances of becoming aninternational diamond trading hub. This move doesn’tprovide India a level playing�eld visàvis other peerssuch as Belgium, Dubai andIsrael, ” he said.

Imported cars, motorcycles, gems and jewellery also to become costlier as Budget seeks to boost domestic manufacturing

Lalatendu Mishra

Mumbai

Customs duty hike to lift mobile prices

Increased spending in therural areas and agriculturesector would bene�t the auto sector, feel analysts. Besides higher allocation forconstruction of roads will also bene�t the sector, theyadded. The government hasallocated �5.97 lakh crorefor infrastructure and thetransportation sector hasgot an all time high allocation of �1,34,572 crore.

“Increased allocation forinfrastructure projects suchas National Highways (targetcompletion in FY1718 is9000 KMs) and Bharat Malaproject (target completionof 35,000km in Phase 1 atcost of �5.35 lakh crore) forseamless connectivity in theUnion Budget should givemuch needed push to thesector especially the Medium and Heavy CommercialVehicles segment,” said Rajeev Singh, Automotive Sector Leader in Deloitte.

“Good rural focus (creditfor agricultural activities increased from �10 lakh croreto �11 lakh crore) will primarily help to boost retailgrowth in rural market andthereby bring more growthin auto industry,” he said.

For example, the higherminimum purchase pricefor crops will boost rural income thus driving demandfor two wheelers, farmequipment’s and LCVs (lightcommercial vehicles) in rural areas.

However, the importedluxury car industry will bea�ected due to increase inbasic customs duty. “Withdoubling of the BCD rate for

engines from a current levyof 7.5% to 15%, manufacturing cost of automobiles withimported engines is expected to see a steep rise,” Abhishek Jain, Tax Partner, Automotive sector, EY Indiasaid.

“The costs further beingstressed with increase inBCD rates for various partsand accessories as well asseats. While these wouldtypically impact auto manufacturers in India who import parts of the vehicle, similar impact is expected tobe sensed by those importing motor vehicles in CKDforms as well,” he said.

Rahil Ansari, Head AudiIndia, said, “For the luxuryauto sector, the Union Budget 201819 is disappointingand is against the spirit ofpartnership. As manufacturers, we have a core socialresponsibility towards ourworkforce and the dealernetwork.”

He said the Increase incustom duty and introduction of Social Welfare Surcharge in lieu of an Education Cess (which is higherthan the erstwhile Cess),was going to de�nitely a�ectthe prices again, which willfurther confuse thecustomer.

He also said that lack ofconcrete measures for government’s ambitious Emobility project was ‘surprising’.

Budget to boost truck,tractor, 2wheeler salesLuxury car segment receives setback


Mumbai <> Good rural focus

will bring more

growth in

auto industry

Rajeev Singh,

Automotive Sector Leader in Deloitte

Setting up of an A�ordableHousing Fund and construction of more than 51 lakhhouses in rural areas undera government scheme weretwo key announcements onthe housing front in theBudget.

The government, FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley said,will establish a dedicated Affordable Housing Fund(AHF) under the NationalHousing Bank, funded frompriority sector lendingshortfall and fully servicedbonds authorised by theCentre. Beyond this, he didnot elaborate about the proposed Fund.

Separately, the OutputOutcome Framework for

Schemes 201819 under theDepartment of FinancialServices mentioned that a�125 crore outlay would bemade for a World Bank assisted project on low incomehousing �nance in India to National Housing Bank (NHB). Itwould support construction of about1,250 housing unitstowards increasingavailability of a�ordable houses for informal segment of theeconomy.

‘Housing for all by 2022’On the Prime Minister AwasYojana, a programme with atarget to ensure housing forall by 2022, Mr. Jaitley pointed out that “a roof for his fa

mily is another concern ofthe poor.”

The Centre is helpingthem ful�l the dream of theirown house, he said. Underthe Scheme, 51 lakh houses

in 201718 and 51lakh more in 201819would be constructed in rural areas. Inurban areas, assistance has been sanctioned to construct37 lakh houses. Themove is bound to

have positive impact on rawmaterial manufacturerssuch as cement and steel�rms. Deputy CEO of KPMGin India Akhil Bansal said thefund for a�ordable housingwill provide a thrust to construction, one of the largestemployers in the country.

51 lakh new rural houses to aid raw material �rms

N. Ravi Kumar

HYDERABAD

NHB fund announced

Television prices will rise asthe government increasedcustoms duty on importedpanels and other parts usedin its manufacturing.However, makers expect themove to help the industry inthe long run.

Terming the customsduty increase as a “logicalstep”, TV manufacturershave welcomed thegovernment’s move saying itwould help the domesticmanufacturing industry.

While, presenting theBudget, Finance MinisterArun Jaitley proposed todouble customs duty onimported panels to 15% from

existing the 7.5%. Thegovernment has alsoincreased the customs dutyon parts of LCD/LED/OLEDTVs to 15% from the existing10% to boost domesticmanufacturing.

The ConsumerElectronics and AppliancesManufacturers Association(CEAMA) said the impact ofthe price increase would be“momentary” and havetemporary impact.

“I believe that this is avery logical step in terms ofincreasing con�guration inthe country... It would havea momentary impact buteventually it would not lastmore than two months,”CEAMA President Manish

Sharma said. The move willnot only help the domesticplayers but also push themto develop capacities formanufacturing componentslocally.

“I am sure that this wouldbe very positively taken bymost manufacturers. Theremight be a case of amomentary hike in cost, till

the time people becomeready for open setmanufacturing,” he said.

It would also encourage“reverse integration” and“increase the value additionin the country”, he said.

“This would encourageopen set assembly in Indiaand price bene�ts would bepassed on to theconsumers,” he said, addingthat most companies herewere doing open setassembling and some wereimporting panels.

Homegrown consumerelectronics �rm Videoconsaid the move wouldencourage domesticmanufacturing and wouldhelp the companies engaged

in the �eld of electronicsmanufacturing.

‘Strengthens MII’“Increase in customs dutyhas strengthened the ‘Makein India’ programme whichhas received a massive boostand will help enormouslyfor the manufacturing sectorespecially in the �eld ofelectronics manufacturing,”said Videocon ChiefManufacturing O�cerAbhijit Kotnis.

Expressing similarsentiment, LG India head ofcorporate marketing AmitGujral said: “It is good to seethat there has been asigni�cant push to boost theMake in India initiative.”


Local manufacture

Press trust of India

New Delhi

Higher duty would bolster local manufacturing; head honchos say price increases would be temporary

TV prices to rise; industry hails increase in duty

Consumer goods companieson Thursday termed theBudget 2018 as forwardlooking which will fuel the ruraland agrarian economy, besides increasing disposableincome for the commonman and drive demand formass products.

Unveiling the last full Budget before general elections,Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced a slew ofmeasures for the agricultureand rural sectors as also a

new health insurancescheme for the poor.

In a major bonanza tofarmers, Mr. Jaitleyannounced �xingsupport price of Kharif crops like paddyat least 50% higherthan the cost of production, while raising farm credit targetfor the next �scal by 10% to�11 lakh crore.

“It presses all the rightbuttons when it comes tofueling the rural and agrarian economy with a slew of

measures including higherMSPs for Kharif crops, upfront agriculture focus, insti

tutional support forprice discovery andupgradation of ruralhaats to give farmersbetter access to formal mandis,” DaburIndia chief executiveo�cer Sunil Duggal

said.Expressing similar views,

Marico MD & CEO SaugataGupta said: “It is allinclusive, forwardlooking andhas a strong thrust on agri

culture, rural, MSME,healthcare, infrastructureand employment, which augurs well for FMCG companies.”

While a slew of investment was announced mostlycatering to the rural economy, the government has letgo on the �scal consolidationroadmap.

As a result, �scal de�citfor current �scal will be 3.5%of the GDP as against 3.2%previously targeted, and3.3% in FY’19 as opposed to3% previously targeted.

Disposable income set to riseSlew of measures will fuel rural and agrarian economy, say FMCG �rms

Press trust of indiA

New Delhi

Although there have been no changes in thepersonal tax slab rates in the �nal preelectionBudget announced by the Finance Minister (FM),here are some of the key amendments personaltax proposed:

Standard deduction will now be available onsalary income. It is proposed that instead of thetaxfree limit of �15,000 for medical expensereimbursement by employer, transport allowanceexemption of �1,600 per month (�19,200annually) and a standard deduction of �40,000would be allowed as a deduction from taxablesalary income. The transport allowanceexemption is however, continued for di�erentlyabled salaried individuals.

Introduction of health and education cess:presently, “education cess” (at 2%) and“secondary and higher education cess” (at 1%) isapplicable on every individual’s tax liability(including surcharge). It is now proposed todiscontinue these cesses and introduce acombined “health and education cess” at a higherrate of 4%. Due to this increased levy, thee�ective peak rates will increase to 10.4%, 20.8%,

31.2%, 34.32%, 35.88%depending on theincome levels.

Reintroduction oflongterm capital gainstax (LTCG) on gainsarising from the transferof longterm listedequity shares andequityoriented mutualfunds: presently, LTCGfrom the sale of equityshares and units ofequityoriented mutual

funds on which securities transaction tax (STT)has been paid at the time of sale is exempt fromtax.

The FM has proposed to withdraw thisexemption starting April 1, 2018 and levy a tax of10% on such LTCG. While there will be noindexation bene�t allowed while computing suchLTCG, the �rst �1 lakh would not be taxable. Theonly consolation factor in this new levy is that theappreciation in value of shares up to January 31,2018 would be grandfathered.

Relief for senior citizens: There are somepositive proposals for senior citizens in thisbudget.

They would be now entitled to a higher taxfreeinterest income of �50,000 against present limitof �10,000.

Further, this new limit also includes interestearned on �xed deposits (which is not the casefor other taxpayers).

Consequently, the requirement for banks towithhold incometax at source has been doneaway with for interest income payable to seniorcitizens upto the new limit of �50,000.

Deduction limit for health insurance premium/preventive health checkup/ medical expenses forsenior citizens is proposed to be raised from�30,000 to �50,000.

Deduction will now be available up to �1 lakh(as against present limits of �60,000 for seniorcitizens/�80,000 for very senior citizens) formedical treatment of speci�ed diseases.

All in all, while most salaried individualtaxpayers may feel disappointed with the lack ofadditional incentives for housing loans andenhancement to deduction under Section 80C, atleast the senior citizens should be happier withthe above Budget proposals — as they say….“Lifebegins at 60”!!!

FIRST TAKEALOK AGRAWAL

is Senior Director, Deloitte India

Budget cheer forsenior citizens

<>While mostsalariedtaxpayers mayfeeldisappointed,senior citizensshould behappier


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

ECONOMY

The last full Budget of the Narendra Modiled Bhartiya Janata Party government before the general electionsdue in 2019 missed the �scalde�cit target of 3.2% for 201718. This was attributed to revenues to be received underthe Goods and Services Tax(GST) for 11 months, insteadof 12. The revenue for Marchwill be received in April.

The shortfall in GST revenue was �50,000 crore.

Finance Minister ArunJaitley, in his Budget speech,said the �scal de�cit for 201718 would be �5.95 lakh crore,

which is 3.5% of GDP. The �scal de�cit for 201819 ispegged at 3.3%.

“In order to impart unquestionable credibility tothe government’s commitment for the revised �scalglide path, I am proposing toaccept key recommendations of the Fiscal Reformand Budget ManagementCommittee relating to adoption of the Debt Rule and tobring down Central Government’s Debt to GDP ratio to40%,” Mr. Jaitley said in hisbudget speech.

In the postbudget mediainteraction Mr. Jaitley saidmeeting the �scal de�cit tar

get should not be a problembecause the governmentwould receive revenues for12 months.

“We were getting the GSTrevenue for one month lessthis year. The March revenuewill be received only in April.That statistical factor shouldbe borne in mind when wecalculate the di�erence between 3.5% and 3.2%. Thatreally amounts for a substantial part of that,” Mr. Jaitleysaid.

The government said the�scal de�cit target for next �nancial year would be 3.3%and 3.1% for the year afterand then 3% for 202021.

Bond prices slumped asthe government missed the�scal de�cit target with theyield on 10 year governmentbond shot up 17 bps to endthe day at 7.6%.

“The government’s decision to stray from the �scalglide path of getting toa level of 3.2% thisyear and 3.0% thenext could also weighon market sentiment,especially when weare in the middle of aselling mania,” economists at HDFC Bank said in anote to its clients.

“Therefore, we expect thebond yields to remain elevat

ed and trade in the range of7.45% to 7.55% in the nearterm,” it said.

Government borrowingThe government pegged itsnet market borrowing at�4.62 trn in FY19 (excluding

buyback and switches), which is in linewith what the market had estimated.

Mr. Jaitley saidthe country hadseen average growthof 7.5% in the �rst

three years of the current government’s reign and GDPgrowth at 6.3% in the secondquarter signaled a turna

round of the economy and‘�rmly on course to achieve8% growth’.

“We hope to grow at 7.2%to 7.5% in the second half.IMF, in its latest ipdate, hasforecast that India will growat 7.4% next year. Manufacturing sector is back on agood growth path,” the Finance Minister said.

“The services, mainstay ofour growth, have also resumed their high growth ratesof 8% plus. Our exports areexpected to grow at 15% in201718. We are now �rmlyon course to achieve highgrowth of 8% plus,” Mr. Jaitley said.

Bond yields rise as the government misses de�cit target of 3.2%; analysts expect yields to remain elevated

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Mumbai

Fiscal glide path pushed back to 2021

The �80,000crore targetset for 201819 by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyon divestment is achievable,says former divestment secretary Sunil Mitra, whowas also revenue and �nance secretary.

“The very fact that thecurrent year’s target was exceeded by a healthy marginpaves the way for this optimism,” he said.

The 201718 Budget Estimates for disinvestmentwere pegged at �72,500crore. This has been exceeded, Mr. Jaitley said, addingthat he was assuming receipts of �1,00,000 crore in201718. The 201819 disinvestment target is pegged at�80,000 crore, the FinanceMinister said.

The government has approved listing of 14 CPSEs,including two insurancecompanies, on the stock exchanges. The governmenthas also initiated the process of strategic disinvestment in 24 CPSEs. This includes strategicprivatisation of Air India.

Two part guidelines dated January 2018 has beenhosted on the o�cial website of the Department of Investment and Public AssetManagement (DIPAM).

The government introduced Exchange TradedFund Bharat22 to raise�14,500 crore, which wasoversubscribed in all segments, Mr. Jaitley said.

DIPAM will come up withmore ETF o�ers, includingdebt ETF. Ashish KumarChouhan, MD & CEO, BSEsaid that the disinvestmentmove augured well for thecapital market.

Mr. Mitra said that duringhis time, about �40,000crore was raised in 201011through the divestment ofcompanies like NHPC, OilIndia and Mineral development Corporation. “However, these were done throughthe route of listing throughthe market discoveryroute,” he said.

Abhishek Rastogi, Partner Khaitan & Co., said thatbigger disinvestment receipts and pro�ts from PSUscould help government cover up the shortfall in nontax revenues attributed bythe Minister to deferment ofspectrum auction.

‘Acceptable to unions’Since 1991 and post liberalisation, the Centre’s divestment policy has evolved over time and now seems tohave become more acceptable to the trade unionsagainst virulent oppositionthat was mounted at the outset especially by the Lefttrade unions.

Under the present policy,the government pursuesdivestment mainly throughminority stake sale in listedCPSEs, the government willretain control through a 51%holding.

However, strategic disinvestment through sale ofsubstantial governmentstake of upto 50% or morealongwith transfer of government control is alsopossible in certain identi�edCPSEs according to o�cialsources.

‘�80,000 cr. target fordivestment reachable’ ‘Current year’s margin fuels optimism’

Indrani Dutta

KOLKATA <> About �40,000 cr.

was raised in 2010

11 via divestment of

�rms like NHPC

Sunil Mitra,

Former disinvestment secy.

The government will bringout separate policies onOutward Direct Investment(ODI) as well as hybridinstruments, FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley said onThursday.

Pointing out that ODIfrom India was about $15billion per annum, Mr.Jaitley said in his 201819Budget speech that “thegovernment will reviewexisting guidelines andprocesses and bring out acoherent and integrated ODIpolicy.”

He also said that thegovernment would evolve aseparate policy for hybrid

instruments, adding that“hybrid instruments aresuitable for attractingforeign investments inseveral niche areas,especially for the startupsand venture capital �rms.”

In his Budget 201617announcements, Mr. Jaitleyhad said, “The basket ofeligible FDI instruments willbe expanded to includehybrid instruments subjectto certain conditions.”

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had pointed out thatsome Indian companieswere raising funds under theFDI route through issue ofhybrid instruments such asoptionally convertible/partially convertible

debentures which areintrinsically debtlikeinstruments. It said in June2007 that, “Routing of debt�ows through the FDI routecircumvents the framework

in place for regulating debt�ows into the country.” TheRBI then clari�ed that onlyinstruments that are fullyand mandatorily convertibleinto equity, within a

speci�ed time, would bereckoned as part of equityunder the Foreign DirectInvestment (FDI) policy andeligible to be issued topersons residing outsideIndia under the FDI schemein terms of ForeignExchange Management(Transfer and Issue of sharesby a Person Resident outsideIndia) Regulations.

Reform pushMr. Jaitley said in his FY’19Budget speech that as aresult of the reformsundertaken by thegovernment, the FDI hadgone up. There is a �nancialoutlay of �281 crore in FY’19for Scheme of Investment

Promotion (SIP) and StartupIndia. The SIP aims to makeIndia among the top 10 mostpreferred FDI destinations inthe world and among thetop 50 in the ranking ofcountries by the World Bankon ‘Ease of Doing BusinessIndex.’ Its objective is also toimprove investor con�denceto boost investment andeconomic growth. During201718 (AprilSeptember),net FDI was $19.6 billion ascompared to $20.9 billion in201617 (AprilSeptember),while net portfolio was $14.5billion in 201718 (AprilSeptember) as against $8.2billion in the correspondingperiod of the previous year,the government said.

According to India BrandEquity Foundation (IBEF),“Outbound investmentsfrom India have undergone aconsiderable change (in the )last decade or so.

While in the �rst half,overseas investments weredirected to resource richcountries such as Australia,UAE and Sudan, in the latterhalf, (they were) channelledinto countries providinghigher tax bene�ts such asMauritius, Singapore, BritishVirgin Islands and theNetherlands.” It added that“Indian �rms invest inforeign shores primarilythrough Mergers andAcquisition (M&A)transactions. With rising

M&A activity, companies willget direct access to newerand more extensive marketsand better technologies,which would enable them toincrease their customer baseand achieve a global reach.”

Stating that overseasinvestment was one of theforemost steps to enter theglobal marketplace, the IBEFsaid the Indian industry wasprojected to increase itsrevenue from Africa.

“IT services,infrastructure, agriculture,pharmaceuticals andconsumer goods are vital toIndia boosting Africarevenues to $160 billion by2025, as per McKinsey &Co,” the IBEF said.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

outward investment


New Delhi

With ODI at $15 billion per annum, the Centre will review existing guidelines and bring out an integrated policy, says Jaitley

‘Separate policies soon on outward direct investment, hybrid instruments’

Business magnet: Hybrid instruments can help attract foreigninvestments, especially in start-ups, said Arun Jaitley.

The proposed merger ofthree general insurers wouldcreate a mega insurancecompany in the public sectordomain and the consolidatedentity is likely to come outwith a public issue.

Currently, there are fourpublic sector insurance companies: New India Assurance, National Insurance,Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance.

Under the Gross DirectPremium underwritten up toDecember, in the current �scal, New India Assurancewas at �16,806.45 crore; Na

tional Insurance �11,732.21crore; Oriental Insurance�8,396.18; and United IndiaInsurance was at �11,987.03crore. The proposed insurance company’s premiumwould be at morethan �30,000 crore.

“The consolidation... is a step in theright direction andwould lay the foundation for themerged entity to become collectively stronger,”said Khushroo B. Panthaky,director, Grant ThorntonAdvisory.

Further, Mr. Panthakysaid that these stateowned

companies were based in different regions and thereforewere not in the best positionto scale up across thecountry.

The suggestion for consolidation came fromthe All India Insurance Employees Association (AIIEA) –Secretary of StandingCommittee andwould result in elimination of competi

tion between the three PSUcompanies, reducing marketing expenses, raising coste�ciencies, streamlining ofprocesses and systems byadopting the best prevailing,

and �nally, enabling an increase in the risk retentioncapacity, which directly results in saving in the cashout�ow of reinsurancepremiums.

The listing of the mergedentity also gives the opportunity to the government tooptimise on the divestmentfront as it enhances the valuation of the entity. The consolidation and subsequentlisting is step towards enhanced penetration of general insurance business by thepublic sector, that would result in higher mobilisation offunds for general insuranceproducts.

Mega insurance �rm in o�ngMerger of 3 staterun insurers to raise e�ciencies, may lift combined valuation

Oommen A. Ninan

Thiruvananthapuram

Economists recognise the existence of a ‘politicalbusiness cycle’ in western democracies generatedby political parties using the Budget to boost theeconomy before elections.

There, an economy boosted reducesunemployment. In India, where the scale ofunemployment is so great as to remain una�ectedby small changes in allocation, politics must takeanother route. It tries to impact welfare. This iswhat the last Budget of the �rst Narendra Modigovernment attempts.

With mostly poor agricultural performancesince 2014, a focus on the sector was expected.However, its privileging, evident in the Budgetspeech, must have surprised most. The FinanceMinister (FM) appears to be making up for hisgovernment’s near exclusive focus on corporateIndia over much of its tenure. Now it seems it is tobe rural all the way.

At the very beginning of his speech, the FMspoke of his government’s intention of enabling“farmers to produce more from the same land atlesser cost and simultaneously realise higherprices for their produce.” The outcome of such apolicy is not uniformly benign. Raising farmprices makes little sense at a time whenagricultural prices have, on an average, been

rising relative to otherprices.

A further increase inagricultural prices viagovernmentintervention will lowerthe real income of thebuyers of food, many ofwhom are among thepoorest.

In pursuit of thegovernment’s objective,the FM has announced

that the minimum support prices for the nextkharif crop will rise. This will be in�ationary.

Beyond food production, the Budget speechreferred to a plan to build roads to connect ruralIndia’s farms and schools. Further, it aims toencourage clustering in horticulture productionand marketing, increase the allocation for organicfarming, provide cheaper credit to small farmersand create infrastructure funds for �sheries andanimal husbandry.

Among the welfare measures announced, ruralwomen are to receive free cooking gas throughthe ‘Ujjwala Yojana’ but above all, via ‘AyushmanBharat’, the government is to provide 10 crorepoor families health coverage of upto �5 lakh. TheFM referred to it as “the world’s largestgovernmentfunded health care programme.”This is big. But what about growth? Themacroeconomic thinking underlying the Budgetis not particularly impressive.

As re�ected by the decline in the growth rate inthe last two �nancial years, the macroeconomicproblem today is a shortage of demand. One partof this is attributable to contractionarymacroeconomic policy — �scal and monetary —since 2014. The second is a depressed farm sectorin the medium term.

The agricultural sector has shown revivalrecently but gross capital formation in India hasbeen declining with private corporate investmenttaking the lead. Standard reasoning wouldrecommend raising demand either indirectly bylowering taxes or directly via public investment.Right now, it is the latter that is necessary aslower taxes may leave �rms with higher savingsbut without incentive to invest if they don’t seerecovery ahead.

The increase in spending on capital accountproposed in this Budget is less than what wasbudgeted for 201718. This says it all.

FIRST TAKEPULAPRE BALAKRISHNANProfessor of Ashoka University and Senior Fellow of IIM, Kozhikode

Embracing the rural

<>A furtherincrease inagricultureprices willlower the realincome ofbuyers of food


#4 9 2 3 5 3

Budget expectations were clearly geared towardsaddressing rural constituency and the Budget didnot disappoint in that context. While earliergovernments’ focus has traditionally been on theinputs (fertiliser subsidy, electricity subsidy etc.), itwas refreshing to see the focus of this governmenton the output from the farms.

With an aim of increasing farm incomes,government announced policy of increasingminimum support price (MSP) to 1.5x of cost ofproduce for kharif crops. Other initiatives for thissector included higher spends for implementingeNAM in more mandis, special focus in foodprocessing, agricultural exports (from current$30billion to its potential of $100 billion), �sheriesand aqua culture and animal husbandry.

This, along with increased spending on ruralroads and rural housing can de�nitely go a long wayin tackling the rural distress and augurs well forrural consumption.

Given the lack of social security, thegovernment’s announcement of universal healthinsurance — providing 10 crore households with acover of �5 lakh per household is a big game

changer. Rolled on thelines of crop insurance,health insurance can be anelegant coste�ectivesolution to one of thebiggest worries for anyhousehold. Besides this,the continued focus onjobs along with the earlierannounced reduction inGST of most householdconsumption goods augurswell for consumptiontheme for Bharat.

With most taxation ofgoods and services now under the ambit of GST, theBudget focused on customs duties and raised dutiesacross sectors — electronics, footwear, autoancillaries, furniture, toys, food processing etc.

Corporate India has surplus capacities in manysectors, also in a few cases most of the valueaddition was happening outside India earlier. Thismove will signal long term players to move from atrading model to a manufacturing model. Taxationfor SME (with turnover of less than �250crore) hasalso been reduced to 25%. The focus of banklending on SMEs, as announced in the PSU recappackage, will also help the smaller companies.

‘Hope no more misses’While one may quibble about the miss in �scalde�cit target, one must see the context in which thetax revenues for the year were impacted by theimplementation of momentous reform of GST.While there has been a miss, at least governmenthas mentioned a glide path for �scal consolidationand debt to GDP. One can only hope that therewon’t be any more misses.

An important takeaway is that this increasedborrowing is not being wasted on populism andfreebies but going towards more productiveinfrastructure creation (roads, railways, healthinsurance, a�ordable housing, farm processing etc.)and that is a big relief. The other big sentimentalnegative is the introduction of long term capitalgains tax (LTCG) on equities, the only solace beingthat investments till January 31, 2018 aregrandfathered. This de�nitely increases the cost ofcapital that market participants have to factor in,while evaluating fresh investments, but as the dustsettles down and market participants impute thisadditional cost, journey of wealth creation throughlong term allocation to equities will continue.

FIRST TAKENILESH SHAH

is MD, Kotak Mahindra Asset Management Co Ltd.

Make for Bharat,Make in India

<>Increasedborrowing isnot beingwasted onfreebies butgoing towardsproductiveinfrastructurecreation




CMYK

A ND-NDE

INVESTOR

For stock market investors,the biggest announcement inthe Union Budget 201819was the reintroduction of thelongterm capital gains(LTCG) tax that would see investors paying 10% tax onthe gains made by sellingshares even after holdingthem for more than a year.

However, to o�er a partialrelief to investors, the government has proposed thatall gains up to January 31would be grandfathered. Inother words, the gains wouldbe computed based on theshare price on January 31.

“The return on investment in equity is alreadyquite attractive even withouttax exemption. There is, therefore, a strong case forbringing longterm capitalgains from listed equities inthe tax net,” said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

Mr. Jaitley has said thatlongterm capital gains exceeding �1 lakh would betaxed at 10% without the bene�t of indexation. Indexation refers to adjusting thegains against in�ation, whichbrings down the real quantum of gains.

Way back in 200405, aspart of its attempts to encourage longterm investment in equity shares, thegovernment had abolishedLTCG tax replacing it with securities transaction tax

(STT). While the Centre hasbrought back LTCG, it has,however, decided againstabolishing or reducing theSTT rates, which, many feel,is a case of double taxation.

Finance Secretary Hasmukh Adhia, while addressing the media, explained thatthe purpose of STT andLTCG is di�erent and that theformer only helps the government in keeping a trackof equity transactions without any windfall revenuecollection.

“So, this [LTCG] is not going to at all a�ect the sentiments of the market. Themarket has absorbed it verywell so we do not see any negative emotions, neitherfrom domestic investors orfrom foreign investors,” hesaid while adding that the government had collected�9,000 crore through STT.

The issue of LTCG tax replacing STT was raised by alarge section of market parti

cipants this year with someeven highlighting that the government had lost revenueof over � 3 lakh crore by withdrawing LTCG in 200405.

‘Back in new form’“The much anticipated introduction of LTCG is now backwith a new avatar. As weknow in tax legislation, thiscould only get worse over aperiod of time with everysuccessive budget dilutingthe original commitment oftaxing longterm gains,” saidMilind Kothari, ManagingPartner, BDO India.

According to the �nanceminister, the total amount ofexempted capital gains fromlisted shares and units isaround �3.67 lakh crore asper returns �led for the assessment year 201718.

“Introduction of LTCG taxon equity gain exceeding �1lakh at 10% without indexation will impact equity market and the corpus which pe

ople need to create formeeting their �nancial andlife goals,” said Sanjay Sanghvi, Partner, Khaitan & Co.

Interestingly, in a letterwritten in 2015 to the thenjoint secretary of the ministry of �nance, BSE had madea similar proposal for bringing back LTCG. The issue oftax evasion through stock exchanges by paying a smallSTT component instead ofLTCG tax has been raisedregularly by marketparticipants.

Meanwhile, there is also aview that the proposedstructure of LTCG wouldmake it more lucrative forentities to trade through taxtreaty countries such as Singapore and Mauritius till thetime the treaty bene�ts exist.

“The change will increasethe attractiveness of investment in equity shares fromcertain treaty countries,”said Tejas Desai, Tax Partner,Financial Services, EY India.

10% tax on gains by selling shares even after holding them for more than a year

ASHISH RUKHAIYAR

MUMBAI

LTCG makes a comeback

It was a volatile day for theequity markets. Theyopened strong ahead of theBudget but saw a kneejerkfall during the afternoonsession when the FinanceMinister announced the introduction of long termcapital gains (LTCG) tax.

While the markets managed to recover most of thelosses, it ended the day inthe red as investor sentiment was dampened asLTCG was brought in evenas no changes were made inthe securities transactiontax rates. The 30share Sensex, which was tradingmostly in the green, fell 460points around 12:40 p.m.when the announcement related to LTCG was made. Ittouched a low of 35,501.74before some amount of buying support lifted the index.

The Sensex ended theday at 35,906.66, down58.36 points or 0.16%. Thevolatility can be gaugedfrom the fact that the indexgyrated in a range of morethan 750 points during theday. The broader Nifty ofthe National Stock Exchange(NSE) ended at 11,016.90,down 10.80 points or 0.10%.

Rajat Jain, chief investment o�cer, Principal Mu

tual Fund, said that LTCGtax would have an impacton the market. Yet, he reckoned that the investorswould still look at equity investment considering thehistorical return of the stockmarket. “While it (LTCG)will have a sentimental impact, the fact the gains tillWednesday are protected isa positive,” said Mr.Jain. Investors would adjust to thenew tax regime and decidetheir asset allocation keeping in mind that equity investments had yielded goodreturns over the longterm,he added.

Interestingly, sectorspeci�c announcements saw many mid and smallcapstocks gaining ground evenas the overall marketbreadth remained slightlynegative. On the BSE, 1,463stocks lost ground, asagainst 1,311 gainers.

Companies from the farmsector saw their shares gainground after the Centre proposed raising institutionalcredit for agriculture to � 11lakh crore for 201819 apartfrom a higher minimumsupport price for crops.Bayer Corpscience, PI Industries, Monsanto Indiaand Coromandel Agro Products & Oils ended the dayin the green.

Capital gains levy sinks stocks, Sensexslips into red zoneIndex gyrated 750 points during day


MUMBAI

The International FinancialService Centre (IFSC) at GiftCity, Gujarat, has received amajor boost with theFinance Minister proposinga uni�ed regulator for thespecial �nance zone alongwith tax bene�ts for nonresidents and noncorporateentities operating there.

“International FinancialService Centre (IFSC) at GiftCity, which has becomeoperational, needs acoherent and integratedregulatory framework tofully develop and tocompete with other o�shore�nancial centres. Thegovernment will establish a

uni�ed authority forregulating all �nancialservices in IFSCs in India,”said Arun Jaitley, FinanceMinister, while presentingUnion Budget 201819.

This assumes signi�canceas various governmentagencies and regulators,including the Reserve Bankof India and Securities and

Exchange Board of India(SEBI), have oversight onentities that operate in thezone.

Incidentally, entitiesoperating at Gift City have,in the past, reiterated theneed for a uni�ed regulatorfor single window clearanceand ease of doing business.

“The announcement ofsetting up of uni�edregulator for IFSC in Indiawould help India achieve itsfull potential in the global�nancial markets. Globally,most of the �nancial centreshost uni�ed regulator in thesame centre,” said AjayPandey, MD & Group CEO,GIFT City, adding thedecision would help in

establishing GIFT IFSC as aglobal �nancial hub.

Mr. Jaitley also saidtransactions done onexchanges based in Gift Citywould be exempted fromshort term and long termcapital gains tax.

“to promote trade instock exchanges located inIFSC, I propose to exempttransfer of derivatives andcertain securities by nonresidents from capital gainstax. Further, noncorporatetaxpayers operating in IFSCshall be charged AlternateMinimum Tax (AMT) atconcessional rate of 9% atpar with Minimum AlternateTax (MAT) applicable forcorporates,” said Mr. Jaitley.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Booster shot

ASHISH RUKHAIYAR

MUMBAI

Transactions executed on exchanges here exempt from capital gains tax

Gift City gets uni�ed regulator

The government has proposed a 10% tax on dividends doled out by equityoriented mutual funds aspart of its overall levy of taxes on equity investmentsthat also saw the �nance minister reintroduce longterm capital gains (LTCG)tax.

“I also propose to introduce a tax on distributed income by equityorientedmutual fund at the rate of10%. This will provide a levelplaying �eld acrossgrowthoriented funds anddividend distributing funds,”said Finance Minister ArunJaitley, while presenting theUnion Budget 201819.

While this is likely to actas a dampener for the mutual fund industry that hasbeen seeing a steady �ow ofin�ows, the move would alsodeter some amount of mis

selling wherein investors putin money in a particularscheme only for getting regular dividends.

‘Will impact fund �ow’“This move may impact�ows into funds where investors were primarily enteringwith the expectation of regular dividends,” said Kaustubh Belapurkar, Director Manager Research, Morningstar Investment AdviserIndia.

In fact, dividend schemeswere now slightly disadvantaged as opposed to growthschemes as LTCG below �1lakh was exempt from tax,he said.

Distributors and fundhouses marketed many balanced funds to investors byhighlighting the regular taxfree dividend payout option,which was a big draw at atime when interest frombank deposits were taxable.

MF dividends now

taxable at 10%Move to usher in levelplaying �eld


MUMBAI


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

FARM

“Our emphasis is on generating higher incomes for farmers,” Union Finance MinisterArun Jaitley said in the Budget speech on Thursday, ashe announced that the government would “keep theMSP [minimum supportprice] for all hitherto unannounced crops of Kharif atleast at oneandahalf timestheir production cost”.

“NITI Aayog, in consultation with Central and Stategovernments, will put inplace a foolproof mechanismso that farmers will get adequate price for their produce,”he said.

Later, Union AgricultureMinister Radha Mohan Singh

said in a statement, “Withthis decision, the Modi government has ful�lled themost important promisemade in its manifesto (2014general election). Our government has reiterated timeand again that we don’t wantto merely declare MSP but also want to ensure that farmers receive the bene�t ofMSP.”

The budgetary allocationof the Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Ministry for201819 has been kept at�58,080 crore against�51,576 crore for 201718.

Price volatilityMr. Jaitley proposed launching “Operation Greens” toaddress price volatility of

perishable commoditiessuch as potatoes, tomatoesand onions, at an outlay of�500 crore.

“Operation Greens shallpromote farmer producersorganisations, agrilogistics,processing facilities and professional management in thesector,” he said, announcinga 100% deduction in respectof pro�ts to farmer producercompanies, having a turnover up to �100 crore, for a period of �ve years from the �nancial year 201819, in orderto encourage professionalism in postharvest value addition in agriculture.

The government also proposed raising institutionalcredit for the agriculture sector to �11 lakh crore for 2018

19 from �10 lakh crore in201718. To boost organicfarming, Mr. Jaitley said women selfhelp groups (SHGs)would be encouraged to takeup organic agriculture inclusters under the NationalRural Livelihood Programme. Also, a sumof �200 crore hadbeen allocated to support organised cultivation of highly specialised medicinaland aromatic plantsand aid small and cottage industries that manufacture perfumes, essential oilsand other associatedproducts.

Mr. Jaitley proposed anupgrade of the 22,000 ruralhaats into gramin agricul

ture markets, pointing outthat more than 86% of farmers were small and marginalwho were not always in a position to transact directly atthe APMCs and other wholesale markets.

“The government wouldalso strengthen eNAM — the etradingplatform for the National AgricultureMarket and wouldexpand coverage ofeNAM to 585APMCs. Out of that,

470 APMCs have alreadybeen connected to the eNAM network and the restwill be connected by March2018. Also, an agriinfrastructure fund with a corpusof �2,000 crore will be set up

for developing and upgrading agricultural marketing infrastructure in the 22,000grameen agricultural markets and 585 APMCs,” hesaid.

More for processingThe government announceddoubling of allocation for theFood Processing Ministryfrom �715 crore in 201718 to�1,400 crore in 201819.

“With the increased allocation for the sector, the government will promote establishment of specialisedagroprocessing �nancial institutions in this sector andto set up stateoftheart testing facilities in all the 42 mega food parks,” the Ministeradded.

Proposals for agriculture sector include those on professional management of produce, apart from higher support prices

VIKAS VASUDEVA

CHANDIGARH

From farm to fork, a shower of goodies

Agriculture expert andformer Rajya Sabha member M.S. Swaminathan welcomed Thursday’s UnionBudget announcement tokeep the Minimum SupportPrice (MSP) for all unannounced kharif crops atleast at one and a half timesof the production cost. However, he said the government should clarify whetherthe proposed hike was thesame as the formula for MSPrecommended in 2006 bythe National Commission onFarmers, which he headed.

The M.S. SwaminathanCommittee report had recommended a minimumsupport price of 50% pro�tsabove the cost of production classi�ed as ‘C2’ by theCommission for Agricultural Costs and Prices.

Speaking to The Hindu,Prof. Swaminathan said thatsince the Finance Ministerhad announced the proposed hike for only unannounced crops, most important crops such as paddy ormillets are not up for anyhike.

In a statement, the agricultural scientist suggestedthat if price in the marketdrops below the MSP, thegovernment should purchase either at MSP or workto provide the MSP throughan alternate mechanism. Ifincome is less than the support price, the governmenthas said that it will make efforts to buy the surplus produced by the farmers.

Given the signi�cant impact of climate on farm pro

duce, Prof. Swaminathansaid while the Budget provides for greater use of cleanand renewable energysources, it does not dealwith the management of climate change in relation tofarming. “It is important toset up climate risk management R&D centres — at leastone at every block level.Such centres should be supported by trained ClimateRisk Managers, one womanand one man from eachPanchayat.”

He welcomed the increased allocation for building warehouses and upgrading 22,000 rural haats

(shandys) into GrameenAgricultural markets. Thedecision to integrate �sheries and animal husbandrywith Kisan Credit Cards andrestructure the NationalBamboo Mission to enhancethe cultivation and consumption of bamboo products was also welcomed.

Swaminathan calls forclarity on MSP hikePaddy, millet growers may not bene�t

special correspondent

CHENNAI

<> Budget does not

deal with the

management of

climate change in

relation to farming

M.S. Swaminathan

Agricultural scientist

To give a boost to the PrimeMinister Krishi Sampada Yojana, a scheme for agromarine processing and development of agroprocessingclusters under the Food Processing Industries Ministry,the Union government announced the “OperationGreens” Mission.

In the Union Budget for201819, Finance MinisterArun Jaitley announced taxincentives for promotingpostharvest activities inagriculture.

“My government proposes to launch an ‘OperationGreens,’ on the lines of ‘Operation Flood’. OperationGreens shall promote farmerproducers organisations

(FPOs), agrilogistics, processing facilities and professional management. I propose to allocate �500 crorefor this purpose,” the Minister said.

“In order to encourage professionalism in postharvestvalue addition inagriculture, I propose to allow 100%deduction to thesecompanies registeredas farmer producercompanies and having anannual turnover up to �100crore in respect of their pro�t derived from such activities for a period of �ve yearsfrom �nancial year 201819.”

Mr. Jaitley noted that100% deduction was allowed in respect of pro�t of

the cooperative societieswhich gave assistance to itsmembers engaged in primary agricultural activities.Over the past few years, anumber of farmer producer

companies hadbeen set up alongthe lines of cooperative societies, whichprovide similar assistance to theirmembers.

“The food processing sector is

growing at an average rate of8% per annum. The allocation of Ministry of Food Processing Industries is beingdoubled from �715 crore inthe revised estimate of 201718 to �1,400 crore in the budget estimate for 201819,” hesaid.

Tax break for �rms promoting postharvest activities

N. Anand

CHENNAI

Of harvest and after

Punjab Chief Minister Capt.Amarinder Singh on Thursday described the UnionBudget 201819 as ‘disappointing’ for the State as ithas failed to announce anymeasures to address thefarmers’ distress.

“Not only did the Budgetnot contain any announcement on farm loan waiver, italso failed to implement theSwaminathan Committee report in toto, making it clear

that the Central governmentdid not recognise the distress of the State’sfarmers,” said Capt.Amarinder.

Reacting cautiously to the proposedhike in MSP to �x it at1.5 times the expenditure, Capt. Amarinder said while the detailswould need to be examined,on the face of it, the Centreshould have implementedthe Swaminathan Committee report in full.

If the Centre is seriousabout the issue, it should im

plement the reportof Niti Aayog member Ramesh Chandon the issue, he added.

“The Centre hadalso failed to helpPunjab in its crop di

versi�cation e�orts throughsetting up of the NationalHorticulture University. Nomajor outlay for researchand development in the agriculture sector had been an

nounced, even though theEconomic Survey had recognised climate change and itsimpact on agriculture as amajor issue,” he said.

Khattar hails itHowever, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattarhas hailed the Budget, terming it to be re�ective of thepropoor and profarmerpolicies of the NDA government. He said it would give adecisive push to economicgrowth and job creation.

Disappointing, says Amarinder ‘Budget failed to address farmers’ distress and there was no mention of a loan waiver’


CHANDIGARH

Through this Union Budget, while addressing thekey areas of agriculture, lowcost housing,infrastructure and health insurance, all requiringattention, it is commendable that the UnionFinance Minister has also managed to keep thebudgetary de�cit at 3.3% of GDP for 201819.

NITI Aayog’s e�orts to ensure institutionalcapital to lessee cultivators is a welcome movetowards creating e�cient lease markets andincreased arable land.

Small and marginal farmers will gain closeraccess to markets through moves such asupgradation of rural haats to GrAMS, expandingthe eNAM network and setting up agri marketinfra fund.

The plan to increase the minimum supportprice (MSP) to 1.5 times the cost of produce forkharif crops is a positive move; however, thein�ationary impact on the economy needs to beassessed. Liberalising export of agri commoditiescan increase openness of trade and boost farmerincome.

Liquidity in rural marketsEncouraging Farmer Producer Organisationsthrough 100% tax deduction, promoting clusterbased organic farming by Self Help Groups andthe roll out of ‘Operation Greens’ is a necessary

shot in the arm forincreasing agriculturalproductivity.

The move on MSP andthe increase in theagriculture credit to �11lakh crore will hopefullyaddress the issues offarm income and createliquidity in the ruralmarkets. In the long run,it may be useful to havea price stabilisation fundfor all major crops.

Another area of focusin the Union Budget is

the MSME sector. Reduction of the corporate taxrates and increased credit support are expectedto boost employment and pro�tability in thesector.

MSME sector will also bene�t from the plan tointroduce the Defence Production Policy 2018 topromote public private partnership in thedefence sector, leading to increased privatesector and MSME participation.

Health coverageThe launch of the governmentfunded NationalHealth Protection Scheme for poor andvulnerable families, aimed at providing insurancecover of �5 lakh per family to 10 crore families,will ensure improved healthcare coverage.

Other favourable measures include thestandard deduction for salaried persons and thevarious tax exemption measures for seniorcitizens and pensioners.

Substantial allocations have been madetowards a�ordable housing (�27,500 crore), PMRural Road Plan (�19,000 crore), NationalEducation Mission (�32,600 crore) and SwachhBharat (�17,800 crore).

The Budget will boost agriculture, ruraldevelopment, healthcare and education, MSMEand infrastructure sectors, while also providingrelief to senior citizens and small corporates.

In all, I expect the economy will see both shortand long term bene�ts due to the sustained focuson structural reforms, skill development andemployment generation.

FIRST TAKEA. VELLAYAN

Executive chairman, Murugappa Group

A shot in the armfor farm growth

<>The Budgetwill boost ruraldevelopment,agriculture,healthcare andeducation,MSME andinfrastructuresectors

What’s in a name? A lot, ifwe are talking aboutbamboo. Bamboo isessentially a type of grass,but its classi�cation as a treefor 90 years prevented thenortheast, which grows 67%of India’s bamboo, fromexploiting it commerciallyunlike China, the onlycountry with richer bamboogenetic resources.

Now Budget 2018 hasignited farm hope for thegrass which once fuelledinsurgency in thenortheastern States. Theallocation of �1,290 crore fora restructured NationalBamboo Mission (NBM) has

raised hopes for a range ofbamboobased industries —from food processing toconstruction.

“Bamboo is a wonder,multiutility grass that morethan 300 ethnic groups inthe northeast havetraditionally been using inevery stage of life, frombirth to death, besides itbeing a delicacy. Bamboo’scommercial journey beganwhen it was struck o� thelist of trees by amending theIndian Forest Act last year,”said Chandra MohanPatowary, Assam’s Industryand Commerce Minister.

If the ‘tree’ tag preventedtribal people from usingbamboos in forest land — the

northeast has 25% of India’sforests — the lack of policysupport never allowedcommercial use of nonforest bamboo, experts said.

“The Budget provision isone of the best initiatives topromote holisticdevelopment of bamboo.But the restructured NBMneeds to be more focussedon valuechain management

and valueaddition ofbamboo at the communitylevel which will bring moreincome to the bamboofarmers and bambooprocessors,” Kamesh Salam,a former member of theNBM, told The Hindu.

Called the green gold, thebamboo has been in focusfor the wrong reasons in thenortheast. A rat faminetriggered by �owering ofthis grass in 1966 led to thecreation of the MizoNational Front thatmetamorphosed into apolitical party. The�owering of bamboo every5055 years leads todramatic increase in thepopulation of rats that

destroy crops triggeringfamine, also called Mautam.

There have also beeninstances of bamboo cartelsshedding blood whilecompeting for limitedcommercial opportunities.But things for the grassbegan looking up last yearwhen the ArunachalPradesh and Manipurgovernments signed anagreement for supplyingbamboo to the NumaligarhRe�nery’s upcoming biore�nery. “Such initiativeswill o�er a permanentsource of revenuegeneration to bamboogrowers,” ArunachalPradesh Chief Minister PemaKhandu said.


Looking up

Rahul Karmakar

GUWAHATI

A restructured National Bamboo Mission will raise the incomes of farmers and processors

The grass is greener for bamboo


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

SOCIAL

Lakhs of families borrow orsell assets to receive inpatient treatment and the government is concernedabout the consequent “impoverishment of poor andvulnerable families”, Finance Minister Arun Jaitleysaid while announcing theNational Health ProtectionScheme that will cover over10 crore poor and vulnerablefamilies, or around 50 crorepeople.

Adequate funds will beprovided for the scheme, setto be the world’s largest governmentfunded healthcareprogramme, he said. A provisional allocation of �2,000crore has been made for the

scheme in the Budget. Coverage of up to �5 lakh a family ayear will be provided for secondary and tertiarycarehospitalisation.

Under the existing Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana(RSBY), poor families get anannual coverage of �30,000.Several State governmentshave implemented or supplemented health protectionschemes that provide varying coverage.

“My government has nowdecided to take health protection to a more aspirational level,” Mr. Jaitley said, announcing the proposedNational Health ProtectionScheme and committing�1,200 crore for health andwellness centres. Compre

hensive health care, including for noncommunicablediseases and maternal andchild health services, andfree essential drugs and diagnostic services are to be provided at the centres.

These two, he explained,were part of the ‘AyushmanBharat’ programme to address health holistically, inprimary, secondary and tertiary care system, coveringboth prevention and healthpromotion.

Industry hails initiativeTop executives in the healthcare and insurance industryhailed the initiatives.

Bajaj Allianz General Insurance MD and CEO TapanSinghel said people in coun

tries that provided higherhealth insurance cover had ahigher life expectancy. “Thesame will happen in Indianow with this announcement. As an insurer, we willdeliver exceptionally goodservices and facilities for people who are coveredand make it a greatsuccess.”

He also welcomedthe increase in the taxexemption limit forhealth insurance under Section 80 D forsenior citizens and introduction of microinsurance services for Jan Dhan accountholders.

Apollo Hospitals vicechairman Preetha Reddy described the Scheme as “noth

ing short of pathbreaking,”while Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories chairman Satish Reddysaid Ayushman Bharat was a“game changer”.

CEO and cofounder ofBankBazaar, Adhil Shetty,said the scheme would

create tremendousawareness of healthinsurance, the sameway Jan Dhan did forbank accounts. “Onlife insurance, thePradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yoja

na, including �2 lakh life cover, is being pushed across alarger base which is a greatsign. �2 lakh critical cover isalso being extended to a larger base,” he said.

The emphasis on bringing

more under health cover is apointer to the focus of policymakers on ensuring adequate protection againsthealth hazards, said BhargavDasgupta, MD and CEO of ICICI Lombard GeneralInsurance.

Mr. Jaitley said the government would work towardscovering all poor households, including SC/ST households, under the PradhanMantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and the Pradhan MantriSuraksha Bima Yojana.

It would expand the coverage under Pradhan MantriJanDhan Yojana by bringingall 60 crore basic accountswithin its fold.

(With Oommen A. Ninanin Thiruvananthapuram)

Health insurance coverage of up to �5 lakh a family a year, and setting up of health and wellness centres

N. Ravi Kumar

HYDERABAD

Ayushman Bharat: the big budget scheme

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley announced an initiative,called Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems inEducation (RISE), in hisBudget speech on Thursday.

“To step up investmentsin research and related infrastructure in premier educational institutions, including health institutions, Ipropose to launch a majorinitiative, named ‘Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education’ by 2022with a total investment of�1,00,000 crore in the nextfour years,” Mr. Jaitley said.

Funding from HEFA Higher Education FinancingAgency (HEFA) would besuitably structured for funding this initiative. The manner in which investment ininstitutions is provided,sources say, is likely to bethe same as is practised inHEFA, but there may be different windows for di�erentinstitutions. The details areyet to be worked out.

HEFA, which has alreadybegun to approve projectproposals from key institutions, is aimed at boostinginstitutional infrastructure,especially stateoftheartlaboratories, in key institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology, theIndian Institutes of Management, and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology. Under the existent�nancing mechanism of HE

FA, an institution can claimfor a project 10 times thesum it escrows in the �rstyear.

Getting approval “If an institution escrows�10crore, it can get approval for a �100crore project.It has to escrow �10croreeach year for 10 years,which will take care of theprincipal amount,” an o�cial explained. “It will be released as per the requirement and progress of theproject.”

Approved by the UnionCabinet as a Special PurposeVehicle with a public sectorbank (Canara Bank) in September 2016, HEFA will undergo some restructuringfor the new initiative RISE totake o�. O�cials say thatboosting research and innovation and creating bettercampus infrastructure to facilitate it is a key vision ofthe government, wherehigher education isconcerned.

Fellowship schemeThe Prime Minister’s Research Fellowship schemeto provide high fellowshipamounts to 1000 B. Techstudents to pursue PhD inIITs and IISc — of which Mr.Jaitley made a mention — isalso aimed at facilitating cutting edge research.

The idea, an o�cial said,is to make India producebetter research and make itsinstitutions climb up in global rankings.

An initiative to step upresearch investments

Plan to revitalise infrastructure

Vikas Pathak

NEW DELHI

The Centre will contribute12% of the wages of new employees under the Employees Provident Fund Organisation across sectors forthe next three years.

Making the announcement while presenting the201819 Union Budget, Finance Minister Arun Jaitleysaid creating job opportunities and facilitating employment generation had been at

the core of the National Democratic Alliance government. The Centre also madeamendments to the provisions of EmployeesProvident Fund andMiscellaneous Provisions Act to reducewomen employees’contribution to 8%for �rst three yearsof their employmentagainst the existing 12% or10% with no change in employers’ contribution.

This has been done to incentivise employment ofmore women in the formalsector and enable higher

takehome wages, hesaid.

The other proemployment measuresin the Budget includeintroduction of National Apprenticeship Scheme with sti

pend support and sharingthe cost of basic training bythe Centre to impart training

to 50 lakh youth by 2020, introducing a system of �xedterm employment for apparel and footwear sector andincreasing paid maternityleave from 12 weeks to 26weeks along with provisionof crèches. “An independentstudy conducted recentlyhas shown that 70 lakh formal jobs will be created thisyear,” the Minister said.

The facility of �xed termemployment will be extended to all sectors.

Govt. to pay new recruits’ PF moneySubsidy will continue for three years; PF deduction for women down to 8%


CHENNAI

At this point our focus should be on removingsupply bottlenecks than on creating much moreadditional demand

— Raghuram Rajan at DavosAbout 49% of the labour force is engaged in

agriculture. Bumper harvest: low prices, drought:zero income. Suicides by farmers all across thecountry. Can the Central government shirkresponsibility, saying agriculture is a Statesubject?

A welcome announcement is the MSP for Rabicrops at least at 1.5 times the cost involved, to beextended to other crops. A foolproof mechanismwill be put in place to ensure adequate price forfarm produce.

Marketing is one area which has escaped theattention of the FM. The marketing mechanismannounced in the Budget speech falls short of therecommendations of the Ashok DalwaiCommittee on doubling farmer incomes. It hadsuggested that the One India Market will bebene�ted if agricultural marketing is broughtunder the Concurrent List. Marketing shouldoperate on a panIndia level. The One nation, One

market concept shouldbe extended toagricultural produceacross States.

National Highwayshope to construct 9,000km in 201718 and BharatMala 35,000 km at a costof �5,35,000 crore.There is much to belearnt from the idea ofthe Golden Quadrilateralsuccessfully promoted

and implemented by Atal Behari Vajpayee.The Budget speech forgets the fact that the

bulk of the farm labour consists of farmers whodon’t own the land. Will there be some measureto help the farmer own the land he cultivates?

EducationAdmittedly, quality of education is a cause forconcern. According to ASER, 50% of the childrenin the age group 14 to 18, despite having beenschooled, cannot read, write or do basicarithmetic. The government spends on education5% of the GDP. It is not enough to train teachers.Education should be imparted to the earliergeneration of illiterate parents. Digital kiosks inschools to educate the parent is an absolutenecessity. The FM talks of Institutes of Eminence,instead of vocational institutes in every town andevery district. We need to build up a large army ofcarpenters, tool smiths, masons, etc.

HealthcareThe National Health Protection scheme to cover50 crore bene�ciaries up to �5,00,000 per familyper year for secondary and tertiary carehospitalisation is laudable. The government ismoving towards the goal of Universal HealthCoverage, setting up 24 medical colleges byupgrading existing district hospitals. Why is thereno talk of primary health centres in rural areas?The government spends 3% of the GDP onhealthcare. There is no mention of schools fornurses. The private sector contributes 51% of thebed capacity and handles 45 million admissionsevery year. This can generate 75 lakh direct jobswithin �ve years.

(With T.C.A. Sangeetha)

FIRST TAKET.C.A. RAMANUJAM

Former Chief Commissioner, Income Tax

Good but could have been better

<>A foolproofmechanismwill be put inplace to ensureadequate pricefor farmproduce

The name of legendary tribal archer Ekalavya willsoon become synonymouswith residential schools ineach block of the countrywhere tribal people constitute a majority of the population. This was announcedby Finance Minister ArunJaitley in his Budget speech.

The Ekalavya ResidentialSchool Scheme isn’t new. Ithas been around for manyyears now. However, the government has signalled inBudget 2018 that it wants toexpand the scope.

“The government is committed to providing the bestquality education to the tribal children in their own environment. To realise this

mission, it has been decidedthat by the year 2022, everyblock with more than 50%ST population and at least20,000 tribal persons, willhave an Ekalavya Model Residential School,” Mr. Jaitleysaid. “Ekalavya schools willbe on a par with NavodayaVidyalayas and will have spe

cial facilities for preservinglocal art and culture, besidesproviding training in sportsand skill development.”

Mr. Jaitley also hinted atanother change. “We propose to treat education holistically without segmentation from prenursery toClass 12,” he said.

They will have facilities for preserving culture: Jaitley

Vikas Pathak

NEW DELHI

New venture: The Ekalavya schools will be on a par with theNavodaya Vidyalayas. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

More tribal areas toget Ekalavya schools


#4 9 2 3 5 3

FIRST TAKEV.S. PARTHASARATHY

is Mahindra Group CFO

“A right cause never fails,” said Mahatma Gandhi.And, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley quoted this inhis February 2016 Budget speech. As expertsstudy this year’s Budget, rural wealth creation isthe single most stand out item. The ruraleconomy’s crying need to be integrated intooverall economy, its importance in povertyalleviation and wealth creation are wellunderstood by the government. I’m greatlyenthused by the holding up of the case for ruraleconomy in this Budget.

I would dare say that embracing doubling farmincome at this point of economic history is animperative, not an option. With the right mixtureof growth in rural and urban, India can rightfullyseize its moment under the sun. This Budget hasmade the right pitch for investment, growth andjob creation in Bharat. The Economic Survey,bright and bold as it is, came out with disturbingfacts about the current state of rural economy, offarm distress where subsidies are counterproductive and a worrying future where climatechange will reduce 25% of the farm income. Addto this that 54% of Indian work force depends on

agriculture, agriproduction is nonremunerative, farmwages are �at, this lethalmixture threatens toresult in a generation of“rural drop outs” fromthe great Indian story ofprosperity.

The dark clouds offoreboding are notbereft of silver linings.Indian demography,rural or urban, is youngand very tech savvy.

Enrolling them for a rural resurgence byleveraging technology is a great leapfroggingpossibility. With technology, the time for“strategic cultivation” is here — precision farming,nano technology, augmenting irrigation, farm tofork supply chain management. How do we everrise up to this massive task? It is by letting athousand �owers bloom in the rural areas. Ruralstartups and entrepreneurship skills shouldspring up everywhere and business models basedon agro and other industries should be around anew paradigm of ease of doing business in Bharatand creation of an interconnected agri market.Cold storages and processing industries willprevent agri produce losses. If exports are animperative for India, rural economy can play astellar role. Supply chain management andprocessing industries can create export goodsleveraging interstate and and internationallinkages, contributing to State and national GDP.Augmenting other income streams — dairy,poultry, horticulture, �shery etc. will add to farmwealth. Concerted e�ort to produce, process andprosper is the new ‘mool mantra.’ Farm to globalfork is a step closer.

If we look at rural allocation, the infrastructureallocation itself counts more than �14 lakhs crore.This, along with various other boosters likedoubling allocation for food processing, emphasison “Operation Green” in line with “OperationFlood,” simpli�cation of MSP calculation, specialallocation for �2,000 crore for agri marketdevelopment, expanding scope of Kisan CreditCard and integration of eNAM with the local haatwill help in realising farmers’ income. The Budgethas signalled the government’s intent and thestakeholders have to join hands to nurture theseedlings planted by the Union Government.

The green thumbBudget

<>Concertede�ort toproduce,process andprosper is thenew ‘moolmantra.’ Farmto global forkis a step closer




CMYK

A ND-NDE

CORPORATE

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, on Thursday, proposedto double the expenditure onthe government’s �agshipDigital India programme to�3,073 crore for the next �scal against �1,425.63 crore in201718, a move that has largely been welcomed by theindustry.

“Global economy is transforming into a digital economy thanks to development ofcuttingedge technologies indigital space – machinelearning, arti�cial intelligence, Internet of things, 3Dprinting and the like,” Mr.Jaitley said.

Terming it as a technologyoriented budget, IAMAI

said, “Budget 2018 gives recognition to the emergingsectors like Edutech, Agritech and Healthtech in India”.

Under Digital India, amaximum of �864.22 crorewill be spent on promotionof electronics manufacturing, followed by �425 croreon delivering egovernanceservices, �400 crore on thegovernment’s digital literacyprogramme and �300 croreon development onmanpower.

“The Government alsoproposes to set up 5 lakh wi� hotspots which will provide broadband access to 5crore rural citizens,” the �nance minister said.

He said that the NITI

Aayog would initiate a national programme to directe�orts in the area of arti�cialintelligence, including research and development ofits applications.

Rishi Mohan Bhatnagar,Chairperson of The Institution of Engineering andTechnology IoT panel forIndia, said, “I was expectinga reduction in tax on hardware from 18% to 5% and amove towards rationalisingspectrum licence fees forpromoting IoT adoption inthe country. High capital investment requirement couldslow down the IoT adoptionmomentum in our countryand decelerate its evolutionas an enabler for various Digital India programmes.”

Additionally, the Department of Science & Technology will launch a Mission onCyber Physical Systems tosupport establishment ofcentres of excellence thatwill invest in research, training and skilling in robotics,arti�cial intelligence,digital manufacturing, big data analysis,quantum communication and internet ofthings.

“Combining cyberand physical systemshas great potential to transform not only innovationecosystem but also our economies and the way we live,”the Minister said.

The Budget proposed anallocation of around �14,500

crore to strengthen telecominfrastructure projects, including BharatNet, duringthe upcoming �scal.

Of this, �4,500 has beenallocated for building a dedicated optical �brebasedcommunications network

for defence forces inlieu of airwaves vacated for civilianuse.

“To harness thebene�t of emergingnew technologies,particularly the

‘Fifth Generation’ (5G) technologies and its adoption,the Department of Telecomwill support establishmentof an indigenous 5G Test Bedat IIT, Chennai,” Mr. Jaitleysaid. An amount of nearly

�135 crore has been provisioned for the same.

The government expectsrevenue of �48,661.42 crorefrom the telecom sector,which is reeling under �nancial stress. Telecom operators pay licence fees andspectrum usage charges tothe government.

The telecom industry is“disappointed” that none ofits key asks found mention inthe Budget. “We had soughta reduction in levies and taxes, and an urgent intervention is critical for resuscitating the sector, which iscurrently experiencing itsworst �nancial health andhyper competition,” RajanMathews, Director Generalat COAI, said.

Expenditure on programme doubled to �3,073 crore from �1,425.63 crore in 201718; industry welcomes move


NEW DELHI

Boost for Digital India scheme

The Centre has allocated�3,794 crore for medium,small and micro enterprises(MSME) sector towards credit support, capital and interest subsidy as well as tospur innovation, said ArunJaitley, Finance Minister.

Presenting the UnionBudget 201819 on Thursday, Mr. Jaitley also said thegovernment would soon announce measures to addressnonperforming assets andstressed accounts ofMSMEs. “This will enablelarger �nancing of MSMEsand also considerably easecash �ow challenges facedby them,” he said.

In a bid to reduce tax burden on MSMEs and helpgenerate more employment, he proposed to extend the bene�t of reducedcorporate tax rate of 25% tocompanies which had reported turnover up to �250crore during the �nancialyear 201617. “This will bene�t the entire class ofMSMEs, which accounts foralmost 99% of companies�ling their tax returns. Theestimate of revenue forgonedue to this measure is�7,000 crore during 201819,” he said. The lower corporate income tax rate for99% of the companieswould leave them with higher investible surplus which,in turn, would create morejobs, he said.

Mr. Jaitley said a massiveformalisation of the businesses of MSMEs was takingplace after demonetisationand introduction of Goodsand Services Tax. “This is

generating enormous �nancial information database ofMSMEs’ businesses and �nances. This big data basewill be used for improving �nancing of MSMEs’ capitalrequirement, includingworking capital,” he said.

Besides, the Minister proposed to set a target of �3lakh crore for lending underMUDRA (Micro Units Development and Re�nanceAgency) for 201819.

Online loan sanctioningfacility for MSMEs would berevamped for prompt decisionmaking by banks, hesaid. There is also a proposal to onboard public sectorbanks and corporates onTrade Electronic ReceivableDiscounting System (TReDS)platform and link it toGoods and Services Tax Network (GSTN). According tothe RBI, the objective of theTReDS is to facilitate �nancing of invoices/bills ofMSMEs drawn on corporatebuyers by way of discounting by �nanciers.

An industryfriendly Defence Production Policy2018 would be unveiled topromote domestic production by �rms, the Budgetsaid. R.Narayan, CEO, Power2SME, said linking TReDSwith GSTN would helpMSMEs with better management of working capital andfaster discounting of thebills.

Budget gives a bigpush to MSMEsThey will get bene�t of lower tax


New Delhi <> “This (lower

corporate tax rate)

will bene�t the

entire class of

MSMEs

Arun Jaitley

Finance Minister

The Finance Minister has announced that the government would set up a separate policy for hybridinstruments. These, he said,were suitable for attractingforeign investment in nicheareas, especially for thestartups and venture capital�rms.

Also, the Budget proposed to align the de�nitionof eligible business for astartup with the modi�edde�nition noti�ed by DIPP.It also proposed to extendthe incorporation date for astartup for availing the bene�t under Section 80IACof the Act to March 31, 2021from March 31, 2019, and rationalise the condition ofturnover for availing the be

ne�t. The startup and venture capital community, however, has given a lukewarmresponse to the Budget.Though the Budget was wellintentioned, they were ofthe view that it fell short ofexpectations.

“On the startupand investor fronts,this Budget is a missed opportunity toaddress the important nearterm issues,” said softwareproduct thinktankiSPIRT, which worked closely with thousands of product�rms. It had hoped to seethe resolution for ‘angel tax’and ‘stayinIndia checklist’issues. It said slapping a‘longterm capital gains tax’on the previously untaxedsale of listed equities will ad

versely a�ect the ‘ListinIndia’ initiative.

Additionally, the compliance overhang of listingwill no longer be temperedby the promise of taxfreegains. It said promised tax

regime must incentivise and protectfoundational angeland domestic investors as opposed to�eeting capital.

“India’s complexity and diversity callfor a much more

responsive and actionoriented policymaking approach,” said iSPIRT.

Many startup foundersand venture capitalists applauded the Centre for announcing e�orts to enhanceresearch in new age technologies.

‘A missed opportunity to address crucial nearterm issues’

Peerzada Abrar

BENGALURU

Startups feel let down

The Union Budget onThursday proposed anallocation of �7,148 crore forthe textile sector, whichincludes the entire textilevalue chain and segmentssuch as silk and jute.

The major allocation isfor the AmendedTechnology UpgradationFund scheme, a programmethat looks at improvingproductivity throughtechnology upgradationwith higher �xed capitalinvestment. The scheme hasgot �2,300 crore as against�1,956 crore for the year20172018. The othersubstantial allocation is

towards Rebate of StateLevies (ROSL), which is toboost exports. The schemehas received an allocation of�2,163.85 crorecomparedwith �1,555 crore earmarkedfor the sector in theprevious budget. The outlayfor schemes for powerloomunits is �112.15 crore,covering programmes underthe Power Tex India andComprehensive PowerloomCluster DevelopmentProgramme.

Environment normsThe Integrated ProcessingDevelopment Scheme,which will support thetextile processing sectorcomply with environment

norms, will get �3.8 croreand nearly 4,000 units areexpected to bene�t.Similarly, the Scheme forIntegrated Textile Parks,which has 47 ongoingprojects, will get �30 croreto create infrastructurefacilities for textile units.

The budget has proposed�396 crore for handloom

clusters under the NationalHandloom DevelopmentProgramme. The plan is tosupply 5,355 lakh kg of yarnto the weavers, set up 31new blocklevel clusters,covering 2,000 weavers forloom upgradation.

Schemes such asintegrated skill development(�200 crore) and segmentssuch as sericulture (�510.61crore) are the others to getbudgetary support. About50 new projects will beinitiated and 35 currentprojects completed in thesilk sector for bettercapacity building. In ane�ort to encourage use ofgeo textiles in roadconstruction and reservoir

projects, �15 crore has beenallocated. This will help lay40 km road using geotextiles, take up 20 slopestabilisation projects and 25water reservoir projects.

Technology missionsThere are also plans fortechnology missions oncotton, knitwear andtechnical textiles withbudgetary allocations.

A comprehensiveprogramme to develop allsegments of the textileindustry in the northeastern region is also in theworks.

Signi�cantly, the customsduty on silk fabric has beenincreased from 10% to 20%.


Textiles

M. Soundariya Preetha

COIMBATORE

Funds for rebate of state levies, higher by about �600 crore, aimed at boosting exports

Allocation for tech upgrades to raise productivity

The Securities and ExchangeBoard of India (SEBI) willsoon consider creating a regulatory framework, makingit compulsory for corporatesto tap the bond market for apart of their capitalrequirement.

Presenting the Union Budget 201819, Finance MinisterArun Jaitley said while theReserve Bank of India (RBI)had already moved in the direction, the capital marketregulator would also take upthis issue for listed compa

nies. “Reserve Bank of Indiahas issued guidelines tonudge corporates to accessbond market. SEBI will alsoconsider mandating,beginning with largecorporates, to meetabout onefourth oftheir �nancing needsfrom the bond market,” said Mr. Jaitley.

Further, he saidall the regulators concernedwould take necessary stepsto permit bonds with ‘A’ rating to be made eligible for investment. “Corporate bondsrated ‘BBB’ or equivalent are

investment grade. In India,most regulators permitbonds with the ‘AA’ ratingonly as eligible for invest

ment. It is now timeto move from ‘AA’ to‘A’ grade ratings. Thegovernment andconcerned regulators will take necessary action,” said theFinance Minister.

“Most of the big corporations are already moving towards the bond markets totake advantage of the lowercost. Making it mandatory toraise one fourth of the total

borrowing through bondscan push the supply side ofthe corporate bond market,”said Jimmy Patel, MD & CEO,Quantum AMC.

Corporate bond marketrevival has been the subjectof many panels and studypapers but failed to register agrowth trajectory similar tothat of the equity market orinterest rate derivatives thatis showing signs of activity.

SEBI already has a committee which advises it on issues related to the development of the corporate bondmarket.

SEBI mulls bond market frameworkTo help companies meet a fourth of their �nancing requirements


MUMBAI


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

CORPORATE

Finance Minister Arun Jaitleyin his �fth and last full�edged Budget ahead of thegeneral elections next yearleft India Inc. wanting moreas the e�ective corporate taxrate has gone up by 35 basispoints. This stems from anincrease in cess from 3% to4% proposed by the �nanceminister to fund social development projects.

Hopes had initially soaredwhen the Minister said corporate tax for �rms with annual revenues of up to �250crore, would see e�ective taxrate go down to 25%.

Con�rming the development, L&T Group CFO R.Shankar Raman told The

Hindu, “Forget about corporate tax reduction, I am disappointed with the fact thatcorporate tax will actually goup by 35 basis points due toimposition of cess. Exemption was removed from everyone so it was anticipatedthat corporate tax cut will beacross the board but it wasdone for smaller �rms. Thegovernment wants the private companies to invest. It’sthe big companies who invest so tax reduction forsmaller �rms may not aid tothe revival the investmentcycle.”

Abhishek Goenka, partner& leader, Corporate & Inter

national Tax, PwC India saidhe was disappointed with zero acrosstheboardreduction in corporate tax ratesand said he believed that“this kind of patchwork isunhelpful.”

Siddharth Sood, cofounder of Wildcraft said he feltthat the corporate rates forlarger companies, that havea turnover of more than �250crore, should have beenrationalised.

Micro, small and mediumenterprises (MSME) �rmswith a turnover up to �250crore will have reason to rejoice as the government lowered corporate tax on such�rms to 25% from 30%.

Listing out positives forthe MSME sector, SaroshAmaria, chief operating o�cer — Commercial Finance,Tata Capital said, “The budget has big positives for the

MSME sector, with a reducedtax rate of 25% for companies with a turnover of up to�250 crore and the introduction of a capital subsidy andcredit support fund of �37billion. “Further, thefocus on online loansanctions to MSMEswill ease availabilityof funds for this sector. At the other endof the corporatespectrum, timely follow up announcements from regulators to allow investments in ratedbonds would help deepenthe bond markets for midand large companies,” Mr.Amaria added.

‘Lower rate for all �rms’Rahul Garg, Senior Partner —Tax & Regulatory, PwC India,said he believed that reduction for smaller companies

was welcome as it left moremoney in hands of smallcompanies. “The rate reduction should apply to all corporate and non corporatebusinesses,” said Mr. Garg.

Aniketh Jain, CEO& CoFounder of Solutions In�ni Pvt. Ltd.said that the government’s move to reduce tax for MSMEswill create a balancein the economy bydisseminating the dis

parities between startupsand largescale enterprises.“Startups can invest thesame in other useful interventions,” said Mr. Jain.

Echoing similar feelings,Aashish Kasad, partner andconsumer products and retail sector tax leader, EY India, said the reductionshould nudge smaller organisations into ploughing back

pro�ts to grow the businessfurther.

The ‘Big Boys of India Inc’.will now have to bear a higher tax burden and will haveto wait for another year hoping for torporate taxes tocome down, according to Vipul Jhaveri, managing partner – tax, Deloitte India.

“The FM’s promise of reducing corporate tax rate to25% for companies remainslimited to the MSMEs leavingthe large tax payers to waitfor another year. However,99% of MSME’s with turnover of upto �250 crore wouldbene�t from the rate reduction. Unfortunately, largecorporates will now carry aslightly higher tax burdenfrom an increase in cess of 1percentage point. Rationalisation of longterm capitalgains taxation may be inopportune in terms of timing astheir ability to raise fundsthrough IPOs and FPOs maybe impacted due to marketsentiment changing,” saidMr. Jhaveri.

Uptick in rural demandAlthough the corporate sector is a tri�e disappointed atits expectations on investment incentives being belied, it sees an uptick in demand coming through thevarious positive measuresannounced for the ruralsector.

“There may be a small lagbut the various measures announced by the Finance Minister for boosting farmer’sincome may eventually translate into “an uptick in ruraldemand”, which augurs wellfor the corporate sector although there has been no announcement that would directly bene�t largecorporates”, said DipankarChatterji senor partner, L.BJha & Co and past chairman,CII Eastern region.

Abhijit Bandypadhyay,chairman, CII Eastern regionEconomic A�airs & TaxationSub Committee and partner,Deloitte Haskins & Sells, saidthe Finance Minister hadkept his promise on phasedreduction of corporate taxesover �ve years.

“The selective reductionin the rate of corporate tax to25% for companies with turnover of up to �250 crore,though welcome, could perhaps have been extended tothe entire corporate sector,”said Baba Kalyani, CMD, Bharat Forge. Faizal E. Kottikollon, founder and chairmanof the UAEbased conglomerate, KEF Holdings, said, “Iam especially pleased to seethe reduction in corporatetax to 25%. This is a signi�cant move, and one that enables robust growth throughprivate sector investment,which has been sluggish.”

Increased cess adds to burden, says L&T’s Shankar Raman; bene�ts to only small �rms unfair, say honchos at big companiesPiyush Pandey

Indrani Dutta

MUMBAI / KOLKATA

India Inc. sulks as e�ective tax rises

Budget 201819 has a�nancial outlay of �2,500crore towards interestsubsidy for the exportsector as well as anassurance regarding aliberalised agricommodities export policyto boost farm shipments.

The �2,500 crore outlayfor the InterestEqualisation Scheme (IES)on pre and postshipmentrupee export credit willprovide interestequalisation coverage inrespect of more than �1lakh crore worth of tradeshipment, the governmentsaid. The projected

mediumterm outcome ofthis move is “improvedcompetitiveness of Micro,Small and MediumEnterprises (MSME) inidenti�ed export sectors,” itadded. The governmenthad increased allocation forIES from �1,100 crore to�2,000 crore for thecurrent �scal.

In his Budget speech onThursday, �nance ministerArun Jaitley pointed outthat India’s agriexportspotential is as high as $100billion against the currentexports of $30 billion, andadded that “To realise thispotential, export of agricommodities will beliberalised.”

There is also an outlay of�500 crore towardsinvestment in Export CreditGuarantee Corporation(ECGC). “The capitalinfusion will bring theECGC’s underwritingcapacity in terms ofmaximum liability ofinsurance covers issuedwithin prudential limits. As

on March 31, 2017, thisliability exposure was�86,232 crore (almost 24times its net worth),” thegovernment said.

G.K. Gupta, president,Federation of Indian ExportOrganisations (FIEO), saidin a statement thatdigitalised current stockposition, scienti�cforecasting of cropprospects and currentdemand would help indevising a stable agriexport policy.

The proposal to set upstateoftheart testingfacilities in all the 42 MegaFood Parks will unleash thepotential of food processingexports, he added.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

farm sops


New Delhi

Liberalised agri-commodities export policy to boost farm shipments promised

Exports get �llip with interest subsidy

Amidst all the speculation around tax regimechanges and disproportionate focus on ruralIndia, the Finance Minister (FM) has managed topull something out of the hat. The Budget has astrong focus not only on rural India but also onthe development of various target groups —youth, women, elderly and the economicallybackward. At the same time, the Budget managesto incorporate a visible theme with infrastructureand digital being given adequate consideration.

India has several areas for improvement. Ouragriculture sector productivity is low, the youthof the country need jobs, infrastructure andconnectivity have miles to go before we can callthem ‘worldclass’ and a life of dignity for thepoor and the elderly. Budget 2018 has continuedto address all of these. The commitment toinfrastructure and push for MakeinIndiaremains intact and hopefully will create morejobs in the immediate term. A slew ofannouncements for the rural and agriculturesector are meant to double farm income by 2022.I see this as a genuine attempt to improve thequality of lives for every rural inhabitant, than a

mere populist measure.It is heartening to seethe special attentionbeing paid tohealthcare, by launchingwhat the FM stated asthe world’s largesthealthcare programmethat will cover 50 crorepeople.

There is a sense ofpracticality about thebudget. Ambitiousinfrastructure

developmental projects such as the Bharat Malaand the �bre optic network have been backed byinnovative �nancing models.

This is critical as such initiatives can only take�ight once �nancial closure is in place. The farmand rural segment provides the livelihood derivedby a large part of our population.

The steps taken on increasing support prices,distribution e�ciencies and renewed focus oncertain crops are a major overhaul to resolve thesystemic de�ciencies that plague the sector.Setting up of mega food parks, increasinginstitutional credit to �11 lakh crore and focus onfood processing businesses will help strengthenthe entire chain.

Increasing custom duties will provide somerelief to the indigenous manufacturing sector.

There was lot of ambiguity and apprehensionin the market on how, if at all, the long termcapital gains tax will be brought in withoutpuncturing the strong market sentiment that wehave been witnessing over the last couple ofyears. The grandfathering provision construct hasensured that the tax is fair and there would beleast volatility due to its introduction.Considering the returns that the Indian markethas generated for domestic and foreign investors,I feel con�dent that in the longrun, investors willaccept the additional tax cost.

India is at an in�ection point in terms of its risein the global pecking order. The future is brightand we have a track record of prudent policymaking.

This Budget continues that legacy andaddresses all the key elements that will aid India’sascension. We are fresh from a win in SouthAfrica. Kohli used India’s bowling muscle to stagethat victory. Mr. Jaitley has �exed India’s �nancialmuscle to deliver a winning Budget!

FIRST TAKEHARSH GOENKA,chairman, RPG Enterprises

Playing on the front foot

<>Ambitiousinfrastructuredevelopmentalprojects havebeen backedby innovative�nancingmodels

The budget said that the bene�t of exemption on longterm capital gains throughinvestment of sales proceeds into government prescribed capital bondswould be applicable onlyfor immoveable propertyand the minimumtenure of suchbonds has been extended to �ve yearsfrom three years.

Earlier, the saleof any capital asset(including property, sale of shares inunlisted companies) attracted longterm capitalgains tax which was exempt if the proceeds of thesale were invested in governmentprescribed capital gains bonds with athreeyear tenure.

To enable �rms to bid forstressed assets under theIBC and aid their revival,the budget has provided

some relief. “If there is acompany under insolvencyand has a liability of �1,000crore and �200 crore wasagreed to be written backin the revival process, theremaining �800 crore attracted huge tax liabilityunder MAT. This madebuyers shy away from bid

ding for stressed assets; relief has beenprovided on this account,” said SureshSurana, Founder,RSM India. Furtherrelief has been provided for carriedforward losses.

Losses could not be carriedforward if majority shareholding changed hands,which deterred prospective bidders. The budgethas said the norm would berelaxed after a�ording reasonable opportunity of being heard by the jurisdictional PrincipalCommissioner or Commissioner.

LTCG bond tenureextended to 5 yearsApplicable only to immovable assets

Sanjay Vijayakumar

Chennai


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

INFRASTRUCTURE

The allocation for defence inthis year’s Budget saw a modest hike of 7.81%, excludingpensions, raising questions ifany major new acquisitionscan be made this year.

According to a DefenceMinistry statement, the budget allocation stood at �2.95lakh crore. However, defence pensions have for the�rst time crossed the�1,00,000 crore mark andeven surpassed the quantumof capital allocation.

Compared to 201718, thisyear’s allocation represents a7.81% increase over the Budget estimate of �2.74 lakhcrore and 5.91% increase over the revised estimate of

�2.79 lakh crore.“A number of initiatives

have been taken to developand nurture intrinsic defence production capabilityto make the nation selfreliant for meeting our defenceneeds. Ensuring adequatebudgetary support will beour priority,” Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said in hisBudget speech.

Of the overall allocation,�1,95,947 crore was the revenue component while�99,563 crore was the capitalallocation. The allocation fordefence pensions was�1,08,853 crore, which is14.26% higher than the revised estimates of last year at�95,000 crore, far outweighing the growth in defence

outlay. This year’s defence allocation accounts for 12.1% ofthe total Central governmentexpenditure.

Committed liabilitiesIn the capital allocation, amajority of it would go forcommitted liabilities, whichis payments for contractsthat have already beensigned. This would leave very little for freshprocurements.

For instance, for the Navy,the allocation in Budget estimate for 201718 under capital head was �18,603.71crore, which includes committed liabilities for capitalacquisition amounting to�14,004.76 crore. This meantthat there was just about

�4,599 crore.For the Air Force, the allo

cation in Budget estimate201718 under Capital Budgetwas �33,570.17 crore, whichincludes committed liabilities for capital acquisitionamounting to �26,899.90crore and an amountof �4000 crore hasbeen kept for newschemes.

Some of the majordeals for which payments are being madeare the 36 Rafale �ghters, six C130J transport aircraft, AH64 attack helicopters, CH47 Chinook heavyleft helicopters and M777 UltraLight Howitzers, amongothers.

In addition, the Navy and

Air Force have lined up multibillion defence deals forprocurement of submarines,singleengine �ghter aircraftand hundreds of helicoptersamong others to be procuredunder the strategic partnership policy. The procure

ment process is atthe initial stages.

Mixed responseThe industry gave amixed response tothe Budget. Whilewelcoming the esta

blishment of defence industrial corridors, there wasscepticism on how new procurements can be made withvery little funds left.

Kabir Bogra, partner atKhaitan & Co. called the bud

get a mixed bag for the defence sector. “The increaseof spending by about 8% to�2,95,511 crore implies thatthe focus continues to remain in addressing existingrevenue expenditure requirements rather than allocation of capital for acquisition of new equipment. Themodernisation processseems to have taken a backseat this year,” he said.

In a departure from practice, Mr. Jaitley did not announce the budgetary allocation for defence in hisspeech. Instead, he onlymade a brief reference to thegovernment’s emphasis ondefence modernisations andpush for domestic manufacturing.

At �2.95 lakh crore, allocation sees only a marginal 7.81% rise, which may be just enough to meet existing requirements

Dinakar Peri

NEW DELHI

Big ticket defence buys may have to wait

With increased frictionalong the border with China, the government is focussing on improving connectivity in such areas.Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday proposedconstruction of a new tunnel in Arunachal Pradesh.

“To secure the country’sdefences, we are developingconnectivity infrastructurein border areas… I now propose to take up constructionof tunnel under Sela Pass,”Mr. Jaitley said in his Budgetspeech.

He referred to the Rohtang tunnel which has ensured allweather connectivity to the Ladakh region andsaid the contract for theconstruction of the “ZozilaPass tunnel of more than 14km is progressing well”.

Sela Pass is a highaltitude mountain pass in Arunachal Pradesh which isclaimed by China.

In addition to boostingprivate sector participationin defence manufacturing,the government also plansto develop industrial corridors as well as unveil a newprocurement policy.

Defence corridorsMr. Jaitley said measureswould be taken to developtwo defence industrial production corridors in thecountry. “The Governmentwill also bring out an industryfriendly Defence Production Policy 2018 to promote domestic productionby public sector, private sector and Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises,” he stated.

While the details of thisnew policy are awaited, itwill join the various existingpolicies which guide defence procurement and manufacturing. In fact, lastyear the governmentbrought in the StrategicPartnership (SP) model aspart of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) withthe intent of providing theprivate sector a broad platform for large scale defencemanufacturing.

Speaking to the media,Defence Minister NirmalaSitharaman said, “Now thatthe announcement has beenmade for defence corridor,the �rst one will be builtstarting at Tamil Nadu, linking Chennai and Bengaluru.Announcement for the second corridor will soon bemade.”

Responding to the announcements, Mr. PuneetKaura, managing director &CEO of Samtel Avionics Ltd,said modernisation of defence forces and setting upof industrial corridors fordefence were the two key takeaways from this budget.

“What remains to be seenhow much sops or tax bene�ts these industrial corridors bring to the private industry, and contribute toease of doing business,” hesaid.

(With inputs from RahulKarmakar)

New tunnel plannedin Arunachal PradeshGovt. to boost connectivity along border


NEW DELHI <> This tunnel will

serve as a great

relief to the

denizens of Tawang

district

Pema Khandu

Chief Minister, Arunachal Pradesh

At � 10,783 crore, the Department of Space (DoS) gets itsbiggest outlay to date and also the best yearly increase in�ve years — of 18.6%.

It is also well above the�9,093 crore allocated lastFebruary.

Also, for �scal 201718which ends on March 31, theDoS drew about �62 croremore than the last year’soutlay, revised estimates forthe year show.

Back in 201314, DoS probably received its best everannual increase of nearly40% over the previous year.

Steady increasesLooking at only the outlayssince 2013, the DoS sequentially received an increase of

40%, 6.6% 2%, 8%, 14% andnow, 18.6% over the respective previous year.

While a breakup by projects or missions is not givenout, the departmental outlayshows �6,576 crore for spacetechnology from �5,984 inthe revised budget for 201718.

Focussed on satellitesThis segment includes money towards centres involved in satellites, launchvehicles, propulsion,launch, postlaunch satellitetracking; besides operational projects and those underdevelopment.

Satellites are the backbone of national and socialactivities such as communication, television and radiobroadcasts, telephony, Inter

net connectivity, locationand disaster relief support,military security, resourcemapping, planning, decisionmaking and to set up big infrastructure projects.Around 100 departmentshave begun to intensivelytap satellitebased information.

Under Space Sciences,�230 crore has been earmarked together for the proposed second Mars OrbiterMission, a Venus missionplan, a space docking experiment, small satellites, Xray polarimeter satellitecalled XpoSat, climate programme and sponsored research. Space applications,which include payload development and remote sensing, received �1,746.25 upfrom �1,586.46.

At �10,783 crore, department gets its best share in 5 years

Madhumathi D.S.

BENGALURU

18.6% hike in space outlay

In a boost to infrastructuredevelopment, the totaloutlay for the UrbanRejuvenation Mission, whichincludes projects underAMRUT and Smart CitiesMission, has been increasedto �12,169 crore.

The Smart Cities Mission,which received �4,000 crorebudgetary allocation in20172018 and �4,412 crorethe previous year, will get�6,169 crore in 20182019,including �169 crore towardscapacity building for urbandevelopment.

This will be used todevelop 100 smart cities.

Under the Atal Mission

for Rejuvenation and UrbanTransformation (AMRUT),the allocation proposed is�6,000 crore. This will betowards the UrbanRejuvenation Mission of 500cities. The budgetaryallocation for AMRUTschemes in 20172018 wasclose to �5,000 crore.

99 cities selectedAccording to a press release,99 cities have been selectedunder the Smart CitiesMission with an outlay of�2.04 lakh crore, projectsworth �2350 crore havebeen completed, and workfor �20,852 crore is underprogress.

Under the AMRUT

programme, the Statelevelplans of �77,640 crore for500 cities have beenapproved. As many as 482cities have credit rating and144 cities have got

investment grade rating.Water supply contracts for494 projects worth �19,428crore have been approvedfor 500 cities and sewagework contract for 272

projects for �12,429 crorehave been awarded.

Jaxay Shah, nationalpresident of theConfederation of Real EstateDevelopers’ Associations ofIndia, said the publicinvestment in infrastructurein rural areas, smart cities,agricultural marketing andurban connectivity willmultiply investmentprospects for the real estatesector.

According to Anuj Puri,chairman of ANAROCKProperty Consultants, thetotal allocation of �5.97 lakhcrore towards infrastructurespending will ensure thatthe country’s infrastructuremeets global standards.


smart move

M. Soundariya Preetha

COIMBATORE

�12,169 crore allocation is likely to multiply investment prospects in the real estate sector

A shot in the arm for Urban Rejuvenation Mission

Boost to infrastructure: Under the AMRUT programme, plansof �77,640 crore for 500 cities have been approved.

Budget 201819 has allocated�5.97 lakh crore for infrastructure, a sector the government considers thegrowth driver of the economy.

Estimating over �50 lakhcrore investment to increasethe GDP growth and connectthe nation with a network ofroads, airports, railways,ports and inland waterways,Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday announcedan increase of budgetary al

location on infrastructurefor 201819 to �5.97 lakhcrore against the estimatedexpenditure of �4.94lakh crore in 201718.

The Finance Ministry would leverage the India Infrastructure FinanceCorporation Limited(IIFCL) to help �nance major infrastructureprojects, he added.

Exuding con�dence regarding completing the National Highways exceeding9,000 kilometres during

201718, he said under the‘Bharatmala Pariyojana’ forseamless connectivity of in

terior and backwardareas and borders ofthe country, about35,000 km of roadwould be constructed in PhaseI at an estimated cost of �5.35lakh crore.

To raise equity from themarket for its mature roadassets, the National Highways Authority of India(NHAI) would consider organising its road assets into

Special Purpose Vehiclesand use innovative monetising structures like Toll, Operate and Transfer and Infrastructure Investment Funds,Mr. Jaitley said. The government said it had given permission to bodies like theNHAI and the Metro to raisebonds from the market.

Chanda Kochhar, MD andCEO, ICICI Bank, said “thegovernment has maintainedits focus on creating infrastructure with an aim to catapult India on to a higher andsustainable growth path.”

Big push for infrastructure growthNearly �6 lakh crore allocated; 35,000 km of road construction planned


New Delhi

Budget 201819 is a pragmatic e�ort, whichtakes care of �scal rectitude while keepingin focus the need to connect the missing

links in infrastructure and farm sectordevelopment.

A �scal de�cit target of 3.3% and a real GDPgrowth target of around 7%7.5% both lookrealistic while fund �ows to the important sectorslike infrastructure remain supportive.

Given the increased buoyancy in direct taxcollections and the increase in tax base, animposition of longterm capital gains tax and anincreased cess, coupled with the GST regimesettling down, chances of �scal slippage in 201819 are low. Much would also depend on how theexpenditure side pans out in a preelection year.

The downside risks are mainly external,including a possible rise in crude oil prices andthe attendant rise in current account de�cit andpressure on exchange rates. An abrupt rise ininterest rates in developed countries is also a riskwhich would lead to capital out�ow from bondand stock markets.

The Budget has reiterated infrastructureinvestment as the sinequa non for sustainedgrowth, with arequirement of �50 lakhcrore that has to comepartly from thegovernment butimportantly through‘crowding in’ ofinvestments from theprivate sector.Governmentinfrastructure

investments are set to grow by 21% to around �6lakh crore. A lot of stress has been given tourbanisation through adoption of smart cities andsmart infrastructure and construction of largeinfrastructure projects in transportation like‘Bharatmala’, aviation and ports.

More importantly, the attendant structuralreforms through the adoption of the Insolvencyand Bankruptcy Code and a clear emphasis onrecapitalisation of the banking system andstrategic disinvestment targets re�ect the longterm commitment of the government. Suchincentives will release risk capital, lower riskaverseness of the �nancial sector and lead to theupturn of the private capital expenditure cycle.

A higher tax buoyancy and a bigger tax basewill raise the stagnant tax to GDP ratio andprovide for more �scal space for targetedexpenditure. Such e�orts are expected to ‘crowdin’ the much required private investment andrejuvenate the capital expenditure upturn whichis so important for the success all such initiatives.

The emphasis on digitisation as theunderlining tool for proper delivery andgovernance would go a long way to aidproductivity and transparency under theemerging business/social environment.

The decision to reduce corporate income taxfor all �rms with turnover below �250 crore to25% is a welcome move.

Given the underlying local and globaleconomic trends, coupled with the evolvingpolitical/electoral realities, it is a good budget.The Indian economy has been resilient to twomajor structural changes adopted during the lasttwo �scal years. Issues relating to bankrecapitalisation and bad loans resolution is underway. I strongly feel that we are on the cusp of thenext growth cycle and India would continue to bethe fastest growing global economy/market.

FIRST TAKES.N. SUBRAHMANYAN

CEO & MD, Larsen & Toubro

Awellbalanced,good budget

<>A higher taxbuoyancy anda bigger taxbase will raisethe stagnanttax to GDPratio


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

RAILWAYS

In the highestever allocation, Union Finance MinisterArun Jaitley on Thursday announced a capital expenditure of �1,48,528 crore forthe Railway Ministry for theyear 201819.

A large part of these fundswill be utilised for capacityaddition. The governmenthas decided to double18,000 km of tracks and towork on third and fourthlines on several sectors.“Five thousand kilometres ofgauge conversion would augment capacity and transform almost the entire network into broad gauge,” hesaid. Mr. Jaitley also said4,000 km of the railway network would be commissioned for electri�cationduring 201718.

The Budget also madeprovision for acquisition of12,000 wagons, 5,160 coaches and approximately 700 locomotives during 201819.The Finance Minister saidwork on the eastern andwestern dedicated freightcorridors was in full swing.

Responding to the allocations, Vishwas Udgirkar,partner, Deloitte India, said:“Measures announced on

Railways investment is laudable, with focus on capacitycreation, passenger safety,doubling of lines, and electri�cation. Speci�c mentionof improving suburban trainsystem in Mumbai is a heartening announcement.”

Sudhir Rao, managing director, India, BombardierTransportation, said goingby the Budget announcement, the Railway Ministryhas a vision to create aworldclass, environmentally sustainable, energy e�

cient transportation systemin India.

“Our rail vehicles fromcommuter trains to metros,monorails to locomotives,highspeed trains to light railvehicles provide sustainablemobility across cities globally moving millions daily. Weare pleased with the intentfor procurement of rollingstock by the Railways,” Mr.Rao said.

“Modernising the Railways riding on technologyo�ers the appropriate ecosystem for the developmentof smart cities. This will helpattract more business and increased employment opportunities for the local populace,” said Keshav R.Murugesh, group CEO, WNSGlobal Services.

�1,48,528 crore earmarked to boost track conversion and capacity addition

Lalatendu Mishra

Mumbai

Highestever allocation willfastforward Railway plans

The government has initiated a major programme tostrengthen railway infrastructure and has accordedhigh priority for safety toprevent rail accidents aswell as to improve passenger comfort.

Union Finance MinisterArun Jaitley while presenting the Budget assured thatadequate funds would bemade available under theRashtriya Rail SanrakshaKosh.

Over 3,600 km of trackrenewal is targeted during201819. There will be increased use of technologylike ‘Fog Safe’ and ‘TrainProtection and Warning System’. The government hasdecided to eliminate 4,267unmanned level crossings inthe broad gauge network inthe next two years. This is toprevent accidents. It has also decided to upgrade infrastructure at goods sheds,and fast track commissioning of private sidings.

Redevelopment on cardsThe Indian Railway StationDevelopment Company Limited has decided to undertake redevelopment of 600major stations. Surplus landat stations will be madeavailable for real estate development. All stations with

more than 25,000 footfallswill have escalators. All stations and trains will be progressively provided with WiFi. CCTVs will be providedat all railway stations and ontrains to enhance securityfor passengers.

Analysts said the approach of the government isto create a safer railway system.

“The rail transportationsector in India is on the rightpath and momentum is builtto signi�cantly reform Railways in the years to come,”an analyst said.

Enhanced allocation forsafety will create businessopportunities for companies working in the areas ofsignalling systems and advanced rail control systems.

Dibyanshu Sinha, partner, Khaitan & Co, said, “Thegovernment has given importance to Railways in theBudget and has made an alltime high allocation. Themajor portion has beenrightly allocated to capacitycreation, modernisationand safety.”

Safety and comfort,the new destinationsTechnology like ‘Fog Safe’ to be used


MUMBAI <> The major portion

of the allocation

rightly is for

capacity creation,

modernisation and

safety

Dibyanshu Sinha

Partner, Khaitan & Co

The image of a train slowlychugging into a station is the�rst thing that comes to themind when one thinks of theIndian Railways. This imagewill soon be a thing of thepast, thanks to the IntegralCoach Factory (ICF) that isin the process ofmanufacturing new, engineless train sets — a rakewithout a separatelocomotive — known asTrain 18. These will speedup entry and exit fromstations and reduce traveltime.

In the Union Budget,Finance Minister ArunJaitley announced that

modern train sets withstateoftheart amenitiesand features are beingdesigned at the ICF inPerambur, and the �rst suchset will be commissionedthis �scal.

ICF sources said that inthe new train sets, thelocomotive would be

replaced with driver cabinsat either end of the train.They will travel at 160 kmper hour, which is known assemihigh speed in railwayparlance. “These are madein India, selfpropelled,bestinclass train sets forthe Railways. A conventionaltrain with an engine will

have to slow down when itenters the platform. It alsoaccelerates slowly. Due tothis, a lot of time is wasted,”a source said.

The new trains will be likeEMUs in pickup. “The mainadvantage is that they canaccelerate and reduce speedquickly. This way at least 10minutes are saved perstation and the total traveltime will drop by at least �vehours,” the source added.

However, such trains willonly have chair cars. “It is inthe initial stages and thetrain is expected to be rolledout by June. The RailwayBoard will decide on wherethe trains will be rolled out�rst,” the o�cial said.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

way to go

Vivek Narayanan

CHENNAI

Equipped with driver cabins at both ends, entry and exits from stations to be faster

Coming, engine-less train sets from ICF

Fast forward: The new trains will only have chair cars.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitely on Thursday approvedprojects worth �51,000crore for the Mumbai suburban railway network, towhich an additional 150 kmwill be added.

An amount of �11,000crore has been sanctioned for the doubling of lines underPhase III of theMumbai Urban Transport Project(MUTP) — or MUTP 3— and approval forprojects worth�40,000 crore has beengranted. “The Mumbai transport system, which is the lifeline of the city, is being expanded and augmented toadd 90 km of double linetracks at a cost of �11,000crore,” the Finance Ministersaid in his speech.

The new tracks include anadditional double track between Virar and Dahanu as

well as a new line connectingKarjat with Panvel.

The Finance Minister referred to MUTP 3A in hisspeech and said: “Hundredand �fty kilometres of additional suburban network isbeing planned in Mumbai atthe cost of �40,000 crore, including elevated corridors in

some sections.” Other proposals in

the Budget includecreating a new suburban corridor between Panvel and Virar, extending theHarbour Line till Borivali, and construct

ing new lines on existing corridors such as line 5 and 6between Borivali and Virar,line 3 and 4 between Kalyanand Badlapur, and a fourthline between Kalyan andAsangaon.

On the bullet train project, the Minister said, “Aninstitute is coming up in Vadodara to train the manpower required for the project.”

‘Mumbai local’ gets a ticket to expandProjects worth �51,000 crore approved

Ajeet Mahale

Mumbai

The Railways is an important service for theeconomy and for the everyday life of the people,as it holds more than 90% of long distancepassenger travel. This is the reason that even afterthe merger of the Rail Budget, the public isinterested in its impact on Railways.

Although this is the fourth Budget of thisGovernment, the announcements soundrepetitive, such as early implementation ofdedicated freight corridors (DFC), stationredevelopment, increasing of speed on existinglines known as ‘semi high speed’ and bullet train.

However, the reality on the ground has notkept pace with the Budget as DFC is now targetedfor opening in 2019. Not a single section has beenoperationalised. Similarly, physical progress hasbeen made only in two stations. Shri SureshPrabhu had announced in his Budget that allcontracts in the Railways would be engineering,procurement, construction (EPC) but till date nota single EPC contract has been made. Despite allthe right steps like delegation of powers togeneral managers and no resource constraint,project delivery continues to be unsatisfactory

and needs to be �xedurgently.

Emphasis on capacitybuilding, i.e. doubling ofthe existing single linesections, gaugeconversion of all narrowlines, aggressiveelectri�cation, andinvestment in modernsignalling and rollingstock will certainly yield

longterm dividends but in the absence of internalgeneration almost the entire capital is beingarranged through extra budgetary resources.

In the absence of a robust revenue stream, thehuge borrowings may result in an irreversibledownward slide very quickly.

It is claimed that during the last three �nancialyears, 201415 to 201617, an average 3,000 km ofbroad gauge lines and 2,000 km of electri�cationhas been completed annually.

In addition, 35 PFT/goods sheds have beencommissioned. Manufacture of coaches,locomotives and wagons has also improved. Thisshould have translated into an additional capacityof at least 150 GMT but the ground reality is theopposite. From 2000 to 2014, the CAGR of freighttra�c was 6.16%, while during the last three�nancial years it was less than 2%. The trend in201718 is also no better than 5%, way below thegrowth which was taking place even withoutmodernisation and capacity expansion.Surprisingly, during the same period transportoutput growth was about 6.5% and powergeneration growth was 5.5%, indicating that theRailways was losing out to other modes.

The capital budget outlay provided is �1,48,528crore which is good news for the industry,although about �93,000 crore is going to be outof borrowed funds in the absence of internalgeneration.

The most praiseworthy part of the Budget isthe mention of suburban sections of Mumbai andBengaluru.

The Railways have been disowning thesuburban tra�c for quite long, resulting in suboptimum transport solutions getting priority.Overall, the Railways portion of the Budgetindicates the right direction. However, focus mustbe on the growth of nonfare revenue, delivery ofprojects and programmes, and further reductionin manpower.

FIRST TAKESUBODH KUMAR JAIN

Former member, Railway Board

Project delivery stillon the slow track

<>Hugeborrowingsmay result inan irreversibledownwardslide

Finance Minister ArunJaitley on Thursdayallocated �17,000 crore toadd 160 km of suburbannetwork in Bengaluru, thecapital of Karnataka whichgoes to polls later this year.

This comes a day afterthe State cabinet approvedthe Bengaluru SuburbanRail Projects’ �rst phase tobe implemented in the next

three years. The project is ajoint venture between theState government and theRailways, and the formerwould bear 20% of �349crore of the total cost.

“A suburban network ofapproximately 160 km at anestimated cost of �17,000crore is being planned tocater to the growth ofBengaluru,” Mr. Jaitley said.

Bonanza for Bengaluru


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

EDITORIAL

m. govinda rao

There were considerable expectations from the Budget.Given that this is the last full

year Budget by this governmentand the �rst one after the revenueuncertainties arising from implementation of the goods and services tax (GST) reform, there were apprehensions about the slippages aswell. Indeed, there are electoralbudget cycles in every democraticpolity and considering the dissatisfaction shown by rural electoratein the recent Gujarat elections,there were de�nite apprehensionsabout �scal laxity.

Focus areasThe Finance Minister devoted aconsiderable part of his speech toelaborate the focus areas in theBudget. These include strengthening the agriculture and rural economy, provision of good healthcare for the poor, taking care ofthe senior citizens, creation of infrastructure, and working with theStates to improve the quality ofeducation. A careful analysis ofthe allocations to various sectors,however, does not show any significant departures from the past ex

cept in the case of allocation tofood storage and warehousingwhich is set to increase by 19.4%due to the assurance of minimumsupport prices at 150% of the cost.The total expenditure in 201819 isestimated to increase by about10.2% over the revised estimate ofthe previous year, and the increase in capital expenditure is estimated at 9.9%. In fact, directspending on social and economicservices by the Union governmentis estimated to increase by only7.8% and 6.7%, and increase in thegrants to States for Centralschemes is estimated at 13.8%.Thus, the objectives of improvingthe wellness of the people, removing the farm distress, improvingthe quality of education and augmenting infrastructure are supposed to be achieved by using extrabudgetary funds.

The most important worry, however, is on the �scal front. A closeexamination shows that there havebeen substantial slippages in allthe de�cit numbers. In fact, evenfor the year 201617, the �scal de�cit works out to 3.7% as against3.5% shown in the Budget if theGDP estimate put out by the Central Statistics O�ce on January 31is taken. The revised estimate ofrevenue de�cit in 201718 worksout to 2.6% as against the Budgetestimate of 1.9%, and the slippagein primary de�cit is from 0.14% to0.38%. Much of this has happenednot because of revenue shortfall or

increase in capital expenditure. Infact, despite shortfall in indirecttaxes, the tax revenue net of devolution to the States shows an increase of 3.4% over the Budget estimates. Similarly, even as nontaxrevenues realisation was less dueto the inability to generate spectrum fees and lower dividendsfrom the banks, total revenuesavailable with the government washigher than the Budget estimateby over 3%. The slippage happened even as capital expenditurewas compressed by 12% due to asharp increase in revenue expenditure. The capital expenditure in201718, as also that budgeted for201819, at 1.6% of GDP is perhapsthe lowest since 201415. Thus, theslippage was mainly on account ofhigher than budgeted spending inrevenue expenditure, particularlythe grants given to the States forCentral schemes, which was higher by 25.8%.

The Economic Survey had emphasised the need for ensuringmacroeconomic stability in view

of both domestic and global developments and in this the importance of �scal discipline is statedto be paramount. However, thisBudget has reworked the entireadjustment path. The estimated�scal de�cit for 201819 is 3.3%,and in addition, the governmentwill issue bank recapitalisationbonds amounting to �80,000crore. Proper accounting demands that this should be a part ofthe �scal de�cit as when theshares of public enterprises aresold, these are taken as nondebtcapital receipts, but when thebonds are purchased by the government, they are not countedfor the de�cit! The Finance Minister states that he accepts the keyrecommendations of the FRBMCommittee to bring down thedebttoGDP ratio to 40% and the�scal de�cit target will be the keyoperational parameter, but doesnot adhere to the 3% target for thenext year and 2.5% for the subsequent years set by the Committee!The mediumterm �scal planstates that the 3% target will bereached only in 202021. Fiscalmanagement in the country su�ers from credibility crisis.

On the taxes front, the most important issue is the proposal to levy the longterm capital gains taxabove �1 lakh at the rate of 10% forinstruments bought after January31, 2018. Those who advocated thelevy were clear that the tax policyshould not a�ect the investors’

choice of �nancial instruments,which meant that the treatmentshould be uniform for equity anddebtbased instruments. Thiswould require uniform applicationof the tax to all instruments andthe abolition of securities andcommodities transaction taxes.There is a case for the tax to beneutral between all forms of investments including immobileproperties. In that sense, what hasbeen attempted is a halfwayhouse.

Too loadedFurthermore, when the reform required that the tax policy shouldnot be loaded with many objectives, the Budget goes on to use theinstrument to promote postharvest activities in agriculture, employment generation and incentivising micro, small and mediumenterprises. On indirect taxes, increase in custom duties to facilitate “Make in India” is a retrogrademeasure. We have been advocating moving away from protectionism in global forums, but want toprotect the domestic producersthrough higher import duties. Thismay make some producers happy,but will not increase thecompetitiveness.

M. Govinda Rao, who was a Member of the

Fourteenth Finance Commission, is

Emeritus Professor at the National

Institute of Public Finance and Policy

The question of credibilityThe entire �scal adjustment path has been reworked in this Budget

GE

TT

Y IM

AG

ES/I

ST

OC

KP

HO

TO

more letters online:

www.hindu.com/opinion/letters/

The Narendra Modi government has taken pride in having restored the economy to

the path of �scal consolidation.The �scal de�cit target for 201718had been set at 3.2% of GDP for201718 and 3.0% for 201819. TheBudget for 201819 puts paid tothese objectives for now. The �scalde�cit for 201718 has ended up at3.5%. For 201819, the governmenthas set a target of 3.3%. The �scalde�cit target of 3% of GDP has nowbeen pushed to 202021.

Missed targetsRevenue receipts in 201718 havegrown faster than anticipated(although nontax revenues havefallen short of target). We can compare the revised estimate for 201718 with the actual for 201617 andthe Budget estimate for 201718with the revised estimate for 201617. Tax revenues were higher thananticipated (15% compared to13%).

Capital receipts are expected toexceed the budgetary estimatethanks to record disinvestment revenues of �100,000 crore (�27,500crore higher than targeted). Onthe revenue side, the governmentcould not have expected better.

It is the expenditure side thathas given way. Revenue expenditure grew by 15% compared to theBudget estimate of 6%. An increase in establishment expenditure accounts for more than 40%of the increase in revenue expenditure. Capital expenditure endedup lower than in the previous yearby 3.9%. In the Budget for 201718,

capital expenditure had been set10.7% higher. This was �agged asone of the great accomplishmentsof last year’s Budget and it was expected to boost GDP growth.

The �scal slippage in 201718,therefore, cannot be ascribed to alower than projected nominalgrowth (around 9.5% compared to11.5%). Expenditure has got out ofcontrol or was underestimated inlast year’s Budget. Moreover, revenue, not capital, expenditure isthe villain. The revenue de�cit for201718 is 2.6% of GDP, way abovethe Budget estimate of 1.9% ofGDP.

Projections for new �scalWhat do we make of the projections for 201819? The Budget projects an increase in tax revenues of16.6% compared to 15.3% in theprevious year, which appearsachievable. Total expenditure isexpected to grow by 10.1% compared to 12.3%, which could turnout to be an under estimate. Capital expenditure has been set 9.9%higher which is modest given thatthere had been a decline in theprevious year.

Growth in public investment istepid. There are no big tax giveaways either in the Budget. Clearly,�scal policy is not being used tostimulate growth. With in�ationrunning at 5%, the scope for mo

netary easing too is limited. Thegovernment is leaving it to marketforces to drive growth in the coming year.

Will it work? In 201718, the Economic Survey argues, growth wasdampened by a combination offactors: high real interest rates,disruption caused by demonetisation and the goods and servicestax (GST), the twin balance sheetproblem and high oil prices. Thedisruption caused by demonetisation and GST is out of the way. TheSurvey hopes that the bankruptcyprocess put in place will resolvethe twin balance sheet problem —we have to see how the processplays out. As in�ation edges up,we could see monetary tightening.With oil prices projected to be $10$12 higher in the coming year,growth could be adversely impacted by 0.3%.

One source of anxiety is overheated asset markets the world over. In India too, equity valuationshave been extremely stretched.The Budget has introduced a tax of10% on longterm capital gainswhile retaining the securities transactions tax. The reaction of themarket thus far has been muted.

However, should asset pricesfall elsewhere, we could see thesame happening here. Consumption and investment would fall as aresult. The monetary authorities

may have to raise interest rates inorder to stem capital out�ows. Insuch a situation, �scal expansionwould be required to sustaingrowth. This would clearly upsetthe budgetary arithmetic. Thebudgetary projections for 201819thus hinge critically on nothing going wrong with the equity marketsand investors shrugging o� the taxon longterm capital gains.

On the positive side, the ratio ofgross tax revenues to GDP, whichhad been stagnating at around 10%since 2008, has risen to 11.6% in201718 and is projected to risefurther to 12.1% in 201819, 12.4% in201920 and 12.7% in 202021. Thisshows that demonetisation andGST are beginning to pay o� by widening the tax base and increasingthe buoyancy of tax revenues.There is reason to be optimistic,therefore, about the mediumtermoutlook for government �nanceswhatever the problems in the nextyear or two.

Rural forayMany analysts had expected a populist budget in the runup to elections. Typically, this meant taxconcessions to the salaried classesand measures such as loan waivers. These are absent in FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley’s Budget. TheBudget brings back the standarddeduction for tax payers, of�40,000. But this is in lieu of transport and medical expenses and isalso o�set partially by an increasein cess from 3% to 4%. There is little else to cheer for the middleclass.

However, the Budget has triedto reach out to the rural constituency and to the poor through anumber of measures. The mostnotable, perhaps, is the promise ofa minimum support price (MSP)for all crops of 50% above the costof production. Rural distress ispervasive and the fall in the price

of groundnut, for example, in Saurashtra appears to have cost theBharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dearlyin the Gujarat elections. The proposal on MSPs is thus shrewdlytimed, though it would mean higher prices for consumers.

The Budget proposes a healthinsurance scheme that will cover10 crore poor families with an insurance cover of �5 lakh each.Since such a cover would mean anannual premium of at least�10,000, it is doubtful that it isbacked by actual outlays in theBudget. Moreover, basic healthcare must be provided through government hospitals and notthrough insurance that pays forcare at private hospitals. This is adisturbing sign that we are goingdown the American route tohealth care instead of, say, the Canadian route.

The Budget also includes several measures for micro, small andmedium enterprises (MSMEs).There is a target of �3 lakh crorefor lending under the MUDRAscheme. The government will pay12% towards the Employee Provident Fund for new employees inall sectors for the next three years.A lower corporate tax of 25%, hitherto applicable to enterprises witha turnover of �50 crore, is now applicable to companies with a turnover of up to �250 crore.

It is clear that a return to a highgrowth trajectory of 8% is unlikelybefore the 2019 election. The BJPseems to have reckoned it has theurban middle class with it regardless. It is the rural constituencythat needs focus. The Budget for201819 has expenditure itemsplanned accordingly while ensuring that the �scal de�cit stays within reasonable bounds.

T.T. Ram Mohan is a professor at IIM

Ahmedabad. E-mail: [email protected]

Goodbye to �scal consolidationWith the rural constituency in focus, the government’s spending road map may cross expected limits

T.T. Ram Mohan

GE

TT

Y IM

AG

ES/I

ST

OC

KP

HO

TO

Many questionsThis year’s Budget is ananticlimax. Along with theusual assortment we havecome to expect every yearsis the Finance Minister’sclaim that we are on courseto reach a growth rate of8%. This is actually 6% onthe “old scale”. Thegovernment does not seemto have used the bounty oflow crude prices in the �rstthree years and world tradebeing on the mend. Weshould actually be lookingat a rate of 1012% now.Several announcementsonly raise questions abouttheir means of funding,thanks to the state of theeconomy these pastmonths. It is time werealised that we should bedone with hype and bluster. M. Balakrishnan,

Bengaluru

Rohingya crisisThe Rohingya are at a

juncture where not takingtimely action to save themmight result in a mess ofcolossal magnitude. Suchissues cannot be dealt withsinglehandedly. India andBangladesh are facing greatpressure handling the manythousands of refugeesespecially as they lack thenecessary infrastructure toaccommodate a growingnumber of refugees. In theRohingya crisis, India facesa predicament: it cannotturn them away for theywill walk into the jaws ofdeath; if accommodated,they will live in abjectpoverty and squalor, theconsequences of which donot bode well for India.Myanmar must be told inno uncertain terms that ithas to take responsibilityfor its own citizens (“Indiacan’t be refugee capital”,February 1).Vrinda Rajvanshi,

New Delhi

Still blueThe decision to continueissuing “blue passports” forall Indians afterwithdrawing the plan on“orange passports” forIndian migrant labourers iswelcome. When no lessthan the Prime Ministertalks about ‘one tax, onenation, one election’, it wasstrange how the idea ofhaving passports in twocategories was eventhought of (“Facingcriticism, govt. backs downon orange passports”,January 31). Such plans thatare bound to createcontroversy need to beanalysed in advance.Migrant labourerscontribute their mite inother ways anddiscriminating against themin the form of a di�erentpassport would have beenunwise.A.J. Rangarajan,

Chennai

‘Pakoda’ politics If I remember right, it wasP. Chidambaram, whenFinance Minister, whoextolled the virtues ofselfemployment. He mustbe aware that those who areselfemployed serve thecause of the nation by notseeking employmentoutside, and also providingjobs to others, therebycontributing to the nation’seconomy in their own way.If pakoda selling is notselfemployment, what elseis? Is only being employedin a McDonald’s or KFCoutlet deemed righteousemployment? Mr.Chidambaram must also beaware that some of theunlettered, selfemployedmen in our country earn farmore than formallyemployed, highly quali�edmen. It was also during Mr.Chidambaram’s tenure thatthe ‘Saral’ form wasintroduced as a part of

“settled”. In today’s world,those such as the humblepakoda seller are a vitalconduit for the free �ow ofcorruptionfree resourcesfrom the bottom to the top ofthe hierarchy.Shrikanth Kolathaya,

Puttur, Karnataka

n Mr. Chidambaram hasraised a valid question of jobsecurity in selling pakodasfor a reasonable and securedstandard of living for all. Nodoubt the BJP governmenthas been reiterating thepoint that lakhs of jobs willbe created during its �veyear term, but it appears tobe a mirage. There needs tobe data on jobs createdwhich will help us analysethe e�orts being made tocreate employment. Enoughof the rhetoric. R. Rangarajan,

Secunderabad

�ling IT returns to bringthose who are selfemployed under the IT net(“Chidambaram, BJP in warof words”, January 29). Sivamani Vasudevan,

Chennai

n A pakoda seller makes hisown living using hisentrepreneurial skills andtaking calculated risks. Hissurvival depends on so manyfactors speci�c to theproduct. He is also, in severalinstances, the breadwinnerin his family and possibly anemployer for many. He issymbolic of freespiritedIndian youth who try not tobe a burden to society, butcontribute to it by providingemployment instead.The former FinanceMinister’s idea of“employment” is perhapslinked to the idea prevalentunder British rule, whenonly holding a governmentjob quali�ed as being

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Letters emailed to [email protected] must carry the full postal address and the full name or the name with initials.

If the Union Budget is construed as an annual tugof

war between populism and �scal prudence, argua

bly it is the latter that prevailed in the past four bud

gets tabled by the NDA. However, populism seems to

have gained an upper hand in Arun Jaitley’s latest ef

fort. Despite exceptional buoyancy in direct tax reve

nues (18.7% growth in FY18) and record disinvestment

proceeds (�1 lakh crore), shortfalls in GST mopups and

dividend receipts have forced the Finance Minister to

ease o� on �scal consolidation as mandated by the

FRBM Act. The Budget has reported a �scal de�cit of

3.5% (of GDP) for FY18 and pegged it at a high 3.3% for

next year. The Economic Survey prepared the ground

for a deviation, yet the actual numbers surprised the

markets. Armed with a war chest of �24.4 lakh crore in

budgeted receipts for FY19, Mr. Jaitley has homed in un

erringly on the root causes of distress — unremunera

tive farm incomes, unemployment, lack of social secur

ity nets and the squeeze on the middleclass taxpayer.

With this in mind, Mr. Jaitley has announced a laun

dry list of ameliorative measures. While his intent is

clearly welfarist, resource constraints have forced him

to rely signi�cantly on extrabudgetary resources and

external agencies to give life to many proposals. If they

fail to materialise, it can lead to a gap between promise

and delivery. Consider agriculture. After asserting that

minimum support prices (MSPs) should cover all crops

and assure farmers 1.5 times their production cost, food

subsidy allocations for FY19 have been upped by a rela

tively modest �29,041 crore. A ‘foolproof’ mechanism

has been mooted to avoid market prices falling below

MSPs, but it is left to the Niti Aayog to work out the mo

dalities. Setting up farmers’ markets is similarly a great

idea to free small farmers from the tyranny of Agricul

tural Produce Market Committees (APMCs), but the

project gets a mere �2,000crore allocation.

The ambitious rural package in this Budget brings in

free gas connections to three crore new households,

free electricity connections to four crore homes, two

crore new toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission,

higher microirrigation coverage, and so on. But of the

massive outlay of �14.34 lakh crore required to bankroll

these grandiose plans, as much as �11.98 lakh crore is

expected to be met from extrabudgetary resources. A

similar template has been used in social sector

schemes. The National Health Protection Scheme, to

provide a �5 lakh health cover to 10 crore households, is

a muchneeded social security intervention to bene�t

poor households that rely overwhelmingly on private

health care. But there is little clarity on modalities. The

entire clutch of proposals on improving learning out

comes, providing universal health coverage and alle

viating the lot of minorities and girl children is expected

to be funded through a mere �16,000crore increase in

allocations to �1.38 lakh crore. Infrastructure appears

to be one of the few sectors where the funding problem

has been addressed, with PSUs bankrolling a signi�cant

proportion of the �5.97lakh crore outlay for FY19.

While being liberal in its announcements for rural

India, the Budget has been frugal in its giveaways

to the middle class and the corporate sector. Expecta

tions of an increase in the basic exemption limit on in

come tax have been belied; instead, a standard deduc

tion of �40,000 is back for salaried taxpayers. While it

is only fair that the salaried pay income tax on their net

income (after expenses) as the selfemployed do, this

deduction (which also replaces transport and medical

reimbursements) is too small to establish real parity.

The clamour for an acrosstheboard cut in the basic

corporate tax rate from 30 to 25% has also been ig

nored, with the cut limited to midsize companies (up

to �250crore turnover). Though this will bene�t the

overwhelming majority of corporate tax �lers, how this

impacts the competitive edge of India’s largest compa

nies in the global context will be debated. Especially so,

since the U.S. recently slashed its corporate tax rate to

21% and European nations average 20%. For the salariat

and the corporate sector, the increase in education cess

will o�set some of the gains from these tax cuts. Senior

citizens have bene�ted, particularly from the tax relief

on interest from bank deposits and post o�ce schemes,

which has been hiked from �10,000 to �50,000 a year.

These interest payouts are also exempt from the vexa

tious TDS provisions. This relief renders senior citizens

far less vulnerable to steadily dwindling interest rates

on bank deposits and small savings schemes; it also

helps them to continue relying on �xedincome instru

ments to cover living expenses. This relief may reverse

the unhealthy trend of riskaverse savers shifting whole

sale from bank deposits to marketlinked options such

as equity mutual funds, in search of higher returns.

The imposition of 10% longterm capital gains tax on

pro�ts from shares and equity mutual funds could dam

pen market sentiment in the near term, but is unlikely

to have any structural impact on domestic equity �ows.

Equities are favoured by the relatively a�uent savers

and alternative �nancial instruments such as bonds and

�xed deposits invite far higher tax incidence. Moreover,

the bulk of new allocations �owing into Indian equities

in the last two years have come from retail investors,

most of them saving for the long term. It is unlikely that

they will beat a hasty retreat from shares or mutual

funds just because of a modest levy. Overall, the Budget

has a sense of direction that is di�cult to �nd fault with.

If some of the proposals seem halfhearted or are not ta

ken to their logical end, it may be the result of revenue

constraints. It is to be hoped that as the revenue base

improves and GST collections stabilise, future budgets

can put the �nishing touches on the welfare proposals.

Promise and deliveryArun Jaitley’s Budget will be judged

by whether it can bridge the gap


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK

A ND-NDE

OPEDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



Expecting Indian agriculture to move into an intensive phasein the near future, agricultural experts and research workersfrom various parts of the country have suggested future cropping patterns. The experts, who concluded a �veday symposium at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute here [NewDelhi], have divided the country into various regions and suggested as many as 325 cropping patterns, covering almost allthe major crops, both cereals and noncereals. At the concluding session of the symposium, Mr. B. Sivaraman, Union Agriculture Secretary, suggested that the most appropriate agencyto put across the idea to the farmers was national demonstration.

FIFTY YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 2, 1968

Experts evolve cropping patterns

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

FROM ARCHIVES

Dutch

sandwichEconomics

This refers to a form of taxavoidance used by companies that have their operations across the world tominimise the amount oftaxes that they pay ontheir pro�ts. The technique involves the transferof a company’s pro�tsthrough a subsidiary in theNetherlands, where thetax on the transfer of corporate pro�ts is low compared to other countries.Tech giants like Google,Facebook and Apple arethe most notable companies that manage to paylow taxes on their pro�tsby using the various intricacies of tax laws acrosscountries.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

CONCEPTUAL

mostly controlled by private companies.

In 2015, the apex courthad said that it was “ridiculous” that this moneywas going to “somebabus”.

In November 2012, theUnion Cabinet had approved of amendments tothe 1996 Act and the Building and Other Construction Workers’ WelfareCess Act of 1996 in orderto streamline the processof registration of construction workers.

These two Acts apply toestablishments that employ 10 or more workers.The major source of fundsto the Building and OtherConstruction WorkersWelfare Board is the collection of cess at the rateof 1% of the constructioncost incurred by the employer under the Buildingand Other ConstructionWorkers’ Welfare CessAct.

The fund has to be utilised for the welfare of

On January 17, the Supreme Court pulled up thegovernment for failing toimplement the Buildingand Other ConstructionWorkers (Regulation ofEmployment and Conditions of Service) Act of1996. “If the governmentis not serious, tell us,” thecourt said. It added thiswas a “completely helpless situation”.

The 1996 Act is meantto regulate the employment and conditions ofservice of building andother construction workers and to provide fortheir safety, health andwelfare. The matter ofslow progress of implementation has beenbrought up earlier too.

The government hascollected over �35,000crore in cess for the welfare of construction workers employed in the highrisk and hazardous construction industry that is

such workers. The Centreis the implementing agency in the Central sphereand State governmentsimplement the provisionsof the Act at the State level. Under the Act, theStates have to constitutewelfare boards, makerules, constitute advisorycommittees and appointvarious authorities for registration of workers, cesscollection, and inspection.

The Labour Ministry in2017 informed the courtthat the number of workers registered under theAct had increased from2.15 crore to 2.8 crore. Itsaid that the cess collectedalso went up from �25,477crore to �37,482 crore.

The court said that itwas important to ensurethat the bene�ciaries ofthe Act are “constructionworkers who are primarily migrant workers andmost, if not all of them,are indigent and extremely poor”.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

ACT ONE

Giving construction workers their due Funds collected for the workers have not been disbursed

Krishnadas Rajagopal

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

DATA POINT

The number of plague deaths reported in India during theweek ending the 19th of January 1918 was 2,543, an increase of1,074 over the total for the preceding week. In no week in January during the 12 years 19061917 has the plague mortality approximated that of the week under report, the next highest �gures being 20,929 and 29,167 for the last and third week ofJanuary 1911 and 13,685 for the third week of January 1917. Increased mortality as compared with the previous week is reported from Madras, Behar and Orissa and Rajputana.

A HUNDRED YEARS AGO FEBRUARY 2, 1918.

Plague in India.

How India earns:

government treasury

in�ows decoded

http://bit.ly/howindiaearns

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

MORE ON

THE WEB 3

With a Porto Alegre court upholdingBrazilian President Luiz Inácio Lulada Silva’s conviction in a corruptioncase, his chances of being allowed tocontest the presidential elections inOctober have narrowed. Almost instantly, and perhaps in a sign of de

�ance, the leftleaning Workers’ Party (PT) announced itsdecision to �eld Mr. Lula. The developments echo divisionsof the anticorruption crusades that had engulfed Brazil’sbusiness and political elites and millions of citizens owing allegiance to the architects of the generous welfare and inclusive growth policies of the previous decade.

At the root of the ongoing crisis are the socalled Lava Jato, or Operation Car Wash, investigations into alleged kickbacks and political patronage involving the stateowned oilgiant. The pleabargaining provisions in Brazil’s anticorruption law, which reduce jail terms for defendants in return fortestimonies to prosecutors, set o� a witchhunt among thepolitical classes anxious for their own survival. Mr. Lula himself was sentenced to nine years in prison in the original Julyconviction, for corruption and money laundering; that termwas increased by two more years last week.

More sensational was the 2016 Senate vote to impeach asitting president, Dilma Rousse�, Mr. Lula’s anointed successor, for budgetary manoeuvres to conceal a yawning �scal de�cit. To critics of that decision, the move to removeMs. Rousse�, who had displayed no motive of personal enrichment, amounted to a coup. The current incumbent, Michel Temer, whose centreright opposition Brazilian Democratic Movement party has been a junior partner in previousPT governments, has so far survived Congressional votes forthe commencement of a trial for approving bribes. The Supreme Court’s move to set aside a recent presidential decree, which lowers prison terms for certain o�ences, perhaps re�ects the kind of proactive judicial scrutiny thatexecutive actions are subject to in the prevailingatmosphere.

While the courts are clearly focused on bringing in transparency in governance structures, there is concern thatBrazil’s independent judiciary, equipped to �ght graft inhigh places, could set o� unintended consequences in termsof eroding political stability. That could prove costly for Latin America’s largest economy, as it grapples with the current economic and social upheaval following the collapse ofcommodity prices and pension and labour market reforms.

Financial markets were expectedly buoyed by the decision to uphold Mr. Lula’s conviction last week. But his potential removal from seeking reelection has also raised therisk that the centrist platform could be weakened. A vacuum at the political middle ground would be an invitation topopulist outsiders eager to capitalise on the public disenchantment with soaring unemployment, a steep fall in realincomes and widening inequalities. With a vast number ofleaders occupying elected o�ce facing judicial investigations, the public mood in Brazil is rightly on holding them toaccount. The challenge for Brazil’s mainstream politics is todemonstrate the capacity for renewal.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

SINGLE FILE

Without Lula? On the challenge to Brazil’s politics

Garimella Subramaniam

RE

UT

ER

S

Free and fair elections are integralto democracy. Continuity, consistency and governance are also integral to democracy. And democracy,to my mind, also implies good governance. To achieve this, electionsare held. But if the means (elections) become the goal, this will notserve democracy well. Holding simultaneous elections will ensureconsistency, continuity and governance, and elections then will onlybe the means to achieve this andnot an end in themselves.

Implementing simultaneouspolls would require a substantial

shift from the status quo and wouldinvolve amendments to the Constitution and electionrelated laws.However, does that mean we stopthis muchneeded reform? Certainly not.

Strengthening democracyEarlier, tax collections were separate for the Centre and the States.We introduced the Goods and Services Tax Council through a constitutional amendment and changedthe pattern of taxation between theCentre and the States. If the purpose of amendments is to streng

then democracy and governance, they shouldbe brought in. The Constitution has beenamended in the past toachieve this goal.

Let us look at thestumbling blocks in thecurrent system of holding elections. In terms of governance andimplementation of developmentprogrammes, enforcing the ModelCode of Conduct (MCC) is detrimental. If we are preoccupied withlocal body elections and Assemblyelections throughout the year,where is the time for developmental work? A system must thereforebe evolved to give a period of �veyears to the incumbent government

to focus on governance.Five years mean �veyears of stable governance. If we are occupiedwith Vidhan Sabha elections, Zilla Parishad elections, Panchayat elections, and municipal

elections throughout the year,where is the time for developmental work, with the MCC kicking inevery time these elections are held?

Curbing corruptionSimultaneous elections can also bea means to curb corruption andbuild a more conducive socioeconomic ecosystem. While the Election Commission’s e�orts to curb illicit �nances are laudable, elections

continue to be a conduit for blackmoney and corruption. Frequentelectoral cycles disrupt normal public life by impacting the delivery ofessential services. They also provide opportunities to unscrupulouselements to create tears in the social fabric of society.

Then there is the administrativemachinery to be taken into accountand the expenses incurred. Frequent elections pose a huge burdenon resources — both manpower and�nancial. Security personnel andgovernment o�cials are e�ectivelyput on election duty for manymonths in a year. A case in point isthe recurring engagement of teachers for election duty, as a result ofwhich students su�er. The cost of

elections runs into thousands ofcrores and has been rising steadily.The opportunity cost of these lostresources is too high to ignore as India is a resourceconstrained developing economy. Simultaneouselections can bring the muchneeded operational e�ciency in thisexercise.

Holding simultaneous electionsis not merely about elections; it isabout stable governance. Such asensitive and farreaching reformrequires unanimous support fromall political parties. ParliamentaryCommittee reports have proposedimplementable roadmaps for simultaneous elections.

As told to Anuradha Raman

Bhupender Yadav

is a BJP member of the

Rajya Sabha and

national general

secretary of the BJP

Should India have simultaneous elections?YES, NO, IT’S COMPLICATED

YES It will ensure consistency, continuity andgovernance, which are integral to democracy

The socalled simultaneous elections to Parliament and State legislatures till 1967 were less by designand more due to the stable majorities thrown up by the electoratethen. When that neatness was lostin the 1960s and later in the 1990s,it owed much to the dismantling ofthe dominant party system. Sincethen, coalition politics has broughtstability, added to the vibrancy ofdemocracy, and ensured an activerole for State parties and greaterpowersharing among parties. Ofcourse, the electoral cycle becamestaggered and has remained so over

the past 50 years. Then comes theproposal to convert elections into adisciplined a�air with a grand ideaof simultaneous elections.

The question of burdenGrand proposals are not necessarily welcome proposals. Democraticpolitics has a tendency to be chaotic, but there are limits to the corrective abilities of formal legal provisions. On paper, it looks like a niceidea to streamline the staggeredelectoral cycle where there is an average of more than �ve State elections every year. A specious argu

ment is made that suchan electoral cycle overburdens parties and theelectoral machinery.

Even if elections wereto take place simultaneously, parties contestingin only one State wouldanyway be similarly burdened. So,the complaint probably takes toomuch care of only ‘national’ parties. And as for the electoral machinery, why do we have a lengthyschedule? This is necessitated bythe logistic requirement of movement of the requisite security forces. That constraint would remaineven if simultaneous elections wereheld. So, what is the bene�t of holding all elections simultaneously?

Then it is argued that astaggered cycle puts policymakers at a disadvantage because of the constraints of the code ofconduct. This problememerges mainly becauseparties and governments

fail to arrive at a consensus on thescope of the code of conduct andthe meaning of what constitutespolicymaking and what constitutesdistribution of patronage. So,where exactly are the serious disadvantages of staggered elections?

The power of the legislatureIf we enforce the system of simultaneous elections, we would need tocurtail the legislature’s power to

unseat a government. It would bemandatory to have a ‘constructivevote of nocon�dence’. This meansthat no opposition party would beable to table a nocon�dence motion unless it has the capacity to also simultaneously form a new government. The fundamentalinstrument of the nocon�dencemotion would thus be e�ectively taken away. Instead, the life of the legislature would depend on the cycle of a �xed term.

Penalising StatesBoth the purpose and the procedure imply a disdain for the parliamentary system and the federal arrangement. Because, as is currentlyproposed, when everything else

fails, democratic governmentwould be sacri�ced at the altar of simultaneous elections, and at theState level at least, the Presidentwould carry on the government forthe remainder of the period or thenew legislature shall have only atruncated term instead of the full�veyear term. So, States would bepenalised if the legislature is unableto produce a majority government.

Such farreaching changes wouldbring back memories of the 42ndAmendment Act. And like thatamendment, this one too would undoubtedly seek to tinker with manybasic principles that the Constitution upholds. So, a grand design indeed, albeit with an uncertain outcome and dubious intent.

Suhas Palshikar

is co-director of the

Lokniti programme at

Centre for the Study of

Developing Societies

and chief editor of

Studies in Indian

Politics

NO It implies a disdain for the parliamentarysystem and the federal arrangement

I have always maintained that this iscertainly desirable but not feasible.For it to be feasible, we need a political consensus, which is not easy toachieve. There has to be a politicalwillingness to discuss this issue before we talk of a consensus. It isgood that Prime Minister NarendraModi is talking about a consensusinstead of forcibly pushing this planthrough. His reasons for advocatingsimultaneous elections are exorbitant expenditure and the repeateddislocation of administrative machinery on election duty throughout the year. I’d like to add two

more factors. One, elections haveunfortunately become the rootcause of corruption. When we arein constant election mode, we arealso in permanent corruptionmode. When crores are spent inelections, crores have to be collected by hook or by crook. The wayout is to cut the role played by money in elections, and this can comeabout only through a ceiling on political party expenditure. The otheraspect is the state funding of elections. Besides, elections have become too divisive. Communal riotsand caste disturbances are deliber

ately created aroundelection time to ensurepolarisation of communities for electoralgains.

Spirit of federalism Arguments against theholding of simultaneous electionsare equally convincing: this goesagainst the spirit of the Constitutionand against the spirit of federalism.Besides, there is a practical di�culty. Suppose simultaneous electionsare held but the government losesits majority in the Lok Sabha, asAtal Bihari Vajpayee did within 13days in power, will we then hold anew set of elections in all the 29States too, even if they have an ab

solute majority? Whyshould the States su�erfor the electoral decisions taken at the Centre?Also, national and localissues are di�erent, andholding simultaneouselections is likely to blur

judgment. The poor love electionsbecause the vote is the only powerthey have. Otherwise, they don’tget to see their legislators after theelections for the next �ve years. Repeated elections keep legislators ontheir toes and increasesaccountability.

But even if simultaneous elections are called for, the Constitutionhas provided for a �veyear term. Inorder to bring about uniform elec

tions, we have to increase or decrease the term of Parliament andState Assemblies. Who would wantthe term of the House to be reduced? The ruling dispensationwould not like a reduction from �veyears and the Opposition would notlike an extension beyond �ve years.That’s why a consensus is an uphilltask.

Casting simultaneous votesAs regards logistical and administrative feasibility, simultaneouselections would be most convenient for the Election Commission.Since voters, polling personnel,and polling booths are all the same,it does not matter if the voter iscasting her vote for one election or

two or three. I have seen voterscasting seven votes at the sametime in elections in Kenya for sevendi�erent posts.

Feasibility aside, there is apprehension that whenever there is amajoritarian government at theCentre, any antiincumbency in theStates is likely to get neutralised ifsimultaneous elections are held.The Election Commission has suggested ways to cut short the duration of polls by making available theCentral Armed Police Forces — �vetimes more than what is providedto the Commission now. All thesefactors have to be thought throughbefore a consensus is worked out.

As told to Anuradha Raman

S.Y. Quraishi

is a former Chief

Election Commissioner

Holding simultaneous elections is certainly desirable but not feasible

IT'S

COMPLICATED





CMYK

A ND-NDE

CITY

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)on Thursday said that theBudget presented by the Union Finance Minister ArunJaitley is a proof of theCentre’s plan to exact “vengeance” on the Delhigovernment.

Reacting on the Budget,AAP’s newly swornin RajyaSabha MP Narain Dass Gupta, who is also a charteredaccountant by profession,said the middle class willbear the brunt of theCentre’s proposals.

Increased cess“Mr. Jaitley said the salariedclass have been given a deduction in tax. However, atthe same time, the cess hasbeen increased from 3% to4%, which means that theywill end up paying more,”Mr. Gupta said.

He also called out Mr. Jaitley’s claims that the Smalland Mediumsized Enterprises (SMEs) will bene�t.

“When the BJP government came to power in2014, they had claimed thatthey will phase o� the corporate tax. They havewrongly claimed that theSMEs will bene�t now. Thebene�t is going to go to largeindustries. In fact, for SMEs,liability will go up becauseof the increase in cess,” he

said.Senior AAP leader and

Delhi convener Gopal Rai also criticised the Budget, saying that if it had nothing forDelhi, which is the nationalCapital of the country, thenwhat would be the case forsmaller towns and cities.

“We just want to knowwhat bene�t has the country derived out of the Goodsand Services Tax [GST]? ViaGST, they were claiming tochange the face of the nation. At least, Delhi has notseen even a rupee’schange,” he said.

Mr. Rai also said that theDelhi government’s proposal of bringing 2,000 electric buses was also thrownout of the window by theCentre, and nothing wasdone to control pollution inthe city or to strengthen thelaw and order situationhere.

Middle class to bear bruntof govt’s proposals: AAP‘Proof of Centre’s plan to exact vengeance’

Staff Reporter

New Delhi

AAP leaders Gopal Rai andN.D. Gupta at a pressconference in the Capital.

* SHANKER CHAKRAVARTY

The Delhi Police have beenallocated �7,426.98 crore inthe Union Budget for thenext �scal, an increase of�1,048.8 crore from the lastyear’s Budget of �6,378.18crore, with �19.75 crore being set aside for the Nirbhaya Fund.

During 201718, �464crore was hiked comparedto the previous Budget. However, in the 201819 Budgetmore than �1,048 crore has

been hiked compared to the201718 Budget.

Police infrastructure Of the total amount allottedin the Budget, �460.95 crorehas been granted for policeinfrastructure, which comprises o�ce and residentialbuilding projects.

Last year, �28.90 crorewas set aside for enhancingmeasures for ensuring women’s security in the Capital, but this time only �19.75crore has been allotted.

“Last year, the Budget under the Nirbhaya Fund wasmore because it included expenditure on infrastructure.However, this year it doesnot include any expenditureon infrastructure,” said apolice o�cer. No newscheme has been announced in the Budget.

The Budget estimate hasput nonplan expenditure at�6,946.28 crore, a majorjump over the current �scal’s estimate of �5,910.28crore.

Delhi Police Budget allocation up

Nirbhaya Fund gets �19.75 cr; no new scheme announced

STAFF REPOTER

NEW DELHI

The Union government’sBudget for 20182019 hadcontinued the “stepmotherly treatment” for Delhi,Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Thursday.

Reacting to Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s Budget speech onThursday, Mr. Kejriwal saidin a tweet, “I had expectedsome �nancial assistance toimportant infrastructureprojects for national capital.Am disappointed thatCentre continues its stepmotherly treatment to Delhi[sic]”.

In another tweet, he said,“There is nothing for themiddle class and traders inthis budget. Completely ignored [sic].”

Manish Sisodia, who asDelhi Finance Minister hadasked the Centre for additional funds this year,termed the Budget “disappointing”. He said Delhi’sshare of Central taxes had

remained the same since20012002 at �325 crore,while the Budget of the Delhi government had increased from �8,739 crorethat year to �48,000 crore in20172018.

The Delhi governmenthad also asked for �1,000crore as a grant for local bodies, which was not in theBudget, said Mr. Sisodia. Headded that the AAP government had asked for the normal Central assistance to beincreased to �1,500 crore,but the Centre had allocated�449.99 crore — a �37 croreincrease from the previousyear. In all, the Budget forDelhi had been increased byonly 4.2%, said Mr. Sisodia.

In order to boost publictransport, he said the government had asked for aspecial package to buy2,000 electric buses. “Thiscould have played a majorrole in combating air pollution. Unfortunately, theCentre does not care for Delhi,” he said.

Stepmotherly treatmentto Delhi continues: CM

‘AAP govt’s request for grant goes unheard’

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI

DELHI Timings

Friday, February 02

RISE 07:09 SET 18:01

RISE 20:06 SET 08:26

Saturday, February 03

RISE 07:08 SET 18:02

RISE 21:09 SET 09:09

Sunday, February 04

RISE 07:08 SET 18:03

RISE 22:09 SET 09:48

As the Centre came out withbudget proposals on Thursday, the Delhi High Court remarked that investment onhealth care by the Union was

“minimal” leading to “overworked” and fewer doctorsin Staterun facilities. TheBench made the observations while hearing PILs onrise in attacks on doctors ingovernment hospitals here.

Doctors few, overworked: HC

Press Trust of India

New Delhi

Taking cognisance of the impact of stubble burning onair pollution in Delhi, UnionFinance Minister Arun Jaitley said that a scheme wason the anvil to address this.

“The region has been acause for concern. A specialscheme will be implementedto support the e�orts of thegovernments of Haryana,Punjab, Uttar Pradesh andthe NCT of Delhi to addressair pollution and to subsidise machinery required forin situ management of cropresidue,” he said in his address.

However, he spelt outneither a mechanism, nor abudgetary allocation. TheEnvironment Ministry’s

budgetary allocation hasn’tparticularly increased; it remains �2,675 crore like lastyear and a subhead — onpollution abatement — continues to be �20 crore thisyear, a tad less than �21 croreallotted last year.

Stubble burningUnion Environment MinisterHarsh Vardhan said in astatement that India’s“…scientists are also working to develop a viable process to handle stubble.”

Earlier this month, Dr.Vardhan had said that theCentre will launch a jointcampaign for two weeks,with the Delhi government,the New Delhi MunicipalCouncil, the Central Pollution Control Board and oth

er municipal agencies to sensitise people about airpollution. There will be ateam of 70 o�cers, led jointly by one o�cer each fromthe Ministry of Environment, Forest and ClimateChange, and one o�cerfrom the Delhi government.

For over a year now, thegovernment has been havingmeetings with EnvironmentMinisters of States surrounding Delhi to evolve a common action plan to deal withair pollution, which alsoworsened around winter.One of the reasons for thespike in pollution was particulate matter from Punjaband Uttar Pradesh due tofarmers burning stubble toprepare their �elds for thenext cycle of crops.


NEW DELHI

Jaitley proposes scheme to tackle air pollution

Expressing disappointment over the Budget presented on Thursday, DelhiCommission for Womenchief Swati Maliwal said,“Despite the country witnessing increasing childsexual abuse and havingwitnessed the rape of aneightmonthold baby, itdeeply pains me to notethat no measures havebeen announced to enhance the safety of womenand children.”

Maliwal‘disappointed’ Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI


The Delhi Jal Board onThursday approved the purchase of 200 sewercleaningmachines, construction oftwo new underground reservoirs and waiver of arrears on additional sewercharges for consumers inDwarka.

At a meeting chaired byChief Minister and Boardchairperson Arvind Kejriwal, the purchase of 200 tailormade machines to clean

sewers was given administrative approval. In a statement, the DJB said these machines will reduce humaninvolvement in cleaningdrains. The DJB also clearedregulations for sewercleaning.

With rising ammonia levels in the Yamuna hittingtreatment plants repeatedly, the DJB approved an additional line for raw waternear Haiderpur treatmentplant so that dependence onthe Yamuna can be reduced.

DJB nod for purchase of 200sewercleaning machinesStaff Reporter

New Delhi




CMYK

A ND-NDE

CITY

Talk: “Refashioning India: Gender, Me-dia and a Transformed Public Discourse”and launch of book by MaitrayeeChaudhuri at IIC, 6:30 p.m.

Talk: “Acupressure in Daily Life for Eld-ers” at IHC, 7 p.m.

Dance: IRCEN presents Kathak by Asav-ari Pawar at Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya,Paschim Vihar, 9 a.m., and Govt. Co.ed.Sr. Secondary School, Paschim Vihar, 11a.m.

Exhibition: “Of Miles and Me” - soloexhibition at IHC, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Exhibition: “Soul of Delhi” - solo exhibi-tion at IHC, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Exhibition: “Ruminating the Purple” artshow at Triveni Kala Sangam, 11 a.m.

(Mail your listings for this column [email protected])

DELHI TODAY

A Class IX student of a private school in Karawal Nagar was declared dead afterhe was found unconsciousin the washroom on Thursday morning, the policesaid, adding that he did nothave any external injuries.

They said a studentfound the boy (14) unconscious in the washroomaround 11 a.m. He was taken to a private hospital,which referred him to GTBHospital.

Student dead

Staff Reporter

New Delhi

South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor KamaljeetSehrawat on Thursday alleged that the Delhi government was trying to gain political mileage on the issue ofnoti�cation of 351 roads inthe city for mixed land use.

‘Unnecessary delay’In a joint media brie�ngwith SDMC Standing Committee chairperson Bhupender Gupta, Ms. Sehrawatsaid the Delhi governmentwas unnecessarily delayingthe noti�cation of 351 roads.

“A noti�cation was issuedby the erstwhile Ministry ofUrban Development on September 7, 2006, to notify thestreets after a survey undertaken by the local body toassess the extent of nonresidential activities in residential premises. Mixed useallows access to commercialactivities in residential premises and reduces the needfor commuting across zonesin the city,” the Mayor

added.Ms. Sehrawat said the lo

cal body conducted surveysand identi�ed 2,183 roads.The surveys were then forwarded to the Delhi government for noti�cation without imposing any condition.

Master Plan 2021“In 2007, when the MasterPlan 2021 was initiated, themunicipalities were asked tosurvey 355 roads. We weregiven 90 days to conduct thesurveys and submit them,”Ms. Sehrawat said.

‘Govt demand’She added that the Delhi government’s demand that thecivic bodies reassess theroads and submit a report isonly a way to delay the process of noti�cation.

“We will resubmit the report on Friday but this hasonly delayed what couldhave happened a monthago. We had taken 90 daysfor the survey and it wasdone properly,” sheclaimed.

SDMC blames govt For delay in noti�cation of 351 roads

Staff Reporter

New Delhi

Sonajharia Minz was onThursday elected presidentof the Jawaharlal Nehru University Teachers’ Association ( JNUTA), with her panelmaking a clean sweep of allthe posts.

Prof. Minz of the Schoolof Computer and SystemsScience secured 344 votes,while her opponent S. Srini

vasa Rao from the School ofSocial Sciences polled 195votes in the elections heldon Wednesday. The resultswere announce early onThursday morning.

JNUTA vice-presidents The new JNUTA vicepresidents are Devendra KumarChoubey, who polled 324votes, and Partho Datta,who secured 301 votes.

Staff Reporter

New Delhi

JNUTA gets new president

IN BRIEF

Duo held for robberyNEW DELHI

Two men have been arrested

for allegedly stabbing and

robbing a businessman of

�24,000 at Mahila Mangal

Road late on January 24, the

police said on Thursday.

Dakshinpuri residents Jahid

Khan (30) and Madar Khan

(26) planned the robbery to

start start their own business,

the police said. STAFF REPORTER

Minor shoots himself NEW DELHI

A boy (14) who was allegedly

depressed shot himself in the

chest with his father’s pistol

around 6.30 p.m on Sunday in

Adarsh Nagar, the police said

on Thursday. He survived as

the bullet missed his heart.

STAFF REPORTER

Man dead, teenager heldNEW DELHI

A day after he was allegedly

hit by a speeding car driven by

a boy (17) in Rohini, Manjit

(25) died on Wednesday, the

police said on Thursday. The

teenager has been

apprehended. STAFF REPORTER

Boys held for hit-and-runNEW DELHI

Four minors have been

apprehended in connection

with a hitandrun case

reported from Hauz Khas last

week, the police said on

Thursday. Two women had

sustained injuries in the

incident. The accused are

school students. STAFF REPORTER

Twentyone students of agovernment school allegedly fell ill after consumingiron tablets in east Delhi’sChilla Village on Thursday,hospital authorities said.

Severe stomach acheThe students of SarvodyaBal Vidyalaya in east Delhi’sMayur Vihar complained ofsevere stomach ache afterconsuming iron tablets gi

ven to them during thelunch hour.

All the students were taken to Lal Bahadur ShastriHospital.

Discharged “We received 21 children inbatches and all of them wereill. They are out of dangerand were discharged aftertreatment,” said Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital MedicalSuperintendent Amita Saxena.

21 students fall ill After consuming iron tablets STAFF REPORTER

New Delhi


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

SHOWCASE

“My brother is ill and I was worried about it. I have just wrappedup a shoot so I thought of spending time with my family,” says Sanjai Mishra as he settles for a conversation at his residence inVaishali, Ghaziabad. The unsunghero of many blockbusters is �nally getting his due with meaty rolesbeing o�ered to him. “I haveworked in some good �lms andnow there is a responsibility toperform better,” says Mishra as hesips his tea. With a spark in hiseyes, the actor is capable of bringing credibility to whatever role heplays. And playing a protagonist,he says, is like winning a game.“Tell me one actor who is not acharacter,” he questions the labelling of actors in Hindi �lm industry.“A lot of time has gone into makingpeople aware that I am more thanjust a character artist. I want to dowork that will de�ne me. I havegone through every kind of highsand lows; I know life better and ithelps in my performances,” re�ects 54yearold actor. “Though Ihate the tag of being underrated,still I fear to be overrated, as therewill not be any challenges for methen, and I do not want that.”

Mishra loves imbuing his characters with eccentricities. “Q. Q.Qureshi from Bunty Aur Bablipushed me to a level where Ishared the screen with a star likeRani Mukerji. After that I did a series of characters which becamepopular with people. People stilldon’t know me by my name. Theycall me by the name of my characters like Babli Bhai from Golmaal.That is a positive sign.” He assertsthat blurring of the rigid dividecharacter actors and a convention

al protagonist is a healthy changefor the industry. “We never tookout time to know about the lives ofsocalled character actors likeKader Khan, Asrani, Tinu Anandand many others as we were toomuch obsessed with stars. In thatway, we have not celebrated cinema as we should have,” remarksthe actor who has recentlywrapped up Hardik Mehta’s Ka-myaab.

For him, the credit goes to newstories and story tellers that arechanging the industry. “In a �lmlike Talvar, where you have a reallife situation, you cannot have superstars. The makers have to lookfor faces which you watch in yourdaily life,” analyses Mishra.

Surely, he is now an importantcog in his �lms, as he proved as anold Hedu in Kadvi Hawa and as alecherous Vice Chancellor in

Anaarkali of Aarah but it is thetruth seeking character of Aank-hon Dekhi that remains closest tohim. He has a story to share toabout the �lm. “I started belonging to a school of thought whichdoes �lms for earning as I neverthought of myself as someone whocan act in such intelligent �lms.Those who make such �lms do notrespect masala �lms. But there arepeople like Rajat Kapoor who areobserving you amidst all this.When I was shooting for PhasGaye Re Obama with him, he toldme ‘tumhare liye kuchh likh rahahoon’ (I am writing something foryou). I was awestruck. After tendays, he still had the same ideawith him. I realised that he is serious,” relates Mishra.

It was surprising for him for bythen Mishra had become used to“bechare ko dekho” kind of res

ponse from his peers as he was notgetting the desired response forhis small but eyecatching performances. “It was a line I used tohear many times, which actuallyworked in favour of me, as I usedto motivate myself through that.When I came to Mumbai, television industry was �ourishingwhich helped me �nancially. I hada diary which Raj Babbar gave me.It had addresses of all the production houses and I used to roamwithout thinking much.”

Birth of a character

His powerful portrayal of Everyman has won over audiencesacross the spectrum. He knows alarge section of audience can identify with him. “It gives me comfortbecause I am a normal personwith normal sensibilities, problems and pressures. I don’t have

to make an e�ort to look normalon screen,” chuckles Mishra.

His training in theatre helpshim in maintaining the equanimity and �lling di�erent shades inthis common man. “I did not startacting by doing it but I learnt it bywatching my Drama school seniors such as Pankaj Kapur, PiyushMishra, Tigmanshu Dhulia and Irfan Khan. When I perform, I getthe reaction instantly from theproduction crew, which is mysmall audience,” re�ects the National School of Drama alumnus.He insists that a �lm takes shapewhen the director communicateshis vision to the actor. “I do notusually read my scripts as I rely onthe director’s vision. If a director isable to show what he has in hismind, a large part of actor’s workis done. Then it is up to the actor’scraft as to how he executes it with

his techniques. When both actorand director are on the same page,they become collaborators in thebirth of a �lm.”

When he was growing up, hepreferred cinema over any othercreative forms. “I used to have aCanon A1 still camera with which Iused to click a lot. I still rememberwatching Sai Paranjpye’s Sparsh,Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali andUstad Vilayat Khan’s music was very dear to me as my father wasfond of classics,” recalls Mishra. “Iwas very much aware of the visuallanguage which helped me in acting. I always discuss colours, lens,miseenscene and lighting withcamerapersons.”

Sense of humour

For every other �lm, he has developed a certain new way to entertain people as humour comesnaturally to him. He has the abilityto laugh on himself and perhapsthat re�ects in the quirkiness ofcharacters that he plays. Though ithas given him recognition, Mishrais against any sort of typecasting.“These roles came to me bychance and there was no e�ortfrom my side. Humour is something you can relate to because itgoes with the stereotypes andbiases that you carry or watcharound you. You cannot create it,you can only pick it by experience.And one can �nd it in every situation, even death. I am not happywith the present trend of arti�cialgagbased humour as it does notlive for long,” laments Mishra.

With fame came advisors. “I donot know when I became Sanjaysir from Sanju. Many people askedme to hire a PR agency. I knew Iam not a hero material but I didnot know what I could do with thisface. I am happy now with what Ihave.” He wants to remain a regular guy, connected with the grassroots. “I can travel by train, meetanyone on the road and go wherever I can. This is my stardom. Iam like this and I want to die likethis. I always watch myself from athird angle, and introspect,” Mishra trails o� like my of his endearing characters.

The serious side of Sanjai Mishra Known for getting into the skin of characters, the actor talks about his rise from sidelines to centre-stage

Atif Khan

The endearing everyman: Sanjai Mishra says his stardom lies in his ability to connect with the common man * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

<> We never took out time to

know about lives of the

so-called character actors

like Kader Khan, Asrani,

Tinu Anand and many

others as we were too

much obsessed with stars.

In that way, we have not

celebrated cinema as we

should have

Big B to start �lmingfor "Jhund”

Amitabh Bachchan willstart shooting for his upcoming project Jhund,from midFebruary.

Amitabh wrote on hisblog that the schedule forThugs Of Hindostan willlast till midFebruary afterwhich he would startshooting for Nagraj Manjule’s �lm.

“Most of the day isspent in getting the spineand shoulder to be somewhat functional so thatwhen work starts tomorrow and it starts at nighttill morning on Thugs OfHindostan. There is somemobility for me to be ableto perform,” Big B wrote.

“So, this schedule laststill midFebruary and thenon to the next �lm calledJhund... in Hindi, whichfor those language challenged, means a bunch ofpeople,” he added.

The cine icon, 75, saidthat the �lm is about abunch of slum children.

“The people here are abunch of slum kids whomeet the guy who takesthem from a life of misdeeds to one of responsible nature and character.A biography in a sense. Itis the life of a living humanwho actually did this andit’s in Pune from. Yeah, as Isaid, midFebruary,” headded. IANS

SHORT TAKE


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CMYK

A ND-NDE

NATION

The government on Thursday expressed its objectionto award the death penaltyto child abusers, rapists andpaedophiles, saying “deathpenalty is not an answer foreverything.”

Appearing before a Benchled by Chief Justice of IndiaDipak Misra, Additional Solicitor General P.S. Narasimha, for the government, saidthe POCSO Act classi�eschild abuse into sexual harassment, sexual assault andaggravated sexual assault.

The law provides for varying levels of punishment foreach crime against children.For child harassment, it isimprisonment of up to threeyears, �ve years’ imprisonment for sexual assault and10 years to life imprisonment for aggravated sexualassault.

The government was responding to a submission byPIL petitioner in person, advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, to change the punishment for a child rapist todeath penalty.

The case concerns the“brutal” sexual assault of aneightmonthold child in the

National Capital, who, underthe orders of the SupremeCourt on January 31, wasshifted to AIIMS for intensivecare.

POCSO casesThe court responded by initiating a review of the pendency of cases currently under the Protection ofChildren from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. It askedthe petitioner to provide details of pendency of POCSOcases by March 12.

It decided to look into thelarger issue of disposal ofPOCSO cases within a prescribed deadline and strictpunishment. The POCSO Actcalls for the setting up ofspecial courts to fasttrack

trial in cases of child assault.The hearing came 24

hours after a deeply concerned Supreme Court, inan urgent hearing, directeda team of two specialists torush to the eightmontholdadmitted to a private hospital with a special ambulanceto transport her to premierAIIMS to provide her specialcare.

The government informed the Bench on Thursday that her parents hadbeen given an interim compensation of �75,000. OnWednesday, both the government and the SupremeCourt expressed their concern for the child.

Govt. against deathpenalty for child rapePetitioner moves SC after assault on 8-month-old in Delhi

Krishnadas rajagopal

New Delhi

Against an atrocity: A �le photo of an activist protestingagainst rape in New Delhi. * AFP

Beckoning investors: A young woman takes a sel�e under umbrellas put up as a part of a beauti�cation drive for the comingAdvantage Assam, a global investors' summit, in Guwahati on Thursday. * PTI

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Advantage Assam

ED �les chargesheetagainst Virbhadra, wifeNEW DELHI

The Enforcement Directorate

on Thursday filed a

supplementary charge sheet

against former Himachal

Pradesh Chief Minister

Virbhadra Singh and wife

Pratibha Singh in a money

laundering case. The case is

an offshoot of the

disproportionate assets case

filed against the two.

IN BRIEF

Infant’s severed headfound on rooftopHYDERABAD

The severed head of an

unidentified infant was found

on the terrace of a house at

Chilka Nagar in Uppal on

Thursday. Police have sent

the head for autopsy. They

believe the baby must be two

or three months old. Police

are looking into the human

sacrifice angle in view of the

lunar eclipse that occurred on

Wednesday.

Nationalist Congress Party(NCP) leader A.K. Saseendran was sworn in as Minister in the Pinarayi VijayanCabinet on Thursday evening. At a simple and brieffunction held at the Raj Bhavan here, Kerala Governor P.Sathasivam administeredthe oath of o�ce and secrecy to Mr. Saseendran.

Mr. Saseendran, who washolding the Transport portfolio, resigned from the Cabinet on March 26 last yearfollowing the broadcast of asexually explicit conversation that he allegedly hadwith a woman journalist. Hehas returned to the Cabinetafter being cleared of thecharge by the Chief Judicial

Magistrate, Thiruvananthapuram. NCP president SharadPawar had cleared the Stateunit’s proposal to renominate Mr. Saseendran to theLDF Ministry.

Speaking to mediapersons, Mr. Saseendran saidhis priority would be tosolve the vexed issues facing

the transport sector of theState and to pay salaries andpension of the Kerala StateRoad Transport Corporationsta� and pensioners.

HC notice to govt.The Kerala High Court onThursday issued notice tothe State government on apetition questioning the Thiruvananthapuaram ChiefJudicial Magistrate Courtverdict discharging Mr. Saseendran from the case relating to outraging the modesty of a woman journalistand engaging her in lewdconversations. The court directed the State governmentto �le a statement in response to the allegationraised in the petitions.

(With inputs from Kochi)

Saseendran returns as Minister He was cleared of sexual misconduct charge by CJM


THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

A.K. Saseendran

The CBI on Thursday �ledthe �rst chargesheetagainst Dera Sacha Saudachief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh and two doctors for alleged castrationof his followers at Sirsa.

The Dera chief is serving a 20year jail term after his conviction in tworape cases.

The doctors arraignedin the case are M.P. Singh,a resident of Delhi’s MayurVihar, and Pankaj Garg,from Panchkula in Haryana.

They have been accused of castrating RamRahim’s followers at hisinstance.

Chargesheet�led againstDera chief


New Delhi

In a tragic incident, a 25yearold woman gave birthto a baby when she wasforced to walk down the corridors of the governmentdistrict hospital here: the infant died after falling to the�oor.

The woman allegedly didnot get a stretcher evenwhen she expressed her inability to walk.

Civil Surgeon of Betul District Hospital A.K. Barangasaid that Neelu Verma, resident of Ghodadongri, wasbrought to the Betul hospitalafter she started having labour pains. Dr. Baranga admitted that there was a major lapse on the part of thesta�. “Not providing astretcher and forcing her towalk despite the fact that shewas in labour is a seriouscase of carelessness,” he

said. An inquiry would beheld and action would be taken against erring employees, Dr. Baranga said.

The exact cause of the infant’s death would be knownafter autopsy, he said.

Vikas Verma, the woman’s husband, said no doctor was present at the primary health centre inGhodadongri due to a government holiday, so theyhad to rush to Betul.


Betul

Forced to walk, woman gives birth to baby

No violation in releasingSanjay: Mumbai HCMUMBAI

The Bombay High Court on

Thursday said that there had

been no violation in releasing

actor Sanjay Dutt from

Yerwada Jail, after being

convicted for his role in the

1993 bomb blasts case. A PIL

petition stated that the

remission granted to Mr. Dutt

was “wrong and illegal”.

11 goats allegedly killedby leopard in OdishaBERHAMPUR

Eleven goats were allegedly

killed and around 15 injured

by a leopard, near

Athagadapatna village in

Ganjam district of Odisha.

Villagers allege that a leopard

had attacked the goats on

Wednesday while the animals

were grazing inside the

Nageswar forest. Forest

officials have taken the

allegation seriously as in the

past a leopard had been

spotted in the area.


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK

A ND-NDE




NEWS

FROM PAGE ONE

Ms. Raje said, “I congratulate the winning candidates and welcome them tothis celebration of democracy.”

Better in Bengal In contrast to the drubbingin the west, the BJP foundsolace in the east where itconsiderably increased itsvote share. While TMC’sUluberia candidate SajdaAhmed won by a margin of4.74 lakh votes, BJP candidate Anupam Mallick camesecond with 2.93 lakh votesand Left FrontsupportedCPI(M) candidate Sabiruddin Molla managed only 1.38lakh votes

The bypolls were necessitated after the death of AlwarMP Mahant Chand Nath,Ajmer MP Sanwar Lal Jatand Mandalgarh MLA KirtiKumari last year.

Soon after the triumph,Mr. Pilot demanded ChiefMinister Raje’s resignationon moral grounds. “The people have saved democracyby rejecting the BJP's policyof caste polarisation. Besides proving people’s faithin the Congress, this mandate is also against theCentre’s demonetisation,GST implementation andeconomic slowdown,” Mr.Pilot said at a press conference here.

Congress sweepsRajasthan bypolls

Justice S.A. Bobde, the seventh seniormost judge andin line to be the Chief Justiceof India, gets a share of cases on medical/engineeringadmissions and transfer.Justice Rohinton Nariman’sBench has also been givencases of establishment andrecognition of educationinstitutions.

The rosters of the four seniormost judges who calledthe joint press conferencelargely remain the same.

Justice Chelameswar includes labour, matters pertaining to judicial o�cers,simple money and mortgage cases, land acquisition,consumer protection, criminal cases, among others.Justice Gogoi has been allocated labour cases, company law, contempt of court,personal law, criminal matters, among others. JusticeLokur would continue tohear ecological matters andsocial justice cases.

The publication of such aroster is a �rst in the historyof the court. The move follows a decision of a Constitution Bench led by ChiefJustice Misra declaring theChief Justice of India’s dominance as the master of theroster in order to protect theSupreme Court from “anarchy”. The �vejudge Bench,on November 10 last year,proclaimed it was the ChiefJustice’s sole prerogative todecide what case has to beheard by which judge.

The new roster showsthat CJI has kept the PIL jurisdiction entirely to theBench he is presiding over.

Cases on medical and engineering college admissions/transfer cases, allocation of 15% allIndia quota inmedical admissions/transfers and establishment andrecognition of educationalinstitutions would be heardby Justice Arun Mishra’sBench.

CJI brings out a roster to allot cases

Prime Minister NarendraModi hailed the Union Budget 201819 as farmerfriendly, common citizenfriendlyand developmentfriendly.

He said it focussed on theneeds of rural areas and paidattention to all sectors, fromagriculture to infrastructure.

“It will give pace to the development of the country...the government is focussed not just on ‘ease ofdoing business’ but also on‘ease of living’,” he said.

Speaking about Ayushman Bharat Yojana, aimed atgiving the poor up to �5 lakh

a year for treatment, he said:“The scheme is a pathbreaking initiative to provide quality and a�ordable healthcare. It will bene�t approxi

mately 50 crore Indians. Thescale of this scheme is unparalleled and it will bring a paradigm shift in our healthsector.”

Ensuring quality care“It will help them get rid ofthe worry of incurring costto get quality treatment. Itwill help 10 crore families(4550 crore people),” hesaid. This would be the biggest governmentfundedhealth care scheme in theworld.

Mr. Modi said his government would soon announcemeasures to address nonperforming assets and the

‘stress account’ issues of themicro, small and mediumenterprises (MSME) sector.“For a long time, MSMEsfaced a lot of burden on thetax front. In this Budget, wehave also reduced the corporate taxes that MSMEs owe.Now, they have to pay only25% tax instead of 30%,” hesaid.

“This Budget strengthensthe hopes of 1.25 crore Indians... Our farmers haveproduced record [amountsof ] grains and vegetables. Tostrengthen farmers further,we have taken several important steps,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)

It’s peoplefriendly, says Modi ‘It focusses on the needs of rural areas and pays attention to all sectors’

Narendra Modi


NEW DELHI

Congress president RahulGandhi said the Modi government, even after fouryears in o�ce, was still promising fancy schemes andfair prices to farmers.

Former Prime MinisterManmohan Singh told ameeting of Opposition parties that issues such as unemployment, farm distressand education were so serious that it merited a separate discussion in Parliament.

Former Finance MinisterP. Chidambaram describedthe budget as “defeatist” anda “let down” for failing to undertake bold reforms.

“4 years gone; still promising FARMERS a fair price. 4years gone; FANCY

SCHEMES, with NO matching budgets. 4 years gone; noJOBS for our YOUTH. Thankfully, only 1 more year to go.#Budget2018,” is how Mr.Gandhi reacted on Twitter.

Mr. Chidambaram saidthe government had “runout of ideas” to address keychallenges such as job creation, agriculture revival, improving exports and investments and managing �scalconsolidation. “It is a defeatist Budget. I think they havethrown in the towel. It is abudget of a governmentwhich has conceded that ithas failed to address key issues in the economy,” Mr.Chidambaram said at theCongress press conference.

He said the government’sannouncement of a healthprotection scheme was a

“big jumla” (gimmick) as theit did not make su�cientprovisions. “Can anyoneshow where will the moneycome from,” he asked.

Congress communicationhead Randeep Surjewalasaid if 5 crore familiesclaimed half the promisedamount, the governmentwould need �12 lakh crore,or 60% of India’s Budget, injust one scheme. He contested the government’s claim ofthe Budget being profarmer,and said the Economic Survey admitted that the statusof the Indian farmer had notchanged in the past fouryears.

On the imposition of additional customs duties, hesaid the spirit of Mr. Modi’sspeech in Davos had beenforgotten in a few days.

Govt. still relying on fancy

schemes, says CongressSpecial Correspondent

New Delhi

The Union government �nally moved to end the practice of Members of Parliament arrogating salary risesto themselves with FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley in hisbudget proposing a law tostandardise the salary andprovide for an automatic revision every �ve years by indexing it to in�ation.

The salaries of the President of India and the VicePresident have been increased to �5 lakh and �4lakh a month respectively soas to rectify an anomaly.The Governors, too, will geta rise in their salaries thatwere last revised in 2006.

Mr. Jaitley said there hadbeen considerable publicdebate on the emolumentspaid to MPs, and the practice allowing them to �x

their own emoluments raninto criticism. “I am, therefore, proposing necessarychanges to re�x the salary,constituency allowance, of�ce expenses and meetingallowance payable to MPswith e�ect from April 1,2018,” he said.

Accordingly, MPs willnow draw a basic salary of�1,00,000 (up from�50,000), The constituencyallowance will go up from�45,000 to �70,000, and thesecretarial costs from�45,000 to �60,000.

Jaitley gives MPsa salary raise Move to ensure revision every 5 years

Special correspondent

NEW DELHI

MPs will now draw a basic salary of �1 lakh.

Minister of State for Scienceand Technology and TeluguDesam Party (TDP) leaderY.S. Chowdary on Thursdaytermed the 201819 UnionBudget “deeply disappointing. ”

The Minister’s commentcomes days after TDP president and Andhra PradeshChief Minister ChandrababuNaidu said last week: “Weare maintaining ‘Mitra Dharma’ with BJP but if it doesnot want to continue withthe alliance, we will go onour own.”

“We are de�nitely nothappy. It is a deeply disappointing Budget. They havenot even completed commitments they made in theAP Reorganisation Act. Wewere expecting a railwayzone, additional funds formetro and delimitation and

so on,” Mr. Chowdary toldThe Hindu.

However, Mr. Chowdarymade it clear that they werenot yet ready to break the alliance. “We have to resolvethe issues by deliberationand discussions and not byquitting the debate,” hesaid.

The TDP ParliamentaryParty is scheduled to meeton Sunday to discuss issuesincluding voters’ feedbackon alliance with the BJP.

TDP terms Budget‘deeply disappointing’ Minister’s remark re�ects strain in ties

SOBHANA K. NAIR

NEW DELHI

Y.S. Chowdary

When the BJP failed to makeit to triple �gures in the Gujarat Assembly polls held recently, a senior Minister involved in the elections hadtermed it an e�ect of “ka-paas” (cotton) rather thanPAAS (Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti).

The message, he said, wasvery clear — it was rural distress and lack of remunerative prices for farm producethat had seen the oppositionCongress sweep the countryside, while the BJP squeakedpast the winning post on theback of urban voters.

With elections due at theend of the year in BJPruledMadhya Pradesh, Rajasthanand Chhattisgarh and two ofthese States having seen veryaggressive farmers’ agitationon remunerative prices, itwas obvious that the Budgetwould have a rural, agriculture focus.

The Budget for 201819 appeared to be addressing that

political gap. The other political takeaway was the longterm programme of the BJPto move away from being anupper caste, upper class party to usurping what till now

was termed the Congressand socialist parties’ votebank of the rural and urbanpoor.

The announcement of ahealth insurance scheme for

10 crore households of up to�5 lakh has the capacity tospawn a huge narrative of inclusion from a governmenttaking forward from programmes such as the subsi

dised LPG scheme andUjjwala.

Health schemeFinance Minister Arun Jaitleysaid in his speech that thehealth insurance schemecould be universalised in future — another very powerfulidea in a country wherehealth costs are prohibitiveand attacks on doctors andhospitals for huge bills increasingly common.

The cut in corporate taxrates for small and mediumenterprises to 25% , coveringall but 7,000 businesses inthe country is the third aspect of this narrative. Notquite the ‘pakoda seller’ butthe small scale entrepreneur,who has a great capacity tocreate jobs, is being given atax break. In this propoor,profarmer, prosmall enterprise narrative an interestinghighlight is the restitution oflong term capital gains tax.The government and the ruling party appears keen toproject that not only does it

care for the farmers and thepoor, it is also not shy of taxing the rich, especially on itsspeculative income on thebourses.

“This was the year to bellthe longterm capital gainstax issue,” said a senior Minister. “It cannot be that thesalaried classes be taxed andrich people investing in themarket are not taxed on theirpro�ts,” he said.

It is however, with regardto the salaried middle classthat some of the narrativecould come unglued. Thestandard deduction of�40,000 on travel and healthexpenses haven’t quitemasked the disappointmentof no major changes in thepersonal income tax slabs.No answers could be foundon whether there would beearly general elections in thisbudget.

“With a �scal de�cit targetupwardly revised by only 30basis point, to be 3.3% this ishardly a reelection budget,”said a senior Minister.

Centre reads ground signals from GujaratRural focus in Union Budget comes ahead of Assembly elections in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

Nistula Hebbar

NEW DELHI

Joint e�ort: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with his Cabinet colleagues and o�cials,leaving North Block in New Delhi on Thursday to present the Budget. * V. SUDERSHAN

Presiding over a meeting of17 nonNDA parties in Parliament, Congress leader SoniaGandhi on Thursday calledfor Opposition unity on issues of national importance.

“We should altogetheradopt a common approachand strategy both inside andoutside Parliament,” Leaderof the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azadquoted Ms. Gandhi as saying.

While almost all the majorOpposition parties were inattendance, the Bahujan Samaj Party was a notable absentee. The Aam Aadmi Party was not invited.

Thursday’s meeting camethree days after NationalistCongress Party chief SharadPawar hosted a tea party forOpposition leaders at his residence. Since Rahul Gandhi’s takeover as the Congresschief, other parties such as

the Trinamool Congress andthe NCP have been stressingthe proven leadership oftheir leaders like Mamata Banerjee and Mr. Pawar.

At Thursday’s meeting,Mr. Pawar spoke soon afterMs. Gandhi, and �agged issues such as “the attack onthe Constitution, allowingforeign direct investment tothe detriment of Indian businesses and pushing for simultaneous elections”.

The communal clashes in

Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj also�gured at the meeting. “Wehave to be very careful as faras the ideology of hate isconcerned, and there arerampant incidents of violence across the country oncaste and religious lines.Constitutional institutionsare being undermined,” Ms.Gandhi said.

Mr. Rahul Gandhi, whospoke towards the end of thetwoandhalf hour meeting,said the Opposition parties

may have di�erences in theStates but at the Centre theyhad a common aim to defeatthe BJP. Important economicissues such as in�ation, highfuel prices, unemploymentand farm distress were discussed.

Bypoll winSources told The Hindu thatthe Opposition memberswere upbeat after the Congress won two Lok Sabhaseats and one Assembly seatin the bypolls in Rajasthanand the Trinamool won thebypolls in Bengal. Leaders atthe meeting included formerPrime Minister ManmohanSingh, Mr. Pawar, RLD’s AjitSingh, National Conferencechief Farooq Abdullah, Trinamool’s Derek O’Brien, D.Raja of the CPI, RamgopalYadav of the Samajwadi Party and Mohammed Salimand T.K. Rangarajan of theCPI(M).

Sonia seeks Opposition unityCalls for common approach and strategy both inside and outside Parliament

One aim:UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at a meeting withOpposition leaders in New Delhi on Thursday. * R.V. MOORTHY

Sandeep Phukan

New Delhi

Prime Minister NarendraModi walked up to congratulate Finance Minister ArunJaitley soon after he concluded his nearly twohour budget speech in the Lok Sabhaon Thursday.

Mr. Jaitley was the man ofthe moment as several of hisCabinet colleagues came tocongratulate him.

Railway Minister PiyushGoyal and Minister of Statefor Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha — both believed to be partof the Modi government’seconomic team — trooped infor an impromptu analysis.

Opposition members didnot bother with such pleasantries. But the suspendedBiju Janata Dal member Baijayant Panda walked over to

speak to the Finance Minister and shook hands withthe Prime Minister.

There were interesting sidelights even when Mr. Jaitley was delivering hisspeech. Congress presidentRahul Gandhi was seenbreaking into short conversations with his colleaguesJyotiraditya Scindia and Kamal Nath. But when Mr. Jait

ley started talking about histax proposal, he was seentaking notes. Oppositionmembers were quite disciplined, except when the Finance Minister said the government would givefarmers the minimum support price more than oneandahalf times the inputcost. All Opposition members stood up to protest thisstatement.

Shatrughan Sinha of theBJP, seated in the fourth rowof the middle column, wasusing sign language to talk tohis party colleague HemaMalini. As Sangeeta Jaitley,wife of the Finance Minister,watched him spell out hisplans from the visitors’ gallery, BJP MP from Assam R.P.Sharma was vying for attention with slogans like Jai Ho!

Jaitley gets an attentiveHouse; Rahul takes notesSpecial Correspondent

New Delhi

Security personnel checkingBudget papers. * R.V. MOORTHY

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which cancelled the FCRA licence ofthe Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), thecountry’s largest publichealth advocacy group lastyear, has now allowed theNGO to receive foreignfunds by “prior permission.”

Its noti�cation said theMinistry of Health and Family Welfare has contributed�65 crore towards the corpus fund of the foundationfor setting up Indian Institutes of Public Health fromits budget.

The noti�cation also saidthat PHFI had been running�ve such institutes andworking with several Stateand some departments ofthe Central government toexecute some health pro

jects. To allow such projectsto continue, the MHA said,“PHFI shall have to obtainprior permission before acceptance of each contribution.”

The noti�cation also saidthat PHFI should utilisesuch foreign contributionslying unused in its bank accounts strictly in accordance with the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act(FCRA), 2010.

The NGO was barredfrom receiving foreign fundson the ground, among others, that it used foreign contributions to lobby parliamentarians, the media andthe government on tobaccocontrol issues, which “isprohibited under theFCRA.”

The Bill and MelindaGates Foundation (BMGF) isa major contributor to theNGO.

Curbs were imposed on PHFI last year


New Delhi

NGO allowed toreceive foreign funds

Calling the Budget “labourunfriendly,” RSSa�liatedlabour organisation Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) isplanning to organise a countrywide protest against it.

In a statement, the BMSsaid though the Budget hadgiven more thrust to ruraldevelopment, agriculture,health and infrastructure, ithad “totally neglected thewoes of labourers.”

“Middle class employeesare unhappy with no in

crease in their ceiling for taxexemption; at the sametime, the cess on income taxis increased from 3% to 4%,”the statement said.

The organisation alsocriticised the disinvestmentplan announced by FinanceMinister Arun Jaitley.

“There is no provision forrevival of viable sick publicsector units. Instead, the government is focussing its attention on strategic sale of24 PSUs,” BMS general secretary Virjesh Upadhyaysaid.

RSS a�liate to protestagainst BudgetSpecial Correspondent

New Delhi


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK




NEWS

India’s annual �nancial allocation to Nepal for 201819has nearly doubled underthe Union Budget presentedon Thursday.

The External A�airs Ministry has been allocated a total�15,011 crore, which indicates a marginal increase of�1,321 crore over the previous year’s grant.

For India’s developmentand diplomatic engagementunder the ‘NeighbourhoodFirst’ policy, the Budget hasallocated �5545 crore. Bhutan is traditionally the largestrecipient of Ministry’s allocation.

It has maintained thesame position even as the allocation increased by �71crore to touch �2,650 crore.

More for MyanmarHowever, the giant leap in allocation was for Nepal,which received �650 crore

from the Ministry. Thisyear’s allocation is the thirdconsecutive and the largestincrease.

In 201617, Nepal received�332.72 crore, which was increased to �375 crore lastyear. At �280 crore, Myanmar’s allocation too has improved from �220 crore oflast year.

Rehabilitation workFormer Indian Ambassadorto Nepal Ranjit Rae said thebudgetary increase was alikely step ahead from the Indian commitment to helpNepal recover from the 2015earthquake.

“The budgetary increaseindicates it is likely to coverthe earthquake reconstruction fund that was in the pipeline for some time and wasdiscussed with the Nepaleseleaders,” Mr. Rae said.

A senior researcher fromthe Ministry’s think tank, Research and Information Sys

tem for Developing Countries (RIS), said on conditionof anonymity that the Terairoad network and railway

connectivity plans were alsolikely to get a part of the increased allocation.

Large allocation has also

been made for the prominent cultural arm of the Ministry, the Indian Council ofCultural Relations (ICCR),which has received an increased allocation of �20crore to touch a total �255crore.

Funds for varsitiesHowever, the new initiativesfor building infrastructure inChabahar and the Seychelleshave also been granted allocations of �150 crore and�350 crore respectively.

South Asia University, amajor educational initiativefor the South Asian region,has received �375 crore andthe Nalanda University got�200 crore.

Indicating the evolvingpolicies of the government,the Ministry has made no allocation for the Haj.

The government had allocated �12.13 crore in 2016’17.There was no allocation forHaj last year too.

Nepal gets a high �650 crore outlayBut Bhutan continues to be the largest recipient of the External A�airs Ministry’s allocation

Kallol Bhattacherjee

NEW DELHI

Neighbourhood �rst: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at thePashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. * FILE PHOTO

The Union Home Ministryhas been allocated�92,679.86 crore, an increase of 10.5% over that of201718, with a special emphasis on improving infrastructure of the police forces.

The Delhi police, whichmaintain law and order inthe national capital, hasbeen allocated �6,946.28crore. A sum of �1,750 crorehas been allocated for thedevelopment of border infrastructure.

During 201718, the HomeMinistry got �83,823.30crore, according to the Budget papers.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which isengaged in antimilitancyoperations in Jammu andKashmir and the northeastern States and often deployed on internal securityduties, has been allocated�20,268 crore as against�18,720.08 crore in 201718.

The Border SecurityForce (BSF), which guardsthe borders with Pakistanand Bangladesh, has been allocated �17,118.64 crore, asagainst �16,188.74 crore in201718.

The total allocation to the

Central Armed Police Forces, including the CRPF, theBSF, the IndoTibetan Border Police, the Central Industrial Security Force,Sashastra Seema Bal, AssamRi�es and the National Security Guard, is �62,741.31crore, compared with�58,148.80 crore in 201718.

The Intelligence Bureau,responsible for gathering internal intelligence, has beenallocated �1,876.44 crore,�6.26 crore less than thesum given last �scal.

The Special ProtectionGroup, responsible for thesecurity of the Prime Minister and the former Prime Ministers and their familymembers, has been allocated �385 crore as against�389.5 crore in 201718.

A sum of �4,289.05 crorehas been allocated for thedevelopment of police infrastructure, including theconstruction of barracksand residential quarters andthe purchase of vehicles andarms and ammunition.

Nirbhaya FundA total of �100 crore hasbeen earmarked for Nirbhaya Fund to protect the safety of women, while �81.75crore has been allocated for

the National Emergency Response System and prevention of cybercrimes againstwomen and children.

For the modernisation ofthe police force, �897.29crore has been earmarked,and �864.10 crore has beenallocated for the NationalDisaster Response Force(NDRF).

NDRF is often deployedfor rescue and relief of people hit by natural and manmade disasters.

Propagation of HindiAn allocation of �551.14crore has been made forcensus operations, �100crore for the special industry initiative for Jammu andKashmir, �75.45 crore for thepropagation of Hindi and�1,139.67 crore for grantsinaid to the Stategovernments.

Among the Union Territories, Andaman and NicobarIslands has been allocated�4,523.86 crore. Chandigarhwill get �4,084.83, Dadraand Nagar Haveli �1,114.44crore, Daman and Diu�773.49 crore and Lakshadweep �1,360.31 crore. Delhihas been given �790 croreand Puducherry �1,476crore.

It gets �92,679 cr. this �scal against �83,823.30 cr. in 201718


New Delhi

10.5% hike in allocationfor Home Ministry

Justice D.Y. Chandrachud onThursday sharply respondedto a submission by petitioners challenging the Aadhaarscheme that unless the judges agreed to their point ofview they risk being branded“Aadhaar judges” 25 yearsdown the line.

“If that is the impression,so be it; I would better like tobe known as a nationalistjudge … What is this way ofsaying that either you arewith me or you will bebranded as Aadhaar judge?We, as judges, are only answerable to our conscienceand not anyone here,” Justice Chandrachud orally retorted at senior advocateShyam Divan, arguing for thepetitioners.

Justice Chandrachud, whoauthored the majority judgment for the ninejudge Con

stitution Bench whichupheld privacy as a fundamental right, criticised Mr.Divan for indulging in “hyperbole” in his submissions.

World Bank debunkedThe faceo� came shortly after Mr. Divan, in his submissions, countered JusticeChandrachud’s remarksabout reports showing thatthe World Bank has endorsed the Aadhaar project.

Mr. Divan, seconded by advocate Vipin Nair, respondedby dismissing as “completelywithout basis and demonstrably incorrect” theCentre’s claims that theWorld Bank has estimated asaving of $11 billion per annum and that an agency likeWorld Bank is independentand would not engage inpu�ery.

Mr. Divan had earlier referred to the Aadhaar project as a “giant electronicleash” which reduced individuals to mere numbers. Hehad portrayed the spread ofAadhaar use as a way to a“totalitarian State”.

“You can’t argue yourcase on hyperbole. That'snot the way to argue a constitutional case,” Justice Chandrachud addressed the petitioners’ lawyer.

He made his displeasureclear about the tone, attitude

and tenor in which the petitioners have been addressing the Constitution Benchled by Chief Justice of IndiaDipak Misra.

“The moment, we askquestions, we are attacked asif we are committed to anideology or anyone. If that isso, I plead guilty to thecharge. We are not here defending the government norare we going to follow anyNGO line,” Justice Chandrachud said.

In the daylong hearing,senior advocate Kapil Sibalintervened to remark thatthe government throughAadhaar was imposing a“one nation one identity”norm on free citizens.

But Justice A.K. Sikri saidthe problem was the population of the country and a certain lack of integrity leadingto duplication of identity records and fraud.

SC raps Aadhaar petitionersAs judges, we are only answerable to our conscience, says Justice Chandrachud

D.Y. Chandrachud

Legal Correspondent

NEW DELHI

CPI(M) general secretarySitaram Yechury called theUnion Budget a classic caseof “jumlanomics” and alleged that it had beendressed up as a “propeople” budget.

“The budget actuallycontracts governmental expenditure, it means reduction in governmental expenditure, which meansgreater unemploymentand greater misery for vastmajority of working people,” Mr. Yechury said.

He also panned thehealth insurance scheme.

Mr. Yechury added thatwhile the government tomtommed it as a profarmerbudget, the farmers havegot no relief.The minimumsupport price is only forthe upcoming Kharif crop,he said.

Budget is‘jumlanomics’,says Yechury


New Delhi

Months after it arrested ninepersons with �36 crore inscrapped �500 and 1,000notes and accused them ofhaving links to the terrorfunding racket in Jammuand Kashmir, the NationalInvestigation Agency (NIA)on Thursday informed a special court that the suspectswere not involved in the terror �nancing.

The agency had recently�led a charge sheet in theJ&K terror funding case butdid not charge the suspects.

The special NIA court ordered the release on bail ofthe nine suspects, who havebeen in jail for the past threemonths.

An NIA o�cial told thecourt that the nine persons

had collected the moneywith the intention of exchanging it.

The suspects could not explain how they planned toexchange the old currency,the o�cial said.

The NIA arrested sevenpeople from New Delhi onNovember 6 with 28 cartons,

in four vehicles, �lled withscrapped notes. The othertwo men were arrested inSrinagar the same day. A total of �36.34 crore in oldnotes was seized from them.

NIA said the “crime” didnot fall in the category of offences that the agency ismandated to probe.

NIA withdraws terrorcharges against 9 suspects It had arrested them with �36 cr. in demonetised notes

Not legal tender: The NIA had seized 28 cartons of scrappednotes in New Delhi on November 6. * FILE PHOTO


New Delhi

The government on Thursday deferred the implementation of the eway billsystem because of the“technological glitches”faced by the businessesand the transporter community on the �rst day ofthe rollout.

“In view of the di�culties faced by trade in generating eway bill due to initial technological glitches,it has been decided to extend the trial phase forgeneration of eway bill,both for inter and intraState movement of goods,”the Central Board of Exciseand Customs tweeted.

However, the government did not clarify howlong the trial will last. “It’llbe applicable from a dateto be noti�ed,” it said.

“The portal has beendown since 12 noon. ewaybill has much wider implication and applicability inthe whole business ecosystem, therefore its stability is important to ensurecompliance,” Archit Gupta,founder and CEO, ClearTax, told The Hindu.

Under the GST regime,all consignments worth over �50,000 moving over 10km from their origin willrequire prior registrationand generation of an ewaybill through the GST network. The system is aimedat helping authorities keeptrack of all taxable goodsand detect potential taxevasion.

Pratik Jain, Partner &Leader, Indirect TaxPwCIndia said: “This is precisely what Industry was concerned about. It is goodthat the government hasbeen quick to defer it.”

The government had seta 15day window for trials.

Centre putseway bill on hold


NEW DELHI

The BJP got a shot in thearm in Tripura with theIndigenous Peoples Frontof Tripura Tipraha (IPFTTipraha) leaders announcing their group’smerger with the party onThursday. The leadersjoined the BJP in the presence of State election incharge Himanta BiswaSarma and organisationincharge Sunil Deodhar.

The IPFTTipraha wasa breakaway group of themain IPFT, which had already aligned with theBJP in nine of the 20 tribal reserved seats in theAssembly polls.

IPFT leadersjoin BJPin Tripura

SYED SAJJAD ALI

AGARTALA

The Supreme Court collegium on Thursday made public the names of persons ithas recommended for appointment as Chief Justicesof 10 High Courts.

The recommendationshave been made for the HighCourts of Delhi, Meghalaya,Chhattisgarh, Calcutta, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala andManipur. The collegium hasrecommended Justice Aniruddha Bose, a senior judgeof the Calcutta High Court,for appointment as the ChiefJustice of the Delhi HighCourt.

While Chief Justice of theChhattisgarh High Court Justice T.B. Radhakrishnan hasbeen recommended to betransferred to the Telanganaand Andhra Pradesh HC, Justice Dinesh Maheshwari,Chief Justice of MeghalayaHC, has been proposed forthe post of Chief Justice ofthe Karnataka HC. The nameof Justice Tarun Agrawala,the seniormost judge of theAllahabad High Court, hasbeen approved for appointment as the Chief Justice ofthe Meghalaya High Court.

The apex court also invoked a provision of theMemorandum of Procedure(MoP), which is yet to be �nalised, for recommending

appointment of the ChiefJustices of the Calcutta andKerala High Courts. The noti�cation said the collegiumhad recommended thenames of Acting Chief Justices of Calcutta and Kerala HCs— Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharya and Justice AntonyDominic respectively — asChief Justices of their ownHigh Courts consideringtheir retirement was due thisyear.

“It is made clear that thecollegium while making theabove recommendation isconscious of the fact that Justice Jyotirmay Bhattacharyahails from Calcutta HighCourt and is due to retire inSeptember this year,” it said.

Justice Abhilasha Kumari,a Gujarat High Court judge,has been recommended tobe appointed as the ChiefJustice of Manipur HC. Thename of Justice Ajay KumarTripathi of the Patna HighCourt has been proposed forappointment as chief justiceof Chhattisgarh HC, whileJustice Surya Kant has beenrecommended for elevationas chief justice of the Himachal Pradesh HC. Justice AjayRastogi, a judge of the Rajasthan High Court, has beennominated as Chief Justice ofthe Tripura court. The collegium has also recommendedtransfer of Guwahati HighCourt judge Justice Hrishikesh Roy to Kerala.

Acting Chief Justices of Calcutta and Kerala HCs to be made permanent


New Delhi

Collegium reveals its CJ choices

Fresh cease�re violationon Thursday forced theclosure of schools alongthe Line of Control (LoC) inthe Pir Panjal Valley’s Rajouri. The Army also foiledan in�ltration bid in theTangdhar sector in northKashmir.

An o�cial spokesmansaid the �ring by Pakistanitroops started at 7.45 a.m.in Rajouri’s Lam and Pukharni areas. The �ring andshelling forced the authorities to close down 71schools close to the LoC.

A Srinagarbased Armyspokesman said a group offour terrorists attempted toin�ltrate in Tangdhar.“They were engaged withheavy �re and were seenrunning away into the jungles towards the LoC.”

Army foilsin�ltration bidin Kashmir

Peerzada Ashiq

Srinagar

The Central government hasproposed changes to variousprovisions of the Preventionof Money Laundering Act(PMLA) through the FinanceBill, including a crucialamendment that empowersthe Special Court to restorecon�scated assets to therightful claimants even during the trial.

Welcoming the decision,Enforcement Directorate

chief Karnal Singh told The

Hindu that the amendmentswould make the implementation of PMLA moree�ective.

The amendment to Section 8(8) allows the SpecialCourt, if it deems �t, to consider the claims for the purposes of restoration of suchproperties also during thetrial. Earlier, the assets couldbe restored only after completion of the trial. “It willhelp provide quick relief in

cases involving public money, including Ponzi scams,”said a senior o�cial.

The government has introduced a new SubSection(2) of Section 66, making itmandatory for the ED toshare relevant details withother agencies. “In case wecome across any information that can be pursued byother agencies, it will haveto be shared with the agencyconcerned for necessary action,” said the o�cial.

Devesh K. Pandey

NEW DELHI

Government proposes keyamendments to PMLA


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK




WORLD

‘Need to take U.K.-Chinaties to a new level’BEIJING

Chinese President Xi Jinping

told British Prime Minister

Theresa May on Thursday

that their countries should

take trade ties to “a new

level” as London scouts the

globe for fresh partnerships

after its contentious EU exit.

Ms. May held talks with Mr. Xi

at the Diaoyutai State Guest

House. AFP

ELSEWHERE

Indian-origin ex-CEOindicted for briberyWASHINGTON

Parimal D. Mehta, former

CEO of the Detroitbased

FutureNet Group Inc., has

been indicted for his alleged

role in orchestrating a

scheme to bribe a city o�cial

to obtain “preferential

treatment”. He made cash

payments to Charles Dodd,

exDirector of the city’s

O�ce of Departmental

Technology Services,

between 2009 and 2016. PTI

Pak. Minister, wifefound deadKARACHI

The bulletriddled bodies of a

senior Sindh Province

Minister and his wife were

found on Thursday at their

home in Karachi. Sindh

Minister for Planning and

Development Mir Hazar Khan

Bijarani, 71, and his wife,

former lawmaker Fariha

Razzaq, were found lying in a

pool of blood in the bedroom

at their home, police said. PTI

Polish lawmakers passHolocaust BillWARSAW

Polish lawmakers approved a

Bill on Thursday that would

impose jail terms for

suggesting that Poland was

complicit in the Holocaust,

drawing outrage from Israel,

which denounced “any

attempt to challenge

historical truth”. The Senate

voted on the Bill in the early

hours of Thursday. Reuters

A district court in Myanmarrejected bail on Thursdayfor two Reuters journalistsaccused of violating thecountry’s colonialeraO�cial Secrets Act.

In proceedings, a lawyerfor the two journalists toldthe court that documentspolice said were found intheir possession when theywere arrested containedinformation that waspublicly available innewspaper reports.

Wa Lone, 31, and KyawSoe Oo, 27, had worked onReuters coverage of a crisisin Rakhine State, where anarmy crackdown oninsurgents that started onAugust 25 has triggered the�ight of nearly 6,90,000

Rohingya Muslims toneighbouring Bangladesh,according to the UnitedNations.

‘Secret documents’The reporters weredetained on December 12after they had been invitedto meet police o�cers overdinner in Yangon.

They have told relativesthey were arrested almostimmediately after beinghanded some documents ata restaurant by two o�cersthey had not met before.

Police Major Min Thant,one of the arresting o�cers,on Thursday submittedwhat he said were secretdocuments seized from thetwo reporters to the districtcourt in Yangon that ishearing the case.

Myanmar court refusesbail to journalists Reuters

YANGON

A man threw a petrolbomb at the lakesideYangon compound ofMyanmar’s leader AungSan Suu Kyi on Thursday,o�cials said, a rare attackon a national �gureheadwho enjoys strongdomestic support.

There was little damagecaused by the attack, KyiToe, an o�cial from herNational League forDemocracy (NLD) party,wrote in a Facebookposting. Ms. Suu Kyi washeld for long years at thehouse by the former junta.

Suu Kyi’s villaattacked

Agence France-Presse

Yangon

Afghanistan has given Pakistan confessions and otherproof showing that the militants who carried out a recent series of attacks weretrained in Pakistan and thatTaliban leaders there are allowed to roam freely, Afghano�cials said on Thursday.

Interior Minister WaisAhmed Barmak told a newsconference that the evidence was presented at ameeting a day earlier in thePakistani capital, Islamabad.Afghanistan’s spy chief, Masoom Stanekzai, also attended the meeting, along withsenior Pakistani military andintelligence o�cials.

Mr. Stanekzai, addressing

the same news conference,said Afghanistan laid out itsproof and asked Pakistan totake action to prevent further attacks. A Pakistani delegation is due in Kabul on Sa

turday, said Mr. Stanekzai. Nearly 200 people have

been killed over the pastmonth in attacks claimed bythe Taliban and a rival Islamic State a�liate.

“The Taliban, with theseactions, cannot call themselves a political organisation,” Mr. Stanekzai said.“They are a terrorist organisation... We expect action,not just talk,” he added.

The Afghan o�cials saidsome of the latest evidencecame from confessions bycaptured militants. Theysaid they told the Pakistaniside that some of the militants had been trained at Islamic seminaries in the Pakistani border town ofChaman.

Afghan o�cials say it shows the attackers were trained there

Associated Press

Kabul

Wais Ahmad Barmak,Afghanistan’s InteriorMinister. * AP

‘We’ve presented Pakistanwith evidence on militants’

The head of Britain’s schoolsregulator, OFSTED, has given her strong backing to anIndianorigin headmistressof a state primary school inLondon who has courtedcontroversy over her attempt to ban girls under theage of eight from wearingthe hijab in class.

She warned that some,under the “pretext of religious belief”, were trying to“actively pervert the purpose of education… to narrow young people’s horizons, to isolate andsegregate and in the worstcases indoctrinate impressionable minds with extre

mist ideology”. AmandaSpielman, the Chief Inspector of OFSTED, on Thursdayvoiced her “full support” forNeena Lall, the head teacherat St. Stephen’s School in theeast London borough of Newham. “Schools must havethe right to set school uniform policies as they see �t,in order to promote cohesion,” she said, condemningthe abuse the school and Ms.Lall had been subject to.

Everyone in educationhad a duty to promote “muscular liberalism” rather thana “passive liberalism thatsays ‘anything goes’ for fearof o�ence”, she said. “Occasionally, that will mean taking uncomfortable decisions

or having tough conversations… And it means schoolsmust not be afraid to call outpractices, whatever theirjusti�cation, that limit youngpeople’s experiences andlearning in school.”

The school’s decision tobring in the ban, as part of awider review of school policy, was subsequently reversed, but has attractedmuch attention nationally.Over 19,000 people signed apetition calling on Ms. Lall toreverse the ban on hijabs forunder eight year olds andfasting for students at theschool, while Ms. Lall andthe school were also subjectto a social campaign, comparing her to Hitler.

U.K. education regulatorbacks teacher in hijab rowIndianorigin headmistress tried to ban headscarf at school

Vidya Ram

LONDON

The White House was working on Thursday to clear therelease of a secret Republican memo alleging FBI biasagainst U.S. President Donald Trump, an administration o�cial said, disregarding a warning from the topU.S. law enforcementagency.

As White House legal andnational security experts reviewed the document, theSenate’s No. 3 Republican,John Thune, urged hisHouse of Representativescolleagues to allow the Senate Intelligence Committeeto review the document andto heed the FBI’s concernsbefore they made it public.

Democrats have calledthe fourpage memo misleading, based on a selectiveuse of highly classi�ed dataand intended to discredit

Special Counsel RobertMueller’s criminal probe into potential collusion between the Trump campaignand Russia to help him winthe 2016 presidential election. The document wascrafted by Republicans onthe House Intelligence Committee, and commissionedby Devin Nunes, the panel’sRepublican chairman.

Top House Democrat

Nancy Pelosi, on Thursdaysent a letter to RepublicanHouse Speaker Paul Ryancalling for Mr. Nunes to beremoved as chairman, saying Mr. Nunes had acted dishonestly in altering the memo. The committee’s seniorDemocrat, Adam Schi�, lateon Wednesday said he haddiscovered that Mr. Nuneshad sent the White House aversion of the memo thatwas “materially altered” andnot what the panel voted onMonday to release. “This action is not only dangerous, itis illegitimate, and violatesHouse rules,” Ms. Pelosisaid.

The FBI on Wednesdayexpressed “grave concerns”about omission of facts inthe memo. Justice Department o�cials have also saidreleasing the memo could jeopardise classi�edinformation.

Trump likely to clear memo’srelease despite FBI’s concernsDocument suggests abuse of power by intelligence agencies


Washington

Congressman Devin Nunes,who wrote the memo. * AFP

Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid is all set to be reelected following his nomination by the ruling AwamiLeague party. The Constitution allows a President toserve two terms.

The ruling party’s general secretary Obaidul Quader announced Mr. Hamid’snomination after a meetingof the party’s Parliamentary Board, chaired byPrime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on Wednesday. As theparty has an absolute majority in Parliament andthe Opposition has not�elded any candidate, Mr.Hamid’s reelection is acertainty.

The �rst term of Mr. Hamid, who took o�ce in2013, ends on April 23 thisyear. The presidential election, in which MPs vote inParliament, is to take placeon February 18.

PresidentHamid set tobe re-elected

Haroon Habib

Dhaka

The British industry is calling on the government toraise the annual cap on thenumber of nonEU workersable to gain work visas, aswell as an end to the government’s migration target, after it emerged that the caphad been hit two months in arow.

Recent Home O�ce datarevealed that the monthly limits in both December andJanuary for the number ofTier 2 visas available (the government has an annual capof 20,700) had been reachedfor the �rst time since October 2015, despite a recent hikein the minimum salary forapplicants. This had knockon consequences for industry, including the National

Health Service (NHS), withseveral trusts reporting thatthey had been unable to recruit some of the doctorsthey had hoped to.

“Hitting the cap and limiting skilled workers comingto work from across theglobe damages U.K. competitiveness,” warned Neil Carberry of the Confederationof British Industry.

Growing labour market “If the U.K. is to make a success of Brexit and build a truly global Britain, then thenonEEA migration systemmust be �t for purpose. Anend to the net migration target and a rise in the cap to re�ect our growing labourmarket, is required to helpbusinesses grasp new opportunities for growth.”

Under the Tier 2 (general)system — the most commonly used work route for Indianworkers into the U.K. — oncethe monthly cap is reached,further certi�cates of sponsorship are allocated basedon a pointsbased system,depending on whether work

for an occupation on the o�cial shortage list is being applied for, whether the workis PhD level, and also on thebasis of salary.

The result is that those innonshortage occupationsneed higher salaries —£55,000 in December, and£46,000 in January. Applicants for Tier 2 visas mustearn at least £30,000 underrecent changes, and£20,800 for graduate recruits or under 26s.

The Confederation’s is nota lone voice. “The Tier 2 capis absurd. It causes the U.K.to reject the brightest andbest the government says itwants to attract,” warned Dr.Sarah Main, executive director of the Campaign forScience and Engineering,earlier this month.

‘U.K. needs more skilled migrants’Industry asks govt. to raise annual cap on the number of nonEU work visas

Neil Carberry of theConfederation of BritishIndustry.

Vidya Ram

London

The faces of the men halfburied in the mass graves hadbeen burned away by acid orblasted by bullets. Noor Kadir could only recognise hisfriends by the colours oftheir shorts.

Mr. Kadir and 14 others,all Rohingya Muslims, hadbeen choosing players forthe soccerlike game of chinlone when the gun�re began. By the time the soldiersstopped shooting at theMyanmar village of Gu DarPyin, only Mr. Kadir and twoteammates were still alive.Days later, Mr. Kadir foundsix of his friends lying amongthe bodies in two graves.

They are among morethan �ve mass graves, all previously unreported, thathave been con�rmed by TheAssociated Press throughmultiple interviews withmore than two dozen survivors in Bangladesh refugeecamps and through timestamped cellphone videos.

The Myanmar government regularly claims massacres like Gu Dar Pyin neverhappened, and has acknowledged only one mass gravecontaining 10 “terrorists” inthe village of Inn Din. The recent �ndings, however, suggest not only the military’sslaughter of civilians but thepresence of many moregraves.

Genocide in Rakhine?The graves are the newestpiece of evidence for whatlooks increasingly like a genocide in Myanmar’s western Rakhine State against theRohingya. Satellite imagesobtained by the AssociatedPress from DigitalGlobeshow a village decimated.

Community leaders havecompiled a list of 75 dead sofar, and villagers estimatethe toll could be as high as400, based on testimonyfrom relatives and the bodiesthey’ve seen in the gravesand strewn about the area.Almost every villager interviewed by the AssociatedPress saw three large massgraves at Gu Dar Pyin’snorthern entrance, near themain road, where witnessessay soldiers herded andkilled most of the Rohingya.

Survivors said soldiersplanned the August 27 attack, and tried to hide whatthey had done. Thousands ofpeople from the area hiddeep in the jungle, strandedwithout food except for theleaves and trees they tried toeat. From about 10 milesaway, another group of villagers watched from a mountain as Gu Dar Pyin burned,the �ames and smoke snaking up into the sky.

Five new mass graves foundin Myanmar’s RakhineEvidence from village gives more information on atrocities against Rohingya

Associated Press

Balukhali refugee camp,

Bangladesh

Witness to a massacre: Noor Kadir from the Gu Dar Pyinvillage in Myanmar, among the survivors of an army operationon August 27. * AP


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK

A ND-NDE

SPORTEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE



Mesut Ozil commits to three-year Arsenal dealLONDON

German playmaker Mesut

Ozil ended speculation over

his future at Arsenal by

agreeing to a new three-year

deal with the Premier League

club on Thursday. “3 more

years with @Arsenal! It’s

been one of the most

important decisions of my

footballing career and that’s

why I had to think hard and

talk with everyone who’s

important to me,” Ozil, 29,

posted on his Instagram

account. AFP

IN BRIEF

Pakistan finishes thirdafter washoutQUEENSTOWN

Two-time champion Pakistan

claimed third position at the

ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup

2018 after its third-fourth

position playoff match

against Afghanistan was

washed out on Thursday

without a ball being bowled,

here on Thursday. Pakistan

and Afghanistan were in

Group D and though

Afghanistan beat Pakistan in

its opener, Pakistan topped

the group after Afghanistan

lost to Ireland in its last

group match.

Bangladesh — 1st innings:Tamim Iqbal b Dilruwan 52,Imrul Kayes lbw b Sandakan40, Mominul Haque c Mendisb Herath 176, MushfiqurRahim c Dickwella b Lakmal92, Liton Das b Lakmal 0,Mahmudullah (not out) 83,Mosaddek Hossain cSandakan b Herath 8, MehediHasan run out 20, SunzamulIslam st. Dickwella bSandakan 24, Taijul Islam bHerath 1, Mustafizur Rahmanc Dickwella b Lakmal 8; Extras(nb-4, w-5): 9; Total (in 129.5overs): 513.

Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-120, 3-356, 4-356, 5-376, 6-390, 7-417, 8-475, 9-478.

Sri Lanka bowling: Lakmal23.5-4-68-3, Kumara 15-1-79-0, Dilruwan 27-4-112-1,Herath 37-2-150-3, Sandakan22-1-92-2, Dhananjaya5-0-12-0.

Sri Lanka — 1st innings:Dimuth Karunaratne c Kayes bMehedi 0, Kusal Mendis (bat-ting) 83, Dhananjaya de Silva(batting) 104; Total (for onewkt. in 48 overs): 187.

Fall of wicket: 1-0.

Bangladesh bowling:Mustafizur 7-1-31-0, Sun-zamul 15-1-52-0, Mehedi 8-0-45-1, Taijul 17-3-56-0,Mosaddek 1-0-3-0.

SCOREBOARD

Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen scored within 11 secondson Wednesday to overshadow Alexis Sanchez’s Premier League debut for Manchester United, whileChelsea crashed to a 30 defeat at Bournemouth.

Manchester City ignoredthe carnage around it tomarch serenely on, widening its lead to an enormous15 points with a 30 victory at

home to West Brom with just13 games still to play.The results: Chelsea 0 lost toBournemouth 3 (Wilson 51, Sta-nislas 64, Ake 67).

Everton 2 (Walcott 25, 39)bt Leicester 1 (Vardy 71-pen).

Manchester City 3 (Fernan-dinho 19, de Bruyne 68, Aguero89) bt West Brom 0.

Newcastle 1 (Lascelles 65)drew with Burnley 1 (Vokes 85).

Southampton 1 (Stephens64) drew with Brighton 1 (Mur-ray 14-pen).

Stoke 0 drew with Watford0.

Tottenham 2 (Eriksen 1,Jones 28-og) bt Man United 0.


London

Out of my way! Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen, who scoredwithin 11 seconds against Manchester United, pushes pastAlexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard, right. * REUTERS

Spurs pull a fast one on Man United

Desperate for a victory to remain in contention for a topfour place, Mumbai City FC�nished on the losing side atthe Mumbai Football Arenaagainst Jamshedpur FC.

The home team madeamends for a �rsthalf selfgoal from Sanju Pradhan byclawing back through Everton Santos late into the second half but was shatteredwhen Bikash Jairu slotted thewinner for the visitor.

The hardfought 21 winraised ISL debutant JFC intofourth place, after six wins in14 games, while the hometeam remains in sixth placeafter three defeats in a row atthe MFA.

MCFC cannot be faultedfor lacking in intent but striker Balwant Singh seemed tohave kept his scoring bootsbehind, headers from closerange went wide or were

saved by Subrata Paul ingoal. Achille Emana ran tirelessly and slipped superbpasses in vain.

JFC went ahead with somehelp from the home team defenders. Sanju Pradhanrushing back to clear a ballgoing goalwards found hislob go inside. FarrukhChoudhary had created panic weaving his way in and

took a leftfooted shot,which struck a retreating defender’s foot and lobbed up.

Balwant got three clearopportunities in the secondhalf. Two snap headers �ewwide, leaving the strikerclutching his hair in desperation, and one header wascollected by Subrata. Emanaset up the fourth chancewith a swivel past markers

and tapped for Balwant tobring Thiago Santos into action at the left post. But Subrata got in the way.

Brazilian defender GersonViera wore the captain’sarmband as skipper LuicanGolan was benched. MarcioRosario played in the middleof the defence.

These two hulks werekept busy by Farrukh andIzu Azuka and they tookshots at target. AmrinderSingh saved the �rst but thenext went wide.

JFC faced a bit of anxietywhen Balwant charged downthe left �ank. Subratastepped back and allowedhis defender to deal with thethreat, at the expense of acorner kick. Thiago skippedpast a tackle and chargedforward and Souvik Chakrvarthy’s decision to halt theMFC forward in brutal wayearned him a yellow card.

The result: Jamshedpur FC 2(Sanju Pradhan 37-og, BikashJairu 84) bt Mumbai City FC 1(Everton Santos 79).

The debutant climbs to fourth place in the ISL table

Nandakumar Kumar

MUMBAI

Surging ahead: Farrukh Choudhary excelled for Jamshedpurwith some nice dribbles and shots at goal. * ISL/SPORTZPICS

Jamshedpur stuns Mumbai

INDIA IN SA

PREMIER LEAGUE

ISL

The ICC’s quarterly meetings of the Board and Committees will be held in Dubaion February 8 and 9. Amongother items on the agenda,the ICC board is likely toconsider applications forthe post of an independentwoman director.

ICC meetingson Feb. 8 & 9


Mumbai

Dhananjaya de Silva strucka century and shared 187runs in an unbroken secondwicket stand withKushal Mendis as Sri Lankagave a strong reply to Bangladesh in the �rst cricketTest here on Thursday.

de Silva made an unbeaten 104 while Mendis hit 83not out, guiding Sri Lankato 187 for one at stumps onthe second day.

de Silvamakes merry

Agence France Presse

Chittagong

Captain Virat Kohli struck astylish century to lead Indiato a comfortable sixwicketvictory over South Africa inthe �rst OneDay International on Thursday and endthe hosts’ 17match winningstreak on home soil.

India amassed 270 for fourto reach the target with 27balls to spare at Kingsmeadafter South Africa captain Fafdu Plessis, who won the toss,scored 120 of his side’s 269for eight.

A record 189run thirdwicket partnership betweenKohli, who made 112, andAjinkya Rahane (79) set upIndia’s victory in the openinggame of the sixmatch series.

Kohli reached his 33rdODI hundred o� 105 ballswhile Rahane’s �amboyantknock came o� 86 balls.

Their stand was the highest for the third wicket in anODI at Durban, beating atwodecadeold mark heldby Pakistan, and ensured India eased to victory withplenty to spare.

Earlier, opting to bat,South Africa got o� to a patient 30run start before Jasprit Bumrah’s sharp inswinger trapped opener HashimAmla in front. du Plessis andwicketkeeper Quinton deKock (34) shared a 53run secondwicket stand beforeYuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep crippled the hosts withsome excellent bowling.

The South African skipperstarted well by punishing

pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumarfor three consecutive boundaries as the secondwicketpartnership �ourished before legspinner Chahalstruck with the wicket of deKock, trapped in front. Chahal jolted the hosts furtherwith the wicket of AidenMarkram, thanks to a brilliant catch from HardikPandya.

Kuldeep joined the partywith the quick dismissals ofJeanPaul Duminy and DavidMiller even as du Plessislooked comfortable drivingKuldeep for a couple of runsthrough extra cover.

Flummoxed

Duminy found the goingtough against the chinamanbowler before a googly,which kept low, brokethrough his defence to leavethe hosts at 122 for four.

Miller, who walked innext, also struggled againstKuldeep and all he couldmanage was a drive to skipper Kohli, who completed agood catch diving forward atshort cover.

From 134 for �ve, du Plessis and Chris Morris (37)piled on the runs to takeSouth Africa to a betterthan

expected total, and hand asellout crowd hope, but stillsigni�cantly short of a winning score.

du Plessis, who survived afew close chances beforereaching his century with asingle o� Bhuvneshwar Kumar, raised a 56run partnership in the company of Andile Phehlukwayo (27 notout). The skipper fell in the �nal over of the innings, holing out to longo�.

Kuldeep Yadav was thepick of the Indian bowlers,�nishing with �gures of threefor 34 in his 10over spell.

India had won eight of itsprevious nine ODIs chasingdown a target, and Kohli felthis side was always in with achance of doing so again.

“It was a special knock forme because the �rst game ofa series is always important.When we restricted SouthAfrica, we knew we neededone partnership to e�ectively take us home,” said Kohliat the presentationceremony.

The second game of theseries is at Centurion in Pretoria on Sunday. South Africatops the ICC ODI team rankings while India is second.

Kohli, Rahane help India draw �rst bloodThe two put on a record 189-run partnership to end South Africa’s 17-match winning streak at home

REUTERS

DURBAN

True to reputation: Virat Kohli yet again proved that he is a master of the chase, scoring asuperbly paced century, his 33rd in ODIs. * REUTERS

SC to hear Sreesanth’splea on February 5NEW DELHI

The Supreme Court has

agreed to hear on February 5

an appeal filed by cricketer S.

Sreesanth against a Kerala

High Court verdict that

restored the life ban imposed

on him by the BCCI in the

wake of the 2013 IPL spot-

fixing scandal.

A bench headed by Chief

Justice Dipak Misra directed

that the case be listed for

hearing before an appropriate

bench according to the roster

after the matter was

mentioned before it. PTI

South Africa: Quinton de Kocklbw b Chahal 34 (49b, 4x4),Hashim Amla lbw b Bumrah 16(17b, 1x4), Faf du Plessis cPandya b Bhuvneshwar 120(112b, 11x4, 2x6), AidenMarkram c Pandya b Chahal 9(21b), J-P. Duminy b Kuldeep 12(18b, 1x4), David Miller c Kohli bKuldeep 7 (7b, 1x4), Chris Mor-ris b Kuldeep 37 (43b, 4x4, 1x6),Andile Phehlukwayo (not out)27 (33b, 1x4, 1x6), Kagiso Ra-bada run out 1 (1b), MorneMorkel (not out) 0 (0b); Extras(lb-3, nb-1, w-2): 6; Total (foreight wkts. in 50 overs): 269.

Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Amla, 7.3overs), 2-83 (de Kock, 14.6), 3-103 (Markram, 20.4), 4-122(Duminy, 25.5), 5-134 (Miller,27.5), 6-208 (Morris, 40.4), 7-264 (du Plessis, 49.2), 8-268(Rabada, 49.5).

India bowling: Bhuvneshwar10-1-71-1, Bumrah 10-0-56-1,Pandya 7-0-41-0, Chahal 10-0-45-2, Kuldeep 10-0-34-3,

Jadhav 3-0-19-0.

India: Rohit Sharma c de Kock bMorkel 20 (30b, 2x4, 1x6),Shikhar Dhawan run out 35(29b, 6x4), Virat Kohli c Rabadab Phehlukwayo 112 (119b,10x4), Ajinkya Rahane c Tahir bPhehlukwayo 79 (86b, 5x4,2x6), Hardik Pandya (not out) 3(6b), M.S. Dhoni (not out) 4(3b, 1x4); Extras (lb-6, w-11): 17;Total (for four wkts. in 45.3overs): 270.

Fall of wickets: 1-33 (Rohit,6.3), 2-67 (Dhawan, 12.2), 3-256 (Rahane, 42.4), 4-262(Kohli, 44.3).

South Africa bowling: Morkel7-0-35-1, Rabada 9.3-0-48-0,Morris 7-0-52-0, Tahir 10-0-51-0, Phehlukwayo 8-0-42-2,Duminy 2-0-16-0, Markram2-0-20-0.

Toss: South Africa.

Man-of-the-match: Kohli.

India won by six wkts. with 27balls to spare to take 1-0 lead insix-match series.

SCOREBOARD SOUTH AFRICA VS INDIA, FIRST ODI


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK

A ND-NDE




SPORT

SUDOKU

Solution to puzzle 12229 Solution to yesterday’s Sudoku

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

A day is said to be divided into �ve parts for worship — abhigamana, upaadaana, ijya, svaadhyaya and yoga. One has toget up early and prepare for worship (abhigamana). Upaadaana means collecting all the materials needed for worship. Uncavritti, that is obtaining rice grains as bhiksa, is apart of upaadaana. Ijya is actual worship of the Lord. Svaadhyaya is the study of the scriptures. Yoga means meditationand when we lie down to sleep, we should do so in an attitude of meditation.

There are rules governing how one lies down to sleep andhow one should rise from bed, said Valayapet Ramachariarin a discourse. Before sitting down to eat, we should washour feet. But we should not wipe our feet dry. Again, whenwe go to bed, we should wash our feet, but we must wipethem dry. We see how meticulously Lakshmana followedthis rule. Before Rama goes to sleep in the forest, Lakshmana washes and wipes His feet.

But why should there be such rules regarding sleep?Sleep is when the atma reaches the Paramatma. In a state ofdeep slumber, the Jivatma loses its sense of identity andrests in the Paramatma. It does not mean that the Jivatmamerges with the Paramatma. Nor is it the state wherethrough jnana a Jivatma reaches the feet of the Paramatma.That is a permanent state. What happens during sleep istemporary. When the person wakes up, he gets back hissense of identity and his mind and indriyas begin to function again.

So, when one wakes up, one should not get up in a hurry.One should sit up as gently like a pregnant woman who ismindful of the baby she carries in her womb. One should situp for a few minutes and only then should one rise.

FAITH

Slumber and meditation 2 One boy returns without

Eastern morals (5)

3 Tool makes one almost agile

(7)

5 Possible to accommodate

sailor in base (6)

6 Practices reel regularly at

vehicles (9)

7 Red vase smashed by those

who escape (7)

8 Frail newt ran to start

commotion with sibling (9,4)

14 Charmed at gate by daughter

(9)

17 Leaves from Spanish band,

returns (7)

19 Faces six wise men (7)

20 Bishop formerly

condescending, ends apology

(7)

21 Tenant parks ship in shelter in

the East (6)

24 Stranger to overdose with

revolutionary Communist (5)

11 Members, irrational, surround

chamber (6)

12 Monarch’s taxes are high for

long time (8)

13 Clocks German man at holiday

property (9)

15 Mother protects �rst seed of

South Africa tree (5)

16 Redacts, removes �rst clause

from decrees (5)

18 Seeks votes for paintings

featuring sun (9)

22 South Indian father to let out

manifest (8)

23 Tramp leads odd aunt with

rallying cry (6)

25 Handling professional tax with

gin cocktail (10)

26 Shorten harbour (4)

27 Jobless in ship, moves

sideways (6)

28 Hawk, at windows, say, is fair

game (6)

n DOWN

1 Damage, chip oak plant (3,4)

(set by Anon)

n ACROSS

1 Accommodating one in factory

(6)

4 Say regularly, she’d be

unwilling (6)

9 Hides whisky equipment on

Scottish island (4)

10 Drunken irate chaos at Irish

parliament (10)

THE HINDU CROSSWORD 12230

Wozniacki wants towin more titles ST. PETERSBURG

Newlycrowned Australian

Open champion Caroline

Wozniacki said on Wednesday

her first Grand Slam triumph

had motivated her to win

more titles. “I have already

been World No. 1 in the past.

I’ve finally won a Grand Slam

title. I really want to perform

well at the St. Petersburg

event. My main motivation is

to win the title,” she said. AFP

IN BRIEF

Rafael Nadal set toreturn in AcapulcoALICANTE (SPAIN)

Spanish World No. 1 Rafael

Nadal says he will return to

action at a hardcourt event

in Acapulco in late February.

That means an encouragingly

speedy recovery for the

16time Grand Slam

champion after he suffered a

muscle tear in his right hip

that forced him to retire in

the fifth set of his

quarterfinal at the Australian

Open. IANS

Azarenka given wildcardfor Indian WellsLOS ANGELES

Twotime champion Victoria

Azarenka has been awarded a

wildcard into the main draw

of the BNP Paribas Open at

Indian Wells in March,

organisers said on

Wednesday. The Belarusian,

who won the hard court title

in 2012 and 2016, will return

this year after missing the

2017 event following the

birth of her son. AFP

Puel wants Mahrez tocome back with a smileLONDON

Leicester manager Claude

Puel intends to do all he can

to ensure that Riyad Mahrez

comes back “with a smile”

after the Algeria playmaker

saw a potential move to

Manchester City fall through

on Wednesday’s transfer

deadline day. “All the players

and staff will help him come

back and enjoy his game.” A FP

Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka:1st Test: SS Select 2 (SD &HD), 9 a.m.ILeague: Star Sports 2 (SD &HD), 5.30 p.m.ISL: Star Sports 2 (SD & HD),8 p.m.

TV PICKS

BENGALURU: Subah Ka Tara, whohas been well prepared, is expected to score in the KarnatakaRacehorse Owners’ AssociationMillion (1,200m), the chief eventof the races to be held here onFriday (Feb. 2). False rails (widthabout 7m from 1,600m to thewinning post) will be in position.

1 HEBBE FALLS PLATE (1,600m),rated 00 to 20, 215 pm: 1.

Nyssa (9) Arshad 60, 2. Buckpasser Junior (2) Harish 59.5, 3.Corybantic (11) Chisty 59.5, 4.Kanthaka (10) Raghu 59.5, 5.Golden Opinion (6) Ashok 58.5, 6.Bellerophon (8) Prabhakaran 58,7. Internal Affair (3) Kiran Rai 58,8. Magnificent Mary (12) Dhebe57, 9. Ocean Park (7) Jagadeesh56.5, 10. Simple Sum (4) Darshan56.5, 11. Kings Kid (1) Sahanawaz55 and 12. Perfect Prince (5)Rayan 54.5.1. CORYBANTIC, 2. INTERNAL AF-FAIR, 3. NYSSA

2 R.W.I.T.C TROPHY (1,400m), 4yo, (Terms), 245: 1. Pinyada

(3) Suraj 58.5, 2. Turf Star (2)Chisty 58.5, 3. Turf Magic (1)Dhebe 57 and 4. Hot N Fire (4)Mudassar 54.1. PINYADA, 2. TURF MAGIC

3 SHRAVANABELAGOLA PLATE(1,600m), rated 15 to 35, 6yo

& over, 315: 1. Yellowzone (10) Arshad 60, 2. First Step (—) (—) 58.5,3. Only Prince (8) Pradeep 57, 4.Freestyle (5) Marshall 56.5, 5. DelPorto (2) Chisty 56, 6. Reverberating (7) Janardhan 56, 7. Emancipation (1) Darshan 55.5, 8. Wings OfFortune (4) Kiran Rai 55.5, 9. Ex

tremelydangerous (3) Rayan 52.5,10. Saffron Intense (6) Rajesh K51.5 and 11. Boysterous (9)Jagadeesh 51.1. DEL PORTO, 2. EMANCIPATION,3. WINGS OF FORTUNE

4 CHICKMAGALUR NIRVANAPPASHETTY NANJAMMA TMP CUP

(Div. I), (1,400m), rated 30 to 50,5yo & over, 345: 1. Dagobert (11)Akram 60, 2. Hidden Soldier (7)Rajesh K 59, 3. Secret Dimension(4) Kiran Rai 59, 4. Summer Dawn(5) Sai Kiran 59, 5. Colour Of Gold(12) Naveen 58.5, 6. Expert (1)Jagadeesh 58.5, 7. Reference (8)Irvan 58.5, 8. Campari Girl (2)Suraj 57.5, 9. Montenegro (9) Anjar 56, 10. Back Of Beyond (6) Arshad 55.5, 11. Tinderella (3) Allan55.5 and 12. James Bond (10) Patel55.1. CAMPARI GIRL, 2. REFERENCE,3. MONTENEGRO

5 KARNATAKA RACEHORSEOWNERS’ ASSOCIATION MIL-

LION (1,200m), 3yo only,(Terms), 415: 1. Kartoos (8) Chisty57, 2. Marco Polo (7) Selvaraj 57, 3.Regal Force (1) Darshan 57, 4. Salvador Dali (5) Allan 57, 5. SubahKa Tara (4) Arshad 57, 6. My Lexicon (2) Suraj 55.5, 7. Nawabzaadi(3) 55.5 and 8. Orenda (6) Dhebe55.5.1. SUBAH KA TARA, 2. MY LEX-ICON, 3. SALVADOR DALI

6 F.K. IRANI MEMORIALTROPHY (1,400m), rated 60 &

above, 445: 1. Mickey Mouse (4)Srinath 63, 2. Pearl City (8) Suraj56.5, 3. Amazing Redd (3) Dhebe54, 4. Fair Game (2) Arshad 53, 5.

Gypsy (7) Allan 53, 6. El Fenix (6)Jagadeesh 51.5, 7. Surf Romance(5) Chisty 51 and 8. Force Ensign(1) Irvan 50.1. PEARL CITY, 2. SURF ROMANCE,3. GYPSY

7 KRISHNA RAJA SAGAR PLATE(1,200m), rated 15 to 35, 5yo

& over, 515: 1. Mistress Of Spice(5) Darshan 60, 2. Beyond Reach(4) Chisty 59.5, 3. Country’sBloom (2) Suraj 59.5, 4. GoldenSuccess (7) Vivek 59.5, 5. PerfectKing (1) Naveen 59.5, 6. Fine Barristor (9) Manjunath 59, 7. StarLine (3) Dhebe 57, 8. Desert Gold(6) Akram 56, 9. Perfectgoldenera(8) Sai Kiran 55, 10. Zala Princess(10) Arshad 54.5, 11. Island Pearl(12) Rajesh K 54 and 12. Vision OfThe Sky (11) Rayan 53.1. BEYOND REACH, 2. COUNTRY'SBLOOM, 3. MISTRESS OF SPICE

8 CHICKMAGALUR NIRVANAPPASHETTY NANJAMMA TMP CUP

(Div. II), (1,400m), rated 30 to 50,5yo & over, 545: 1. Blue Blazer(4) Akram 60, 2. Lunar Storm (8)Darshan 59, 3. Powerscourt (6)Mudassar 59, 4. Wild Wild Angels(7) Chisty 59, 5. Florencia (2)Nayak 58.5, 6. Erdemir (9) Srinath57.5, 7. Ninon (10) Chetan 57.5, 8.Raw Gold (12) Vivek 57.5, 9. Birchwood (1) A. Ramu 57, 10. Fiorenzo(11) Anjar 57, 11. Happy Dancing(3) Sai Kiran 57 and 12. Likeaknife(5) Rajesh K 54.5.1. ERDEMIR, 2. RAW GOLD, 3.WILD WILD ANGELSDay’s best: SUBAH KA TARADouble: PINYADA — ERDEMIRJkt: 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8; Tr (i): 3, 4 and5; (ii): 6, 7 and 8.

Subah Ka Tara expected to score

Delhi United Football Club(DUFC) has roped in HugoMartins as its head coachfor the upcoming ILeaguesecond division. Martinswill be assisted by Francisco Guimaraes.

“We are truly excited,with tremendous motivation and ambition to helpgrow Delhi United. We believe we can in�uencethrough our methodologyand leadership a higherquality game and organization to always be closer tovictory.” said Hugo.

Delhi United FootballClub had �nished third inthe previous season of ILeague 2, narrowly missingout on promotion to thetop league. Delhi United isheaded by Dr. Sandeep Kumar, an expert in sportsmedicine, and KrishnAnand, an entrepreneurfrom Delhi.

DUFC ropesin HugoMartins


NEW DELHI

The Court of Arbitrationfor Sport (CAS) on Thursday lifted life bans on 28 ofthe 43 Russians accused ofdoping at the 2014 SochiWinter Olympics.

In a decision that couldallow some of them tocompete in this month’sWinter Olympics in Pyeongchang, CAS ruled therewas insu�cient evidencethat the athletes had bene�ted from a system of statesponsored doping at thelast Winter Games, hostedby Russia.

CAS liftslife bans of28 Russians LAUSANNE


Karnataka’s Srihari Natarajtook the honours in theswimming pool on Day Twoof the Khelo India SchoolGames here on Thursday,winning the 100m backstroke gold in 56.90 secondsto set a new National mark inthe event. The previous record of 56.99s was set byhim at the Asian age groupchampionship in Tashkentlast year.

Srihari also added the4x100m freestyle gold to hiskitty, combining with SaifChandan Ali KS — who wonan individual bronze forhimself in the 400m freestyle category — PrassiddhKrishna and Aditya Bopannaas Karnataka leapfrogged into top spot on the table withten medals, seven of themgold. Tamil Nadu had moremedals overall (12) with mostof them bronze.

Most of Tamil Nadu’s medals continued to come intrack and �eld. C. Praveen’shopes of a golden doublewere dashed when he waspushed to second spot in thelong jump by Haryana’s Bhupender Singh in the secondlast attempt.

Leading till the very end,with a jump of 6.93 metres,Praveen had to settle for second spot after Bhupendermanaged distances of 6.99and 7.04 in his last two attempts. But Praveen, whohad won the triple jump onDay One, became the thirddouble medallist in trackand �eld competition, alongwith the Kerala duo of Ancy

Sojan E and Sandra Babu.

Ancy won gold in longjump — despite managingjust two legitimate jumps —and silver in the 200m whileSandra added a long jumpsilver to go with her secondspot in triple jump.

In the boys’ javelin throwevent, Maharashtra’s VikasYadav claimed gold with a �nal attempt of 75.02m toovertake Yashveer Singh ofHaryana, who had threethrows of over 70 metres inan event where the top four�nishers crossed the 70mmark.The results: Athletics: 200m:Boys: 1. Shashikanth VA 21.82s,2. Karan Hegiste 21.98, 3. Anshul 22.27s; Girls: 1. ChanveerKaur 24.76s, 2. Ancy Sojan E

25.31, 3. M. Santra Teresa Martin 25.44Javelin: Boys: 1. Vikas Yadav75.02m, 2. Yashveer Singh73.87, 3. Arpit Yadav 71.90;Girls: 1. Jyoti 40.59m, 2. Auhona Roy 39.90, 3. JashanpreetKaur 37.10m.Long jump: Boys: 1. BhupenderSingh 7.04, 2. C. Praveen 6.93,3. Mohd. Shahrukh 6.87; Girls:1. Ancy Sojan E 5.80, 2. SandraBabu 5.68, P. Babisha 5.62. Pole vault: Girls: 1. T. Sathya3.50, 2. Reshma Patil 2.80, 3. R.Sreelakshmi R 2.40.Swimming: 400m freestyle:Boys: 1. Mohit Venkatesh4:18.10s, 2. Zidane Iqbal Sayed4:18.43, 3. Saif Chandan Ali KS4:19.10; Girls: 1. Khushi Dinesh4:39.52, 2. Prachi Tokas4:41.55, 3. Poojitha G. Murthy4:46.83.100m backstroke: Boys: 1. Sri

hari Nataraj 56.90, 2. Xavier Michael D’Souza 1:00.03, 3. Vedant Bapna 1:01.31; Girls: 1.Suvana C. Bhaskar 1:08.23, 2.Khushi Jain 1:09.58, 3. PratyasaRay 1:10.05. 200m breaststroke: Boys: 1.Lohith M 2:25.99, 2. SwadeshMondal 2:26.70, 3. MaibamMangalsana Meitei 2:30.38;Girls: 1. Saloni Dalal 2:46.57, 2.Kenisha Gupta 2:48.50, 3. Aaliyah Singh 2:51.75.100m butter�y: Boys: 1. XavierMichael D’Souza 57.85, 2. NeelRoy 58.42, 3. Adhithya D 58.56;Girls: 1. Firdoush Kayamkhani1:08.15, 2. Aastha Choudhury1:09.68, 3. Poojitha G. Murthyand Priyanga Pugazharasu1:09.94.4x100m freestyle: Boys: 1.Karnataka 3:44.11, 2. Tamil Nadu 3:44.94, 3. Maharashtra3:48.32.

Srihari makes a splashin 100m backstroke Bhupender Singh upstages Praveen to corner glory in long jump

Uthra Ganesan

NEW DELHI

Champions all: Bhupender Singh, �anked by silver medallist C. Praveen, right, andMohd. Shahrukh, strikes a pose after claiming the long jump gold on Thursday.

KHELO INDIA

While some big namesfound the windy conditionstough, Bengaluru’s Syed Saqib Ahmed was in full �owas he moved to the top ofthe leaderboard with a sixunder66 after the secondround of the PGTI CochinMasters at the CIAL GolfClub, Nedumbassery, onThursday.

Massive lead

Saqib, who also had a stunning holeinone on the 14thhole, tallied nineunder135and led by a massive fourshots after the halfway stageof the fourround event.

He also had �ve birdieson his dream day which sawhim move from tiedthird tothe top.

The cut was declared at�veover149 and 53 playersmade it but defendingchampion Mukesh Kumarwas one of the big namesmissing.

The star from Mhow missed the cut by one shot for a

total read sixover150.Meanwhile, Noida’s

Amardip Singh Malik, theopening round leader, wasin the second place after around of evenpar72 tookhis total to �veunder139 atthe �40 lakh event.

“Everything just felt righttoday. I was in a good frameof mind from the very startand it’s great to lead anevent for the �rst time in myprofessional career,” saidSaqib.

“The holeinone wasspecial as I saw the ball rollin. I was actually betweenclubs there and I guess thedecision to play the nineiron just paid o�.

“I did not have a great2017 and I didn’t come tothis event with any expectations so I have no �xed goalsin mind for the next twodays as well.

“I’m just looking to turnthe tide this year.”The scores (after round two,par 72+72):

1. Syed Saqib Ahmed (135);2. Amardip Singh Malik (139);3. Shankar Das & Abhijit SinghChadha (both 140); 5. ManuGandas & Honey Baisoya (142).

Hole-in-one seesSaqib grab lead Holder Mukesh misses the cut

In full �ow: Syed Saqib Ahmed had a stunning holeinone on the 14th. * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

COCHIN MASTERS

Stan Rayan

KOCHI

Aman Khatri smashed amatchwinning 180runknock and Wasim Ahmedpicked up six wickets forjust 17 runs as NK KhannaCC thrashed South DelhiClub by 167 runs in a DDCALeague match on Thursday.

In another game, MandipKumar excelled with bothbat and ball, topscoringwith 79 and picking up threewickets as Patel NagarGymkhana beat RCN Clubby 113 runs while Dev Lakraand Saksham Singrohashared seven wickets apiecein Malik Sports’ 209run victory against Mishra Sports.

The scores: NK Khanna CC328 for �ve in 40 overs (AmanKhatri 180, Kunwar Bidhuri 78;Deepak Khatri two for 67) btSouth Delhi Club 161 in 25.1 overs (Sattion Gahlot 60, HarryDalal 36; Wasim Ahmed six for17); Patel Nagar Gymkhana238 in 40 overs (Mandip Kumar 79, Kapil 69; Ayush Chauhan three for 29, Milind Bedithree for 44) bt RCN 125 in 31overs (Mandip Kumar three for

23, Kapil two for 19); MalikSports 259 for �ve in 40 overs(Ardit Rana 85, Yash Dhull 68,Aman Jainwal 40; Vineet Dubey two for 49) bt MishraSports 50 in 15.2 overs (DevLakra four for 13, Saksham Singroha three for seven).

York CC 192 for nine in 40overs (Pawan Sharma 71 notout, Krish Yadav 73; SalmanKhan two for 34) bt Delhi CC146 in 37.4 overs (Jishan Mewati 42, Rahul Patwal 33; Pawan Sharma three for 25); Delhi Blues 258 for six in 40 overs(Salil Malhotra 78, Gagan Bhatia 50 not out, Manpreet Singh48; Rohan

Parchand two for 70) bt Pusa Youngster 163 32.4 overs(Jatin Kumar 62; Ankit Pal �vefor 20, Digvesh Rathi three for42); DDA 346 for seven in 40overs (Davanshu Kohli 115,Deepak Sharma 41; DevenderYadav three for 62) bt CanaraBank 84 in 17.1 overs (Khusagram four for 11, RavinderMeena three for 19); KG Colts137 in 40 overs (Upanshu Verma 36; Jagjeet Singh three for20, Subham Verma two for 11)lost to Rani Bagh 138 for one in24.3 overs (Gulzar Singh 62not out, Rajiv Ranjan 63).

Aman, Wasim sizzle Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI

Having established itself asa centre for providing quality football training at thegrassroots, the BhaichungBhutia Football Schoolsnetwork, India’s largestfootball training programme, is launching its�rst residential academy atVedas International Schoolin Sohna, Haryana.

Those born between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2007 are eligible toappear for the admissiontrials to be held from 10a.m. at the IIT Delhi football ground on February 4and Cambridge School,Noida, on February 11. Thetrials would be conductedby coaches from the BBFS.

While the programme isa paid one, partial or fullscholarship will be provided to talented youngsters.Registration onwww.bbfs.in/academy orPh: 9599030181.

Bhutia’sacademy


NEW DELHI

Seven Arjuna Awardeeswill be in the fray in the Petroleum Sports PromotionBoard (PSPB) interunit table tennis championships,at the Kotla Vijaya Bhaskara Reddy indoor stadium,Yusufguda, from February2 to 6.

The open nature of thecompetitions throws uppossibilities of the big gunsfacing those much younger, going by the association of players with theiremployers.

Besides fulltime employees, the oil majorshave players on contract,aged generally between 18and 21 years and those onscholarship who are under18, such as World boys under18 No. 1 Manav Thakkarand World No. 19 ArchanaGirish Kamath among girlsin the same age category.

PSPB TTstarts today


HYDERABAD


#4 9 2 3 5 3

Malaysian quali�er IskandarZulkarnain made the most ofK. Srikanth’s lack of matchpractice and emerged themost unlikely winner of themen’s prequarter�nals inthe $350,000 India Openbadminton tournament hereon Thursday.

The secondseeded Indian, playing his �rst eventof the year, committed fartoo many unforced errors,while his rival came up withspectacular retrieves. Eventually, the 2119, 2117 resultleft Zulkarnain a worthywinner.

The women’s singlesquarter�nals were duly�lled by seeded players, ledby P.V. Sindhu.

Zulkarnain was delightedwith his e�ort: “Last year, Isu�ered from a slipped discand could return to competition only in September. Mycoach and friends wantedme to perform so I was push

ing myself. This victory is avery good one because he isvery attacking and di�cultto beat,” said the man, whowon seven of the last eightpoints.

Srikanth, who has notshown form since injuriesand musclestrain forcedhim to miss tournaments beginning with the China Openin November, said, “I amhappy to be back on thecourt. Today, I was in thematch in both games. I wasleading 1614 in the second,but on the big points, he wasbetter.”

Even the women secondseed, Carolina Marin, was introuble against China’s GaoFangjie but battled backfrom a onegame de�cit.Ranked 50th, the Chinesegirl had beaten Marin intheir only previous encounter in the China Open.

Marin, looking in dangerof being on the losing sideagain, raised her game andeased through the secondand third games.

Earlier, in mixed doubles,Ashwini Ponnappa and Sat

wiksairaj Rankireddy upstaged World No. 11 and thirdseeded Malaysian combination Tan Kian Meng and LaiPei Jing 2116, 1521, 2321 after saving a matchpoint.The results (prequarter�nals): Men: Qiao Bin (Chn) btKartikey Gulshan Kumar 21-17,21-3; P. Kashyap bt ShreyanshJaiswal 19-21, 21-19, 21-12;Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) bt DarenLiew (Mal) 21-19, 17-21, 21-16;B. Sai Praneeth bt Hu Yun (Hkg)21-10, 21-15; Shi Yuqi (Chn) btHsu Jen Hao (Tpe) 21-10, 21-17;Sameer Verma bt Tommy Su-giarto (Ina) 21-18, 19-21, 21-17;Iskandar Zulkarnain (Mal) bt K.Srikanth 21-19, 21-17.Women: P.V. Sindhu bt LingaZetchiri (Bul) 21-10, 24-11; Bea-triz Corrales (Esp) bt G. Ruthvi-ka Shivani 21-19, 21-16; Ratcha-nok Intanon (Tha) bt AakarshiKashyap 21-11, 21-12; Yip Pui Yin(Hkg) bt Lyanny AlessandraMainaky (Ina) 21-13, 21-14; Bei-wen Zhang (USA) bt AgreyMugdha 21-12, 21-16; SainaNehwal bt Line Hojmark Kjaers-feldt (Den) 21-12, 21-11;Cheung Ngan Yi (Hkg) bt Tha-molwan Poopradubsil (Tha)21-4, 21-7; Carolina Marin (Esp)bt Gao Fangjie (Chn) 15-21, 21-15, 21-11.

Zulkarnain endsSrikanth’s campaignWomen’s quarter�nal spots �lled by seeds

Rakesh Rao

NEW DELHI

Scalping a big �sh: Malaysia’s Iskandar Zulkarnain laced his play with some spectacularretrieves on his way to a straight-game win over K. Srikanth on Thursday. * SANDEEP SAXENA

INDIA OPEN

CMYK

A ND-NDE




SPORT

It was a golden climax as Sanjeet Singh and Mary Kom ledthe host to eight gold medalsin the Spicejet India Open international boxing championship on Thursday.

It was a �ne success ratefor India to win eight out ofthe 18 �nals, with three goldmedals emerging out of allIndia �nals. The host collected 40 medals to sweep$41,000 of the $100,000 atstake, with gold medallistsgetting $2500, silver $1000and bronze $500.

While Olympic bronze medallist and �vetime WorldChampion Mary Kom’s goldlooked a foregone conclusion, as she has consistentlytackled the Filipino Josie Gabuco over the years, SaritaDevi was unlucky to lose 32to Mira Marjut Potkonan ofFinland, after a robustperformance.

After the Uzbeks and Cu

ban had accounted for the�rst three golds of the day, itwas Sanjeet Singh who brokethe shackles for the host witha 32 victory over Sanjar Tursunov of Uzbekistan, with hisleft consistently landing ontarget from start to �nish, inthe heavyweight class.

Pwilao Basumatary wasequally impressive in tamingSudaporn Seesondee of Thailand in a nervewracking women’s 64 kg bout. There wassome drama as Lovlina Borgohain was quickly reinstated

as the winner by the announcer after she had wrongly declared Pooja as the championin women’s 69 kg.

Pinki Rani came up withan inspired performance tooutpunch Ochirabat Jargalanof Mongolia for the 51 kg gold.After Manisha and Amit hadscored victories over compatriots to increase the goldhaul for the host, it was announced that Manish Kaushikhad got a walkover from Mongolian Battumur Misheelt inthe 60 kg category.

The results (�nals): Men: 49 kg: Amit bt Shyam Ku-mar Kakara 5-0; 52 kg: Khudoy-nazar Fayzov (Uzb) bt AnwarShaik Salman 4-1; 56 kg:Aboulkhay Sharakhmatov (Uzb)bt Enkh Amar Kharkku (Mgl)5-0; 60 kg: Manish Kaushik w/oBattmur Misheelt (Mgl); 64 kg:Jorge Moiran Vinent (Cub) btIkbolion Kholdarov (Uzb) 4-1;69 kg: Bobo-Usmon Baturov(Uzb) bt Dinesh Dagar 5-0.

75 kg: Israil Madrimov (Uzb) btOsiey Iglesias Estrada (Cub)3-2; 81 kg: Osvary David Gutie-rez (Cub) bt Devanshu Jaiswal4-1.

91 kg: Sanjeet Singh bt SanjarTursunov (Uzb) 3-2; +91 kg:Bakhodir Jalolov (Uzb) bt Sat-ish Kumar 4-1.

Women: 48 kg: Mary Kom btJosie Gabuco (Phi) 4-1; 51 kg:Pinki Rani bt Ochirbat Jargalan(Mgl) 4-1; 54 kg: Manisha btMeena Kumari 5-0; 57 kg: Nes-thy Petecio (Phi) bt Sonia 5-0;60 kg: Mira Marjut Poykonan(Fin) bt Sarita Devi 3-2.

64 kg: Pwilao Basumatary btSudaporn Seesondee (Tha) 3-2;69 kg: Lovlina Borgohain btPooja 4-1; 75 kg: Essiane Clo-tilde (Cmr) bt Saweety Boora5-0.

Indian pugilists win eight gold medals Sanjeet, Mary Kom and Pinki among the champions

Kamesh Srinivasan

NEW DELHI

Take that! Pinki Rani, left, pounded Mongolia’s OchirabatJargalan in the women’s 51kg category. * SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

BOXING

Delhi’s 13yearold PrithuGupta completed the International Master title andgained his maiden Grandmaster norm by scoring overNorway’s Christiansen JohanSebastian in the ninthand penultimate round ofthe Tradewise Gibraltar Masters chess tournament onWednesday.

Prithu, facing a mustwinsituation to make his ninegame GMnorm, posted a 34move victory to take his tallyto 5.5 points.

Prithu’s norm comes aday after Raunak Sadhwanimade his second International Master norm.

On the other boards, involving Indians, Abhijeet

Gupta (6.5 points) drew withBoris Gelfand and DebasisDas continued his impressive run by beating BonelliEdurado Iturrizaga.

Hikaru Nakamura, Maxime VachierLagrave, Richard Rapport, Levon Aronian and Daniil Dubov are

leading with seven points.

Important ninth round results(involving Indians): Levon Aro-nian (7) bt S.P. Sethuraman (6);Boris Gelfand (Isr, 6.5) drewwith Abhijeet Gupta (6.5); San-dipan Chanda (6) drew with Ni-hal Sarin (6); Lance Henderson(Esp, 6) drew with S.L. Naraya-nan (6); Bonelli Eduardo Iturri-zaga (Ven, 5) lost to DebashisDas (6); R. Praggnanandhaa(5.5) drew with Marin Bosiocic(Cro, 5.5); Shardul Gagare (5.5)drew with Benjamin Gledura(Hun, 5.5); Evgeny Zanan (Isr,5.5) drew with G.N. Gopal (5.5);Prasanna Rao (5.5) drew withAnna Muzychuk (Ukr, 5.5); M.R.Venkatesh (5.5) drew with Kat-eryna Lagno (Rus, 5.5); SwapnilDhopade (6) bt Eric de Haan(Ned, 5.5); P. Hari Krishna (5.5)bt Daniel Cawdery (RSA, 4.5);Christiansen Johan-Sebastian(Nor, 4.5) lost to Prithu Gupta(5.5).

Prithu gets maiden GM norm

Prithu Gupta.

SPORTS BUREAU

GIBRALTAR

Leander Paes and Joe Salisbury of Britain won a thriller 46, 61, [1816] againstAliaksandr Bury of Belarusand HsienYin Peng of Chinese Taipei in the doublesprequarter�nals of the$125,000 Challenger tennistournament onWednesday.Other results: $15,000 ITF women, SharmEl Sheikh, Egypt: Prequarter�nals: Helene Scholsen(Bel) bt Kanika Vaidya 3-6,6-3, 7-5.Doubles (quarter�nals):Sheng Yuqi & Zhang Kai Lin(Chn) bt SowjanyaBavisetti6-3, 3-6, [10-6].

Paes andSalisburywin a thrillerSPORTS BUREAU

DALLAS

Sheena Varkey emergedthe lone Indian medal winner, bagging a silver in women’s triple jump on theopening day of the Asianindoor athletics championships here on Thursday.

She cleared 13.37m to�nish second behind Kazakhstan’s Lrina Ektovawho had a jump of 13.79m.Thi Thu Thao Bui of Vietnam was third with 13.22m.

Missing IndiansTwo Indians — DuteeChand (60m) and SanjivaniJadhav (3000m) — couldnot make it to the meet.

A minor injury on herwrist she su�ered duringtraining in Hyderabadforced the former to missthe event while Sanjivanicouldn’t get her visa ontime.

India is being represented by 13 athletes in thethreeday championships.

Sheena bagstriple jumpsilver atAsian indoors

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

TEHRAN

Premier League clubsspent £430 million in theJanuary transfer window toshatter the previous markof £225 million set in 2011,said a report by the SportsBusiness Group at Deloitte.

The window saw the total expenditure by the ‘BigSix’ — Manchester City,Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool. TottenhamHotspur and Arsenal — at£265 million pounds, representing 62% of totalgross spending.

PremierLeague clubsspend record£430 million

Reuters

LONDON


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CMYK

A ND-NDE




LIFE

Second World War bombdefused in Hong Kong HONG KONG

A wartime bomb was defused

in Hong Kong on Thursday

after forcing a busy

commercial district into

lockdown, with and

thousands evacuated from

surrounding shops, hotels

and offices. It is the second

time within a week that an

American bomb dropped

during the Second World War

has been discovered here. AFP

IN BRIEF

Minke whale populationdying in Atlantic MIAMI

U.S. marine investigators are

probing an unusual die-off of

minke whales along the U.S.

east coast, marking the third

such population of large

whales in the past two years,

officials said. A total of 28

minke whales (Balaenoptera

acutorostrata) have died since

January 2017 in the Atlantic

Ocean from Maine to South

Carolina. AFP

Standing for six hours aday may help lose weightNEW YORK

Standing instead of sitting for

six hours a day could help

people lose weight, a study

has found. Researchers found

that standing burned 0.15

calories per minute more than

sitting. The additional muscle

activity is also linked to lower

risk of heart attack and

stroke, said researchers at

Mayo Clinic, U.S. IANS

Researchers in Japan andAustralia say they have madeimportant progress in developing a blood test that couldin future help doctors detectwho might go on to get Alzheimer’s disease.

In a study published in thejournal Nature, the scientistssaid the test, which can detect a toxic protein known asamyloid beta, linked to Alzheimer’s, was more than90% accurate in research involving around 370 people.

Dementia, of which Alzheimer’s is the most common form, a�ects close to 50million people worldwideand is expected to a�ectmore than 131 million by2050, according to the nonpro�t campaign group Alz

heimer’s DiseaseInternational.

Currently, doctors usebrain scans or invasive cerebrospinal �uid testing, alsoknown as a spinal tap, to tryand see whether patientshave a buildup of amyloidbeta in the brain. But thesetests are invasive, expensiveand may only show resultswhen the disease has alreadystarted to progress.

Despite decades of scienti�c research, there is notreatment that can slow theprogression of Alzheimer’s.Current drugs can do nomore than ease some of thesymptoms.

Having a simple, lowcostblood test could make it easier for pharmaceutical companies to �nd enough peopleat risk of developing Alz

heimer’s to test potentialnew drugs to �ght the disease, said Katsuhiko Yanagisawa, who coled the study atthe Japanese National Centrefor Geriatrics andGerontology.

Since Alzheimer’s disease

is thought to start developingyears before patients haveany symptoms of memoryloss, experts say an important factor in �nding an effective treatment will be theability to accurately detectsigns of the disease early.

“You have got to walk before you run. You have tolearn to diagnose the diseasedirectly before you can hopeto see the e�ect of therapeutic intervention. And that’swhere the real value in thistest will come,” said ColinMasters, a professor at theUniversity of Melbourne whocoled the research.

The study involved 252Australian and 121 Japanesepatients aged between 60and 90 years.

Larger study neededScientists not directly involved in the study said itmade an important step, butnow needed to be replicated.

“If (it) can be repeated in alarger number of people, thistest will give us an insight into changes occurring in the

brain that relate to Alzheimer’s disease,” said Mark Dallas, a lecturer in Cellular andMolecular Neuroscience atBritain’s University ofReading.

Abdul Hye at Kings College London’s Institute ofPsychiatry, Psychology &Neuroscience said the testwas still a long way from being able to be used in doctors’ clinics.

“The approach of obtaining the results is still verycomplicated (and) in its current form, the methodologyis not practical in a clinicalsetting,” he said.

John Hardy, a professor ofneuroscience at UniversityCollege London, said it was a“hopeful study which couldhave a very positive impacton diagnostic accuracy.”

Blood test for Alzheimer’s shows early promise Results were more than 90% accurate in a study of 370 people aged between 60 90 years in Australia and Japan

Sign of hope: An early test for Azheimer’s could help inmaking better drugs for therapy. * GETTY IMAGES/ISTOCKPHOTO

Reuters

Tokyo/Melbourne

Japan’s Nintendo on Thursday said it was working onan anime movie starring itsiconic video game characterSuper Mario in collaborationwith the U.S. studio behindthe Despicable Me series.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the renowned game creator of“Super Mario Bros” and“Donkey Kong” at the Kyotobased video game giant, hasbeen working with Chris Meledandri at Illumination Entertainment to produce theMario anime.

“People have told memaking games is similar tomaking movies and I’vebeen �attered by people saying things like ‘If you canmake a game, you can make

amovie’,” Mr. Miyamoto toldreporters in Tokyo.

“But they are totally di�erent,” said the creator whohas some previous expe

rience in directing short movies. “One is interactive andthe other is a passive experience,” he said, noting �lmmaking requires �lmmakingexperts and Mr. Meledandriwas an “experiencedproducer”.

In the past decade, Mr.Meledandri has producedthe Despicable Me series,The Secret Life of Pets andother boxo�ce hits.

Mr. Miyamoto said he andMr. Meledandri had alreadymade progress in production though the release dateis yet to be �xed. Once done,the �lm will be distributedby Universal Pictures, Mr.Miyamoto said. Nintendohas said it was planning torelease a new Mario Kart title for smartphones soon.

Miyamoto collaborating with Illumination Entertainment


Tokyo

Super Mario

Super Mario ready forleap into animated �lm

Poor regulation and overcrowding are pushing Everest climbers away from Nepal to China, which isinvesting millions to boost arival path to the top of theworld.

Veteran climbing out�ts,fed up with what they regardas a lax attitude to safety onNepal’s southern �ank of the8,848 metre peak, are starting to shift operations toEverest’s north side in Tibet.

“The south side is way tooovercrowded with inexperienced people,” PhilCrampton, a seasoned Everest hand who announced inJanuary that his company Altitude Junkies would shift toChina, the third such out�tto abandon Nepal in recentyears.

The exodus could dent a

longstanding source of revenue for the cashstrapped Himalayan nation — Kathmandu raked in more than $4million in Everest permitsfees alone in 2017.

A growing chorus of foreignled Everest operatorsin Nepal are demandinggreater scrutiny of lowcostout�ts that have mush

roomed in recent years, offering cheap expeditions upthe fabled summit.

These budget players areluring hordes of amateurclimbers chasing the thrill ofEverest but also riskingdeath and injury, climbingexperts say, warning thatsome expedition leaders areillequipped to tackle the

peak. Those pushing forchange want to see permitnumbers curbed and greateroversight of guides and operators.

“What has happened overthe last few years on thesouth side is absolutely intolerable,” said Lukas Furtenbach, whose company Furtenbach Adventuresrelocated to China last yearciting safety concerns.

Nepal introduced newlaws in late December barring solo climbers, blindmountaineers and doubleamputees from scaling Everest, restrictions it said wouldmake the peak safer.

But many mountaineerssay the rules miss the mark.

“Nepal needs mountaineering rules and regulations. But for the operators,not for the climbers,” saidMr. Furtenbach.

Everest: Nepal losing out to ChinaForeign operators, citing lax attitude to safety, are shifting to the north side

Lofty goal: The Everest range seen from Tengboche, 300 kmnorth-east of Kathmandu. * AFP


Kathmandu

Goa will hold the annualShigmo �oat parade in itsmajor cities from March 3to 17. Shigmo is the traditional spring festival celebrated by farmers in ruralGoa. It has been also madepart of the tourism festivalcalendar in the State.

Nilesh Cabral, MLA andChairman of StateownedGoa Tourism DevelopmentCorporation Limited saidthat this year, a spectaculardisplay of Goan ethnicityand mythology will be onshow. The Shigmo �oat parades will be held in Pondaon March 3, Margao onMarch 4, Vasco on March 5,Panaji on March 10 andthen move to other citiestill March 17.

Goa’s Shigmo parade startson March 3


Panaji


#4 9 2 3 5 3

www.thehindu.com

https://www.facebook.com/thehindu

https://www.twitter.com/The Hindu

Delhi • northern EDITION • FEBRUARY 2, 2018

Feroz Abbas Khan unravels the subtextof “Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical ”

Pages 6 &7

Reinventinga classic

The western influence

Tracing how and why Indiandance-dramas were referred

to as ballets

P4

Modest man, majestic voice

Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, who

was recently conferred Padma

Vibhushan talks about his musicaljourney P9

Finding elegance in scrap

Poets Lalit Magotra and Darshan

Darshi are espousing the cause of

Dogri language through their

imaginative works P11

INSIDE

The end of an era

Supriya Devi will be remembered

for her image of a strong

woman, both on and

off screen P12

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDdddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd

* V. SUDERSHAN


#4 9 2 3 5 3

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

NOIDA/DELHI FRIDAYREVIEW

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 20182CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

REVIEW

TIME OUT

In sync with nature Nicholas Packard

INDIA HABITAT CENTREFEBRUARY 2

GULMOHAR7 p.m. Talk on “The Unity of Consciousness” by

Americanborn Nicholas Packard, author of

“Riding the Dark Horse”. He will discuss how our

soul has been undermined by traditional Western

perceptions of truth and reality and how we can

lead spiritually ful�lling lives and in harmony with

nature.


OPEN PALM COURT GALLERY“Of Miles and Me” a photo travelogue; a third

solo photography exhibition by Nipun Nayyar.

“Transcending Jerusalem: JLM through Indian

Lenses” a group photography exhibition by

Indian and Israeli artists

INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTREFEBRUARY 2

DESHMUKH AUDITORIUMArtEast is an initiative to raise pertinent questions

through a series of engagement on art, livelihood,

social justice, climate change, communication,

history – past and present, issues that have a far

reaching impact on everyday life of people and of

the nation. The festival includes talks/discussions,

exhibitions, �lm screenings and performances

Master storyteller Mahmood Farooqui


STEIN AUDITORIUM7 p.m. Theatre “Dastane KarnAz Mahabharata”,

written and performed by Mahmood Farooqui. An

Anusha Rizvi production, this Dastangoi

presentation on Karna draws on the original

Mahabharata as well as Persian, Urdu, Hindi and

Marathi writings.


AMALTAS7 p.m. Musical event featuring solo Hindustani

vocal performances rendered by Arijit Roy. It will

be followed by Saptak Chatterjee.

INDIA INTERNATIONAL CENTREFEBRUARY 3

GANDHI-KING MEMORIAL PLAZA11 a.m. Lecture demonstration by Rida Gatphoh –

singer, writer and the musical folks. A musical

storytelling session followed by story of

instruments, skit and the craft of creating.

Traditions are now beingdetermined and standardised by urban cul

ture which swears by thrillingpermutations of speed, shornof emotive coloration o�eredby ragamusic. But Indianphilosophy and science establish the source and destination of Indian music in Nature; mythical characters likeShiva, Saraswati and Krishnafurther support this viewpoint. Gradually, the TimeScale theory of ragamusiccrystallised from the devotioncharged temple music ofancient India. This, deep philosophy based theory, restricts a cluster of ragas to acertain time zone of a day of24 hours, divided in eight‘prahara’s, each having threehours. Several important aspects of this tradition are nowbeing determined and standardised by urban culture inthe present state of metropolitan con�nement. The essence of this musical tradition is at stake becausemorning sessions of ragamusic are very rare to �nd nowadays; and as such, the ragas belonging to these timezones are becoming rarer.

The concept of ‘Bhairav seBhairavi Tak’ takes in its foldall the ragas belonging to every zone of the entire day;and also the entire world! Because its proponents arenone else than Pandit Rajan

and Sajan Mishra along withtabla maestro Kumar Boseand veteran harmonium expert Sumit Mishra; who haveset out on a world tour beginning from Benares, their gharana’s birthplace and the citythat cradled it to its peak. Allahabad, the holy city of Triveni was their �rst halt ontheir way to Kolkata, the cultural capital of India and thecity of palaces that patronised music of all genres forcenturies. Evidently ‘Jorasanko Thakurbari’, Tagore’s ancestral house in old Calcutta,was chosen as the venue andearly evening to late eveningzone for the chosen ragas’playground in the sprawlingcourtyard of the historicalbuilding.

Rare ragaBefore the golden winter’s

early evening became copper, the maestros began withHansakinkini, a rarely heardraga (sporting both the Gandhars and komal Nishad) witha poignant phrase(GMg,Rn.SRg) as its hauntingidentity. Supported by PanditKumar Bose’s musical tabla,the mediumpaced jhaptalcomposition unfurled the raga at leisure.

A Teental tarana followedby a few sparkling taans of varied grains. Both the compositions had their sam (�rstbeat of the tala cycle that alsohighlights the most important swara of the raga) on

shuddh Gandhar. Immediately after the pivotal sam another teental composition ‘Sabsakhiyan mil’, with its sam onkomal Gandhar and emphasis on nSgSadorned phrases,introduced another infrequently heard raga Dhani,dramatically!

In tandemThe elaboration accommodated a few heavy gamaktaans and very quietly turnedtowards ‘Jhoothi dekhipreet’, a Kirwani based bhajan. The magnetic chemistrybetween the maestros andtheir accompanists took it allto the level of sheer bliss.

The late evening sessionunder the open sky, despitethe chilly weather, saw numerous fans and students ofmusic glued to their seats.The vocalistduo settleddown with Nand (Anandi Kalyan), a raga that o�ers a limited range due to its meandering, rather complex gait.But the veterans opened upnew vistas during its systematic elaboration rooted inloving meendladen notecombinations interspersedwith swinging layachhandaand stimulating taansargams. After the vilambit ektalkhayal, they moved on to amediumpaced ektal bandishbefore singing ‘Ajahun naaaye’ set to Teental. The pathos ridden bolbanavs around‘Bahut din beete’ were almostunbearably intense when the

aakar taans came as a relief!And, as is the favourite technique of Rajanji, in the samebreath the melody took asmooth turn towards raga Kamod by simply shifting the accent and gait of the samenotes! They sang two beautiful traditional compositions‘Eri jaane na doongi’ and ‘Ritu Basant sakhi’.

Both these ragas actuallydo not allow ample skillshow– much to the discontent ofthe ‘thrilling skill’orientedlistenership of this era; andyet their truthful adherenceto the Naayaki, sans extrafrills, highlighted the intrinsicbeauty of the ragas to such anextent that it captivated all.Ignoring the chill and heavyevening dew, encores pouredin for a Jaijaiwanti tarana. Themasters obliged, keeping theswaying gait of the raga intheir mediumpaced Ektalcomposition. The superbchemistry between the vocals and tabla churned outdelighting saathsangat at every given opportunity. Theharmonium gave its best inthe concluding dadra “Chalapardesiya naina laga ke”. Themasters dedicated this to thelate thumri queen Girija Devi,who would sing it with greatpassion.

(As part of the ongoingworld tour series, PanditRajan and Sajan Mishrawill perform on February4 at 10 a.m. at IGNCA, NewDelhi)

Magnetic chemistry at play The Kolkata chapter of “Bhairav Se Bhairavi Tak” saw Pandit Rajan and SajanMishra in sublime form Meena Banerjee DDDDDDDDDDDDD

Double delight Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra in accompaniment with tabla maestro Kumar Bose * AVISHEK DEY

ode to the Dutch painter. While TyebaLipi works in Dhaka on paintings andsculptures, Mahbubur Rahman is a pioneer in Bangladesh of crossmedia approach.

Seema says, “Vincent van Gogh, theartist and van Gogh the person were totally intertwined. As a young artist, I wasexposed to a few European artists inwhich his art stole my attention.”

A group show, “A Cafe Exposition: Reliving Van Gogh” featuring works of Mahbubur Rahman, Seema Kohli and TyebaLipi will be held at India InternationalCentre in Delhi from February 12 o 17.

Seema Kohli will showcase her paintings, sculptures in the show which is an

Legend in art


#4 9 2 3 5 3


FRIDAYREVIEW NOIDA/DELHI

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2018 3CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

REVIEW

Kusum Kumar, the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Award

for 2016 for her contributionto playwriting in Hindi, haswritten eight full length playsand out of these some of herplays, including “Suno Sefali”, “Dilli Ooncha Sunti Hai”and “Ravanleela”, werestaged at di�erent points oftime by amateur groups inthe Capital. “Suno Sefali” is abitter critique of the Indiancaste system. “Dilli OonchaSunti Hai” is a severe indictment of bureaucratic redtapism. “Ramleela”, which waspresented by Yatri at the Festival of Performing Arts featuring the recipients of theAkademi Awards 2016, is acomic exposure on the problems faced by the organisersof “Ramleela” and performers in mofussil areas. Organised by the Sangeet NatakAkademi, the play was staged

at Mavlankar Hall, New Delhirecently.

Lack of patronageAfter facing a great deal of

problems, the organiser isable to stage “Ramleela”. Theepisode they are stagingenacts Ravana’s confrontation with Hanuman followedby his encounter with Angad,culminating in the victory ofRama over Ravana. As the title suggests, the character ofRavan is the cynosure of alleyes. His �amboyant and vainstyle of delivery and movements make him a source ofcomedy. He keeps on stepping out of his character todemand adequate amountfor his performance andthreatens to stop performing

his role. He declares againand again that he needs money to repair the roof of hishouse through which waterseeps whenever it rains. Theorganiser expresses utter inability to meet his demand.As the actor playing the roleof Ravan stops acting, the audience starts shouting.Through the satirical treatment of the characters of“Ramleela”, the play seeks tocomment on the sad plight ofactors and lack of patronagefor performing arts.

Designed and directed byOm Katare, the productionsu�ers from amateurish�aws. The properties areplaced in a manner that madethe production cluttered. However, Om Katare as Ravan,

both within the characterand out of the character ofRavan, imparts the production with comic rhythm.

Artistic takeOne of the awardees for thecontribution to the Indiantheatre as director is BipinKumar under whose direction “Hami Nai Aafai Aaf”(“Hum Hi Apna Aap”) in Nepali was presented at the festival of performing arts by theSikkim Theatre TrainingCentre, National School ofDrama at Mavlankar Hall. Theplay is inspired by PadmaSachdev’s novel in Dogri titled “Ab Na Banegi Dehari”.The stage version is writtenby Asif Ali Haider Khan and itis translated into Nepali by

Jagdish Sharma and jointlyrewritten by Bikram Lepchaand Hasta Kr. Chettri. In fact,the present version is a revival of the earlier one presented some years ago in Delhi.The present version appearsto be deftly �netuned withinnovative design which issleek capturing the temple architecture of Sikkim in a symbolic way which also providesthe backdrop for the action.A blend of choreography,music and theme, the production creates an artisticwhole.

Based on this novel, Kshitijpresented this novel in Hindiunder the direction of BhartiSharma about a decade ago.Her style was realistic withemphasis on characterisationand revealing the philosophical kernel of the play in anunambiguous way. Bipin’spresentational style is stylised with slight touches ofrealism at places. He does notmerely depend on dialogueas an expressive means, usesvisuals with long pieces of fabrics in di�erent colourswhich are transformed intospectacles with subtle lighting e�ects by HimanshuJoshi.

These visuals infuse theproduction with metaphoricsubstance. One of the highlights of the production ismusic score by veteran stagemusic director Kajal Ghoshwho has drawn on the richfolk tradition of Sikkim. Forthe right e�ects, he has useda variety of musical instru

ments. The melody of �utestands out for its deep emotional impact on the audience. In mass scenes, theperformers in masks, creating multiple choreographicpatterns against the backdrop of variety of colours,evoke surrealistic atmosphere, expressing the inner ecstasy and agony of two youngpeople fallen in forbiddenlove, giving birth to a child.

The play depicts the pathetic life of Rewati whose husband dies when she is youngand full of dreams of a romantic life. Unable to su�erthe ignominy of being a widow, she makes an attempt tocommit suicide. However,she is saved by Giri Baba, thecharming and young headpriest of a temple who is worshipped and adored by ahuge following for his spiritual authority and moralstandard.

The entire production isaptly cast, with Bikram Lepcha as Giri Baba who bringsto the fore the inner con�ictof his character. By casting alive actor as the idol of god,the con�ict between Giri Baba’s natural instinct for loveand his duty to abstain fromworldly pleasures is revealedin a subtle manner againstthe backdrop of tense silence.Ranjana Manger as Rewaticreates the portrait of a stigmatised widow with an infantdetermined to lead all alonean independent life with deftstrokes.

A visually stimulating experience While Om Katare’s“Ramleela”highlights lack ofpatronage forperforming arts,Bipin Kumar’s“Hami Nai AafaiAaf” expresses theagony and ecstasyof a couple inforbidden loveDiwan Singh BajeliDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Picture perfect A scene from “Hum Hi Apna Aap”

Certain artistes aimbeyond the art for art’ssake. Divya Goswami

Dikshit belongs to this category of artistes who look upontheir medium as means to ahigher end. And to her creditit must be admitted that she isable to achieve her objectivethrough Kathak dance — anart form which is techniqueoriented though it originatedas an artistic tool to propagate bhakti (devotion). Usingboth the ancient and medieval mode of Kathak, the dancer related to the sublime inher own unique manner

drawing her audience alongwith her in her journey.

Yes, it was an artisticvoyage for all of us sittingthere in the India International Centre auditorium as Divyasoftly led us through the ShivAradhana (invocation) in vilambit set to Desh. Attired inpristine white and gold costume, she moved swayingwith her serpent mudra depicting a hooded cobra thatadorns Lord Shiva — the cosmic dancer, creator, preserver and destroyer — all in one!Her abhinaya literally speltout the attributes and potency of the omnipotent God in amyriad ways. The movements and mime was sedateand sublime delving into thedepths of emotion. The viewers went along soaked in theexpressive power of the Lordshe so sensitively portrayed.The varied abhinaya for “Trinayana” (threeeyed) was something to write homeabout. Then steadily the tem

po swelled to the secondspeed when her feet began totranslate what earlier her gestures and countenanceexpressed.

Seamless musical recitalThe second phase was the

footwork delineation in thetaal Dhamar, a la Drupadmusical style, this being theLucknow gharana to whichDivya belongs. Her excellentsense of rhythm was praiseworthy. Unlike many othersof her age, it was not just thefootwork show to variouscomplex beats but also a corresponding sway in body kinetics which enhanced thepure dance bestowing it withliveliness. Her wrist and palmmovement to rhythm withoutthe hand moving automatically was something of creditable artistry that was very impressive. The “veera rasa”which this particular piecewas supposed to evoke beingits innate nature, was shownthrough mere footwork,

within the precincts of thistaal where the 14 matras arein the 5234 symmetry withthe one, six and eleven beingdone to tali (clap) and thebeat eight is indicated by thekhali (wave of the hand). Thetechnical brilliance of herdance (Anagat) precludingthe bandish (Misrachapu).She played out her chakkarsto single mnemonic to preci

sion like the needles of aclock. The entire dance waslike a seamless music recital.The Ashtapadi “Dheera Sameere...” got its best interpretation in Kathak in Divya’shands. The state of mind ofboth the nayika (Radha) andnayaka (Krishna) was broughtout with sensitivity and clarity — a subdued shringara thatdid not overstep the �ne line

that divides the erotic fromthe vulgar. Though the dancer did emote to the meaningof the line “Rati Sukha Saare...Prathama Samagama...” alittle later, her initial �utewielding gestures and danceas this line of the song was�owing through was a littleconfusing!

Finally somewhere afterthe third refrain she did sensitively portray the sensuousness of the lines, but then itsomehow looked misplacedin the scheme of things. Thedetailing of Krishna’s mesmerising �ute notes as �owingthrough the winds into theears of Radhika was very picturesque as was the deckingof a bed of fragrant �owers —testimonials to the artiste’sdescriptive powers throughdance alone. Despite a feeblepandhant by Neha Chauhan,Govind Chakraborty on tabla, Kiran Kumar on �ute,Anil Kumar on sarangi andKhushal Sharma lending thevocal support made for acompelling orchestra onstage.

Reaching out to the sublimeDivya Goswamisensitivelyportrayed di�erentmoods of the Lordin her Kathakrecital

Ranee KumarDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Spellbinding performance Divya Goswami


#4 9 2 3 5 3

Anil Srinivasan

DDDDDDDDDDDDD

Padmaawardees of 2017 after theinvestitureceremony

It is 1 a.m. and Iam still at a studio. As a performer, composer and player for‘sessions’ (play

ing for others’ compositions), my life and times aresu�ciently crazy. In between these are intervalswhere I have to answer several existential questions.To Aadhaar or not. To GSTor not. To respond to comments on my newlylaunched television show.To eat. And unfortunatelyin that order.

Indeed, I am left pondering if there is any silenceleft. Opening my phone necessarily means being hitby a barrage of opinions,views disguised as facts andan endless eddy of minutiae. And it's no use askingus to turn our phones orapplications o�. We wouldunfortunately lose vitallinks to practical livelihood.

One question thatpopped up in my newsfeedintrigued me. Why arethere not more Carnaticmusicians in this year’sPadma awards? Indeed.Amidst an eightmonth infant that got brutally rapedin the nation’s capital andthe row over Padmaavatand Andaal, this year’s civilian honours did not seemto create the same buzz asthey usually do.

A deeper re�ection onthis made me realise the inherent entitlement surrounding this question.Other than the fact thatthere are veterans in the�eld who are actually beinghonoured (the Rudrapatnam brothers), why doesCarnatic music alone de

serve treatment as a separate �eld of endeavour?

This year we have seenone of our greatest �lmcomposers, who came upthe hard way, get PadmaVibhushan. We have seen aresearch scholar (Vijayalakshmi Navaneethakrishnan), who has devoted herlife to folk music get a Padma Sri.

And yet there seems littlere�ection on the fact thatall of these �t into thebroader spectrum simplycalled ‘music.’ What ismore, the awardees are individuals, who not merelyperformed, but have contributed signi�cantly to thevocabulary, grammar andpromulgation of their chosen musical styles. And impacted millions of othersthrough their oeuvre.

Why do classical musicians expect exclusive classi�cation and treatment? Isit a privilege that one is entitled to or are there largerquestions that one needs toaddress?

For instance, how cancontribution be measured?Arguably not everyone contributes to social conditionor justice nor has to. Butsurely artistic contributionshould be more than just abusy calendar of performances or research papers.What about signi�cant additions to the art itself — itspractice, its repertoire, itsvery scope?

So I leave you with thisquestion. What should thecriteria be to bestow national honours upon anartiste?

The writer is a well known pianist

and music educator based in

Chennai

The Piano Man

What is theyardstick?Why are there few Carnatic musiciansamong the Padma awardees?

Imagine, 50 years ago,dance critics werecalled ballet critics,when they wrote reviews . How and whydid this reference come

about? It was in 1830 that the �rst ‘bal

let’ on an Indian theme was done.‘Le Dieu et la Bayadere — The Godand the Dancing Girl’.

It was choreographed by FilippoTaglioni, father of great ballerinaMarie Taglioni, and �rst performedin Paris in October 1830. Clearly,West knew of temple dancing girlsas the devadasis were known thenin the West. In 1877, another balleton the same theme, La Bayaderewas produced in Russia. It was choreographed by iconic ballet masterMarius Petipa and was �rst timeperformed in the famous MaryinskTheatre in St. Petersburg. The pivotal role in La Bayadere was undertaken by Marie Taglioni and laterby Anna Pavlova.

So what is ballet as an art form?If Indian dance is known today universally it is due to this format thatwas widely popularised by theWest in the last few centuries. Ballet is a group classical dance withmusic, no dialogue, major scenography and choreography. Theseare four important and di�erent ingredients. Add, Indian democraticway of doing things: a sutradhar ora counter point.

Classical dancing pushed to theback under a long colonial rule,had a revival through mythologicaland historical productions allthrough the last century. How bestto use our classical forms in groupart form was inbuilt in Kathakaliand Yakshagana traditions but bothhad dialogue. To use Kathak orBharatanatyam in a story line, linear or otherwise, was a challengefor traditional masters or nattuvunars.

This ballet format also helped eschew strictly classical structureand language and helped gobeyond the routine stories of kingsand gods; saints and sinners. Balletcould depict hidden themes ofhunger and greed; hu

mans andeven animals. What appel

lation would suit thisform? ‘Oriental Dance’ nolonger had the same connota

tion. Modern dance it was notbecause in structure and substance its base was still classical.Ballet was generic and gener

al. Besides, it was a popular word worldwide. So

it stuck. From1930s to 1980sthe word hasbeen used liberally.

The second ‘Indian ballet’ to beproduced in the West was ‘LallaRookh’, also called the ‘Rose of Lahore’. It was inspired by ThomasMoore's oriental romance of theformer name and �rst produced inLondon in 1846. Its choreographywas by Jules Perrot. Then in 1858came Kalidas’ ‘Shakuntala.’ Thiswas based on the book by Theophile Gautier and choreographedby Lucien Petipa, brother of the famous Marius Petipa. This was premiered in Paris. So one sees majordestinations — Paris, London, Moscow — taking to themes Indian evenbefore India had.

Indian dance aesthetics

In 1899 came ‘Talisman’ and its original story included Akbar, theKing of Delhi; Damayanti the King’sdaughter. Noureddin the Maharajaof Lahore and Amravati , goddessof Heavenly Spirits! The culturalmish mash was complete with totaldisregard to real history. ‘Talisman’was followed by ‘Scheherazade’,based on a tale in Thousand andOne Nights. It was �rst produced inParis of 1910 and choreographedby Michel Fokine, music by RimskyKorsakov and decor by LeonBakst. The scenography separatedballet from Indian classical danceaesthetics, which is high on the artof suggestivity.

In western ballet, direct depiction of a scene, with elaborate sets,became its hallmark. Sets by masters like Sergei Diaghilev �nd mention in later works of Indian pioneers like Ram Gopal.

What Ram and Uday Shankardid 1930s onwards were ballets.The content was Indian. The aesthetics were western. Remember,they were catering mostly to European audiences and once successful there, were celebrated in India.

Their success helped many reachout. Ananda Shivram to Australiawith Louise Lightfoot. Guru gopinath with Ragini Devi to the U.S.Madame Menaka from Bombay toBerlin. Sadhana Bose in 1941 created ‘Bhookh’ on the Bengal famine.1n 1944, Zohra and Kameshwar Segal produced ‘Reptile’, a work onthe divideandrule policy of theBritish. At about the same time ofnational upsurge came in 1942, theIndian People’s Theatre Association or IPTA. And IRA (Indian Renaissance Artists). Together theycreated many outstanding balletworks. These included ‘The Spiritof India’, ‘India Immortal’ and ‘TheDiscovery of India.’

All these ballets were in UdayShankar style. Only Ram Gopalused mostly Bharatanatyam andMadame Menaka, Kathak. It mustbe pointed out that slowly Indiansdeviated from the original andcreated their own genre. Operaticballets, Madame Menaka the example. Songs were rendered by singers or dancers themselves (thiswas never the case with and inwestern ballet) and scenographywas done away with. Rukmini Devifollowed this at Kalakshetra withmany productions and soon balletbecame dancedrama. Which iswhat Kathakali, Kuchipudi, Melamtraditions were anyway to beginwith.

After Independence, the word‘ballet’ became so popular thatdancers named their groups afterit: Shanti and Gul Bardhan's LittleBallet Troupe (Gwalior then Bhopal); Sachin Shankar Ballet Unit(Bombay). And so it goes.

The writer, a critic and historian, is the

author of several books and edits

attenDance, a yearbook

UdayShankar’sworks werepopular inthe West.Seen herewith GeorgeHarrison and(below) at aperformance

This Thing Called Culture

By our ballet critic!Why were Indian dance dramas referred to as ballets?

Ashish Mohan Khokar

DDDDDDDDDDDDD




VOICEOVER


#4 9 2 3 5 3




VOICEOVER

The Patiala Kasoor Gharana’sglory can be ascribed to BadeGhulam Ali Khan Sahib,

whose musical genius came to represent a style characterised by intense emotional expressions, withromance striking a dominant note.As a result of his training under hisfather Ali Baksh Kasoorwale anduncle Kale Khan, who learnt dhrupad from Behram khan of Jaipur,khayal from Mubarak Ali of Jaipur,Tanras Khan of Delhi and Haddukhan of Gwalior, his variegated legacy made Bade Ghulam Ali Khanthe undisputed voice. Even threedecades after his death, the gharana is identi�ed with him. BadeGhulam Ali Khan Sahib, who beganhis illustrious journey as a sarangiartiste, was known for his e�ortlessrendition, clear enunciation and arange spanning three octaves. Thethumri ang of Benares, evolving asit did as a Punjabi ang and the tappa gamaks of Gwalior camethrough beautifully in his khayals.

Today the gharana bears thestamp of his gayaki. His legacy wascarried forward by his son Munawar Ali Khan, whose gayaki was in�uenced more by his uncle BarkatAli Khan. Bade Ghulam Ali Khanwould refer to Barkat as “the magician of thumri”, though he himselfwas the last word in it.

Munawar’s son Raza Ali Khanalongwith Mazhar Ali Khan and Jawad Ali khan, the grandsons of Karamat Ali Khan, the brother ofBade Ghulam Ali Khan Sahib, whomigrated to Pakistan, kept the family tradition alive. Fateh Ali,grandson of Ali Baksh, is a Patialagharana singer settled in Pakistan“whose voice has the richness andthe melli�uousness of the founder”, according to Sandeep Bagchi(Nad – Understanding Raga Music).Another bold and beautiful singerof this gharana is Begum ParveenSultana.

“Today’s Patiala gayaki is unmistakably the Patiala Kasoor gayakipassed on to artistes through thegandabandh disciples of BadeGhulam Ali Khan Sahib, such asPandit Prasun Banerjee and Vidushi Meera Banerjee,” says Pt.Shantanu Bhattacharyya, a wellknown vocalist of the gharana.

Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty, a stalwartof the gharana trained under Munawar Ali Khan and Pt. Jnan Prakash Ghosh. His daughter Kaushikihas emerged as a �ne singer too.

Elaborating on the legacy, Pt.Shantanu Bhattacharayya broughtto light how Bade Ghulam Ali KhanSahib’s gayaki is the synthesis of

four gharanas — Agra, Jaipur, Kirana and Gwalior. The transcendental and extensive expansion of theswaras in alap was something divine in his gayaki. He further augmented it with meru khand taansof Kirana, two swar danas of Jaipurand voice structure and voiceakaar of Agra and Gwalior.

Temperament of a painterApart from the openness of thevoice, the sargams are renderedaesthetically. Akaars, bol banaavs

and bolbants exhibit the temprement of a painter. Each phrase isrendered like colouring a picture —vivid with imagery. There are certain features of this gharana thatsurface suddenly. Taans and boltaans can intersperse the bandish,There is an element ofunpredictability.

This point is also endorsed bySandeep Bagchi in the Nad – Under-standing Raga Music, “the unexpected notecombinations appeared to have been put in fore�ects sake, as they were not fundamental to the raga.

Adds Shantanu, “they play tothe rhythm and with the rhythm.The subdivision of rhythm — thematras and minimatras are recognised. There is an interplay between rhythm and melody — invariably, an imagery is created. Thetabla bols set the pace, the bandishis presented on the tone set by thetabla.”

The singers show a penchant forpentatonic ragas like MalkaunsBhupali and Gunkali. The other ragas popular with the gharana singers are Darbari Kanhra, Ramkali,Shuddha Kalyan and Bageshree.

Some of the up and coming singers of the gharana and disciples ofPt. Ajoy Chakrabarty and ShantanuBhattacharyya are Mira Sengupta,Brajeshwar Mukherjee, DeborsheeBhattacharya, Durba Bhattacharyya, Arghya Chakravorty, Imandas and Mitra Bhattacharyya.

Raag Taal Gharana

Patriarch of thePatiala gharanaBade Ghulam Ali Khan’s impeccable gayaki set a gloriousmusical tradition

Jyoti NairDDDDDDDDDDDDD

<>Today’s Patiala gayakiis unmistakably thePatiala Kasur gayakipassed on to theartistes of todaythrough the directdisciples of BadeGhulam Ali KhanSahib, such as PanditPrasun Banerjee andVidushi MeeraBanerjee — Pt. ShantanuBhattacharyya

She has been away fromher new Singaporeanhome for over a month

now. The Margazhi frenzy inChennai may have dieddown, but Sathvikaa Shankar’s season is just beginning.She has spent the last fewweeks in guru Anita Guha’shome, preparing for her upcoming solos, even while participating in the group productions that her guru isknown for. She says that itfeels exactly like it always hasover the last 19 years, eversince she began training under Anita Guha.

“I jumped at the �rstchance of learning from her,”Sathvikaa reminisces. All ofsix years old, she found a second family in her classmates, a group of young dancers who continue to performtogether till date.

Discovering the artShe spent the next six yearsdiscovering the art form, often juggling school with rehearsals for nritya natakams.Essaying diverse roles, the experience held Sathvikaa ingood stead, preparing her notonly for her arangetram atage 12, but also receiving theBala Shri award throughPSBB Nungambakkam at age13. It was the �rst time theaward was conferred upon adancer from Chennai.

“I began to take my art seriously; improving my technique by imbibing the �neraspects,” she says. While solos enhanced Sathvikaa’smargam skills, the dance dramas had her portraying mas

culine roles, exploring a newarray of body language thatgave Sathvikaa a peek intoher guru’s vision as adramatist.

As Sathvikaa continued toperform, she pursued commerce and eventually, completed charteredaccountancy.

“The balance was enjoyable. Rehearsals would breakthe monotony of studyingand reenergise when examscame,” she recalls.

It’s a balance that Sathvikaa no longer needs to strike.Now a fulltime companydancer with Singapore’s Apsaras Arts, she is a part of to agroup of dancers that worksto merge di�erent styles inlargescale productions, performed almost everyweekend.

“It’s amazing to see thateach dancer’s style has itsown beauty. We just respondto each other on stage. Often,the result is magical,” shesmiles.

The shift, Sathvikaa says,has been a smooth one, attributing it completely to thetraining methodology of herguru. “She has trained us tobe versatile by making us perform di�erent roles over theyears.”

Now, Sathvikaa’s style hasbecome a blend of her guru’sKalakshetra pattern and herunderstanding of bhava. AndApsaras has added anotherdimension to her art.

“It’s such a joy to be inChennai. This is where it allbegan and this is where I realised art is my calling,” shesays before rushing to another session of rehearsal.

Exploringnew avenues

Rising Star

Sathvikaa Shankar enjoys being anApsaras Arts company artiste and a soloperformer

Lavanya NarayananDDDDDDDDDDDDD


#4 9 2 3 5 3

ND-X

Once K.Asif convinced Shapoorji Pallonjito invest in his dream, the companycommitted itself to the project for gen

erations. Feroz Abbas Khan says he went tothe company for the rights, thinking it hasnothing to do with theatre production but wassurprised to �nd them eager to back the play.Deepak Salgia, one of the directors of the company, who has provided creative and strategicvision to the production, says after the colourversion of the �lm, the company was lookingfor newer ways to keep the classic alive in public imagination. “Though we have nothing todo with �lm production, but when it comes to‘MughaleAzam’ we don’t give even its distribution rights to anybody. There is an emotional connection with the �lm. This is perhapsthe only �lm which is centrally distributed.”

Khan says Salgia, who played a crucial rolein the colour version of the �lm, was integralin imagining the contours of the play as well.“Also, the kind of logistic support that is required in Delhi, is possible only because of thecompany. We had to start from scratch at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. The stage is doublethe size of the one in Mumbai. So it required anew and bigger set, double the dancers andother infrastructure.”

A product of IIT Madras, Salgia has full faithin the reach of ‘MughaleAzam’. “When wecoloured it in 2004, I had an idea to showcaseit at my alma mater. So I decided to create asubtitled version so that all the students couldunderstand.” As subtitling was not as common, there remained some glitches and Salgiadiscovered during the screening that 1520 minutes of the �lm ran without subtitles. “Stillthere was pin drop silence in the auditorium.Such is the power of its dialogues”

The Delhi experienceThough infrastructure was a problem in Delhi, Khan loved the response of audience inDelhi. “I could see three generations of a family watching in Delhi. The response from theyouth was amazing. Also, the familiarity withthe language meant that Delhi audience understood the nuances better than the Mumbaicrowd. They clapped at places where the actors didn’t expect them to. Like Neha Sargam,who plays Anarkali, says she was surprisedwhen the audience clapped when she said,‘kanto ko murjhane ka khauf nahin hota!”

Making of amagnum opus

Deepesh Salgia on theemotional connect ofShapoorji Pallonji with“MughaleAzam”

At a time when a section of society is getting o�ended even byimagined history, Feroz Abbas

Khan is back in Delhi with his magnum opus, “MughaleAzam: TheMusical”. An adaptation of K.Asif ’stimeless tale about Mughal emperorAkbar who becomes a villain in thelove story of his son Salim and courtesan Anarkali, the story continues todraw audience across generations.Like “Padmaavat”, “MughaleAzam”also has historical characters woveninto a �ctional narrative. Khan sayssometimes the line between historyand hysteria gets blurred. Citing theexample of Akira Kurosawa’s “Rashomon”, Khan remarks, “When truthcould have �ve dimensions, imaginehow many dimensions can historyhave. People become emotionally attached to certain �gures. It almostbecomes like I will decide what mydaughter will wear. But once a constitutional body has decided, everybody should accept. Contesting ideasshould be welcomed but all protestsshould stop short of violence. Themaryada of debate has to be maintained.”

Cultural legacyReferring to continued protests

against “Padmaavat”, Khan says,“See, politics narrows the idea ofimagination and a shrill voice is notalways the right or majority voice.There were shrill voices earlier aswell, but now they get ampli�ed. Allgovernments have pandered to thesevoices. And when everybody is a bene�ciary of violence, nobody wantsto �nd a solution.”

There is a section which is busy reimagining the role of Akbar as well.“Many in the government have watchedthe play and everyone praised it. Thestory has been well accepted as part ofcultural legacy and the way ‘MughaleAzam’ does it, it doesn’t hurt anybody’shistory, assumed or real.” Also, addsKhan, no matter what anybody does,there is something very fundamentalabout our civilisation. “If we have people who want to stop something, therewill be more people rising in support ofit. It may be at the political level but atthe social and cultural level we haven’treached a stage where a part of historycould be erased.”

Khan gives it to K.Asif and the writersof ‘MughaleAzam’, which included Ka

were four di�erent styles at play. “IfPrithivraj Kapoor as Akbar was bombastic, Dilip Kumar underplayed as Salim. Madhubala’s face was enough toconvey the pain her character wentthrough and then there was DurgaKhote as a nice, elegant foil to Kapoor.We haven’t diluted the language butbombastic acting can’t work now.Youngsters makes fun of that. So ourAkbar is not loud. I wanted him to bemore intimate. Also, one need not nothave a booming voice to be powerful.The powerful people don’t even speakloudly. It is a misconception created bypopular culture.”

Khan makes it clear that he neverwanted to do an imitation of K.Asif ’s“MughaleAzam”. “We are doing an interpretation; carrying the legacy forward in a di�erent medium.” The majestic projections play an important partin creating the medieval ambience onstage. Working in sync with his NewYorkbased production designer NeilPatel, Khan visualised the whole playon paper. “I have a voluminous bookwith me now. I gave Neil and the lightdesigner a scenebyscene break downand the thought behind the emotions. If

dience and I must be doing it for myselfas well. One must be aware of both –and I don’t pander to the audience,” avers Khan.

But in a musical, it is hard to �nd thesubtext that he is used to work with. “In‘Mughal eAzam’, the characters say alot,” he laughs. “We had no problem in�nding the subtext. What would youadd to a potent line like Janaze ko rukhsat ki ijazat dijiye...”

The “Padamaavat” episode also indicates the growing selfcensorshipamong creative people. “The threatkeeps coming when political groups tryto consolidate a constituency byspreading prejudice. I don’t think it willwork. I made ‘Dekh Tamasha Dekh’, apolitical satire, without any problem.When I was doing ‘Tumhari Amrita’,people raised doubts about how it willbe accepted by a section of the society.It worked. Majority of people in thiscountry don’t believe in divisive ideology.”

Having said that he adds one mustkeep in mind that freedom of expression also demands responsibility. “I believe in thorough research and once Iam sure of my facts, nothing can stop

me. When I was planning to shoot“Gandhi, My Father” in Porbandar in2005, people were apprehensive aboutmy credentials to make a �lm on theirbeloved leader. But once they saw mypreparation, all the doors were openedfor me.”

Looking for his next challenge, Khansays, he constantly keeps asking himself whether he is becoming stagnant,whether he has stopped growing. He isreturning to entertainment in education with “Main Kuch Bhi Kar SaktiHoon” which spreads the message of family planning. “It is very dear to me.”And yes, he is returning to the kind ofplays that made him one of the stars oftheatre world. “I am reviving ‘SalesmanRamlal’ with Satish Kaushik. It is verydear to me. And then I am mounting anoriginal play called ‘Masiha Tonight’. Itis about a television anchor who believes that he has all the answers. I havebeen dreaming about it for a long timeand hopefully I would be able to execute that,” signs o� Khan.

(“MughaleAzam:The Musical” willbe staged till 11th February at JawaharlalNehru Indoor Stadium, New Delhi .)

the intensity of light goes up evenslightly, you can’t see the projection. Allof it has to be very precise.”

Against the image?This Broadway kind of productiondoesn’t go with the image of Khan,known for his contentrich plays like“Tumhari Amrita” and “Salesman Ramlal”. “I don’t agree with the perceptionthat everything that is big has to be shallow. “MughaleAzam”, the �lm, is a�ne example of this. According to me,its screenplay is a piece of literature. Every scene has a con�ict and has one ra-sa or the other.” It works the other wayas well. Referring to “Tumhari Amrita”,Khan reminds when he was doing ‘minimalistic’ work, people told him thataudience would doze o� watching twopersons read letters for two hours.“One thing you should be careful aboutis that the form should not overpowerthe content. That balance is extremelyimportant. I have tried to manage thatin all my work.” Also, he adds, some people think he only works for himself.“Then there are some who now feelthat I work for the audience. My thinking is that I must be doing it for the au

Class struggleHe reminds how “Kagaz Ke Phool” wasblown away by “MughaleAzam”. “People at that time could not understandthe angst of a writer. They identi�edmore with class struggle. All the successful �lms of that time had an element of class struggle – It’s the commonman who had aspirations, it was thecommon man who won. It was perhapsbecause they were the ones who werewatching cinema. There were no multiplex audience to cater to.” Even in Anarkali’s love, Khan sees an element ofclass con�ict. “In a way, she asks why acommon man cannot aspire to love,why a common person is expected tolive within boundaries or limits. Andshe pays a price for breaking the shackles.”

Khan has augmented the characterof sculptor, and describes it as a sort of“Brechtian device” to caution againstgrowing hegemonic tendencies in thepower structure. “But I could not havemade him go beyond the structure ofthe narrative. Within the structure of‘Mughale Azam’, we have layered it alot. ” Talking about the acting style andlanguage, Khan says, in the �lm there

tale ), says Khan, is the voice of the progressive writers.

“He challenges the imperial power.When the �lm was being written, theresistance against the imperialistic forces was very strong. The writers took advantage of the atmosphere. SuggestingSalim would be a democratic ruler wascertainly ridiculous, but the fact iswhen you listen to the song ‘ZindabadZindabad’, you feel as if Salim would bethe voice of the voiceless. I think theywere creating a great entertaining storybut they were also putting these littlethings to make it very inclusive.”

mal Amrohi and Wajahat Mirza, for presenting the syncretic culture in all itsbeauty on screen.

“When Akbar goes to war, he kissesan amulet and applies tilak on the forehead. He sits through Janamashtmi celebrations. There is Man Singh and Durjan to present all shades of characters.The writers were very clear while writing that they were creating a narrativethat was very inclusive. There is no literal reference but you can see strandsof Akbar’s faith in DineIlahi. In 16thcentury, he thought of bringing together the best of all the religions under oneumbrella.”

That’s not all. The voice of the Sangtarash (the sculptor who narrates the

Anuj Kumar DDDDDDDDDDDDD

Aesthetic appeal Neha Sargam as Anarkali; Nissar Khan and Dhanveer Singh as Akbar and Salim respectively in scenes from “Mughal-e-Azam: The Musical” * SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT, V. SUDERSHAN

A paean to the syncretic cultureAs “MughaleAzam: The Musical” returns to Delhi, seasoned theatre director Feroz Abbas Khan talks about the inclusive nature of the classic, and the looming threat of selfcensorship in creative domain

<>When the �lm was being written, the resistanceagainst the imperialistic forces was very strong.Suggesting Salim would be a democratic ruler wascertainly ridiculous but the fact is when you listen tothe song ‘Zindabad Zindabad’, you feel as if Salimwould be the voice of the voiceless

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC


FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 20186|7CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

COVER STORY


#4 9 2 3 5 3




IN SYNC

ND-X

Udaipur, as the state of Mewar’s capital city, hasbeen a musical centre for

centuries. The rulers of Mewarwere big patrons of the arts, andhad the best musicians at theircourt. From the time of Maharana Kumbha in the 15th Century,Mewar has been associated withthe arts. In fact, MaharanaKumbha is himself credited withwriting treatises on music, and issaid to have been a very �ne veena player. Meera Bai, the Krishnabhakta, who is credited withcomposing many devotionalpoems set to music too wasdaughterinlaw of Rana Sanga ofMewar. Despite the annual Maharana Kumbha Music Festival instituted around 60 years ago tokeep up Udaipur’s link with music, the city is not really associatedwith music now. That looks tochange with the initiative takenby Rajasthan Tourism and Delhibased cultural event management company Seher by holdingthe Udaipur World Music Festival. Now in its 3rd edition, the festival this year will be held fromFebruary 9 to 11, with musicevents starting from the morningonwards, at various venues sodi�erent audiences are attractedto attend the totally free festival.

Well-structuredThe concerts are well struc

tured – the morning concerts focus on meditative, classical concerts; the afternoon concertso�er mixed fare, and it is in theevening concerts that the focus isfully on the popular. No concertis to exceed an hour, thus givingthe audience di�erent sounds tosample. The bands are chosenfrom all over the world — Thailand, Philippines, Europe, Middle East, Latin America, Israel,and o�er diverse sounds; extremely musical and cosmopolitan. Sanjiv Bhargava from Seherhas carefully structured a festivalthat will have mass appeal. Thereare di�erent venues for the concerts adding to the exotic attraction of the event – Ambrai Ghat,in a garden overlooking the lake;Fateh Sagar Paal, which is an exotic island in the middle of theFateh Sagar Lake, GandhiGround, a huge outdoor spacefor the evening concerts.

The �rst day starts only withevening concerts – the talentedinstrumentalists of the Italiangroup Oi Dipnoi kick o� proceedings at 7 p.m., followed by the incredibly versatile Flavia Coelhofrom Brazil, whose music de�esthe label “Latino”; she is followed by India’s own very bestselling trio; Shankar Ehsaan andLoy.

On 10th concerts start withthe Hindustani vocalist Subhadra

Desai, at 9 a.m. After her recitalwill be the Trio Chemrani withartists from France Spain andGreece. In the afternoon will bethe India born, USbased guitarist Shubh Saran, who is makingwaves after the release of his �rstalbum Hmayra last year. Theevening concerts are scheduledfrom 7 p.m. onwards startingwith the Thai group Asia 7. Himalayan folk singer Bipul Chettriand The Travelling Band are slotted next, followed by a completely di�erent sound in the Frenchgroup Nojazz, with elements ofelectronic music, soul and jazz.

The last day starts with a sitarrecital by Delhibased Dhruv Bedi, who despite being only 26,has already performed in front ofover 13 Heads of State on variousoccasions. His concert will be followed by the ever popular Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam,joined by French classical tenorDominique Vellard. The two,despite belonging to di�erentgenres have collaborated musically for years, and as Aruna Sairam puts it “over the years wehave constantly innovated on therepertoire we present together.

When we �rst started singing together in Europe, I stayed at thefamily home in France to understand his music better. For thisconcert, Dominique came toChennai to spend time workingon our act twice last year; the innovation this time will be a narrative in English connecting thetwo musical cultures through antique literature – ancient Tamilpoetry for me and French andLatin poems for Dominique.”Another converging point is thatthe accompanists – violin andkhanjira for the percussion element, will be the same for bothsingers. Aruna revealed that thefact that she sings in a low femalepitch, and Dominique is a maletenor, singing in a high pitch hasenabled them sing together in‘F’.

The afternoon concerts willfeature Amine and Hazra, thetwo instrumentalist brothers on“oud” and “qanun”, who willperform a con�uence of Arabicmusic. followed by the Mumbaibased Anand Bhaskar Collective.Brainchild of lead singer AnandBhaskar, the group of musiciansbrings in a strong instrumentalelement in their music, and canloosely be called as an Indianrock band with elements of classical music. The evening concerts start with the ButteringTrio from Israel, a trio thatmakes gentle, soothing music followed by the Philippinesbased,sixartist Indie folk band, TheRansom Collective. The festivalends with the very popular Spanish group, Txarango, whose veryupbeat music is bound to resonate in Indian hearts, despite theconstraints of language.

If you love music, Udaipur isindeed the place to be in nextweek.

Innovative repertoire Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam and Frenchclassical tenor Dominique Vellard, (below) Shankar Mahadevan* H.S. MANJUNATH

A musical extravaganzaThe three-day Udaipur World Music Festival promises a varied fareof classical and popular music Shailaja KhannaDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Every year on the auspiciousday of Makar Sankranti, thethreeday Mukteswar Dance

Festival at Bhubaneswar is inaugurated at the 10thCentury magni�centMukteswar Temple, that comesalive with the ankle bells of reputedOdissi dancers from all over thecountry. Organised by the OdishaTourism, the prestigious festival insolo, duet and group format openedthis year, with a striking invocation“Mritunjaya Makaradhwajanashakaya” to Lord Mukteswar, the presiding deity, by Namrata Joshi, a senior disciple of Daksha Mashruwala.The “Prathana Vandana”, was composed by Pandit Nityananda Misra.In “Madhyama”, the Pallavi was setto the delightful ragas of Abhogi andRageshree in talas Rupak and Triputa respectively. It was a captivatingpiece in terms of composition, execution and music. However, theAshtapadi “Kishalaya Shyanataley”remained ordinary with the musicand singing by Manoj Joshi overpowering the mediocre abhinaya. Bijan Palai and Rudraprasad Swain,versatile dancers trained at the Orissa Dance Academy by Guru ArunaMohanty wove magic in their duet“Ektali”, Khamaj Pallavi set to BijayKumar Jena’s music in Mohanty’schoreography. “Sakha Bodha”scripted by Kedar Misra exploredthe confrontation in friendship between two sets of characters viz.Krishna and Arjuna and Karna andDuryodhana from Mahabharata.The otherwise interesting conceptfailed to appeal due to the lack of sequence and clarity in the script inspite of the dancers doing full justiceto Mohanty’s fascinating choreography with the melodious musicalsupport. Rojalin Mohapatra’s groupbegan with a well rehearsed “BhoShambho” followed by an interesting tale of “Surpanaka” whichbrought to the fore her meditationat Pushkar desiring Lord Ram afterbeing refused by the “EkapatnibrataPurushottam” and humiliated byLakshman in the Treta Yug and herrebirth as Kubja in the Dapar Yug .Credit must be given to Pandit Nityananda Misra to script the enrichingpiece embracing the “Brahmabaivarta Puran”. Rojalin appealed asSurpanakha; so did the refreshingpink and white costumes of thedancers even though the presentation was lacklustre.

Best presentationsThe second evening saw the

best presentations in the festivalbeginning with “Panchabhuta” bya matured soloist Shalini Patnaik.Choreographed by Aruna Mohanty , set to music and singing byRamhari Das, a gratifying “Panchabhuta” was followed by “Rudramangala”, an ode to Shiva.

Armed with strong sense of balance,technical skills and understanding,Shalini brought alive the various manifestations of Rudra and his avatarscon�dently, doing justice to Mohanty’s choreography, Bijay Kumar Jena’s music and Kedar Misra’s enriching script. Her body in�ections andgraceful lyrical movements in “Surangani Kallolini Ganga” broughtout the brilliance of the poetry andmusic. Here is a dancer to watch!“Bibhas Suddha Dhaivat Pallavi” theduet by Srjan’s welltrained SipraSwain and Aiswarya Singhdev choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra,set to music by Pradip Das showedtheir grip over rhythm followed by acompetent “Ardhanareeswar” originally choreographed as a solo by Kelubabu and later as an imaginativeduet by Ratikant set to the originallyscore of Guru Raghunath Panigrahi.The dancers kept Srjan’s �ag �yingwith their riveting performance.“Padmavati”, scripted by Pandit Nityananda Misra based on the Odialegend “Kanchi Bijay”, set to BijoyJena’s music, choreographed by Debamitra Sengupta, and presentedby her wellcoordinated group, wasthe most popular group event of thefestival. Debamitra made good useof the sprawling stage and the warscene between Kanchi and GajapatiMaharaja’s army was a pleasure towatch and kept the audience in holdtill the end. Herself a charming dancer, she excelled as daiwali(curdseller).

The concluding evening beganwith obeisance to Mother Earth anda dampened Ravan Kruta Shiva Tandava by an otherwise accomplisheddancer Gayatri Chand, a senior,learned disciple of Guru Debaprasad Das. She seemed to be not inbest of form, also in the next pieceNavarasa, choreographed by Das.The duet by wellgroomed SaritaMisra and Manisha Manaswini wasresplendent with grace and opalescence. Hamsadhwani Pallavishowed wonderful formations andexecution with the intricacies andthe complexities of the rhythm andvocal by Bijay Jena. The various attitude of Lord Krishna was broughtout delicately in the Odia abhinaya“Sajani Mohana Murati Chhayilo”penned by Banamali. The curtaincame down with the manglacharan“Shadadharachakrey”, an impressive ChandrikaKamodi Pallavi andthe vigorous presentation “Mahakali Stuti”by the powerful and involved dancers of BichitranandaSwain and Group.

Coming alive with ankle bellsOdissi dancersshowcased their mettleat the annual MukteswarDance Festival

Nita VidyarthiDDDDDDDDDDDDD

A dancer to watch Shalini Patnaik * ARABINDA

MOHAPATRA.


#4 9 2 3 5 3




SPOTLIGHT ND-X

Awards have been a constantwith Ustad Ghulam MustafaKhan. The latest is the Padma

Vibhushan. The octogenarian Ustadfeels blessed and humbly acknowledges, “Ye sab uski meharbani, buzurgon ki aur aap jaise azeezon kiduaon ka asar hai” (all this is due tothe grace of the almighty, blessings ofelders and good wishes of wellwishers like you)”.

Born in Badaun (Uttar Pradesh) on3rd March 1931 to Ustad Waris Hussain Khan in a family of musicians inthe illustrious lineage of the RampurSahaswan Gharana that boasts ofnames like Ustad Inayat HussainKhan, Ustad Fida Hussain Khan, Ud.Mushtaq Hussain Khan, Ud. NissarHussain Khan and the likes, Ud. Ghulam Mustafa Khan was initiated intoclassical music by his father. Hismother was the daughter of Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan, who was the soninlaw of Ud. Haddu Khan, the pioneer of Gwalior Gharana. Thus havingthe privilege of learning under theguidance of Ud. Fida Hussain Khanand his grandfather Ud. Inayat Hussain Khan, he imbibed the best ofboth the gharanas.

He remembers the long hours of riyaaz (musical exercise) during hischildhood and adolescence that enabled him to reach the deepest depthof the lower octave to the highestreaches of ati taar saptak, meandering through three and a half octaves atease. No wonder, he started performing all over and became a graded artiste of All India Radio (AIR) at a veryyoung age.

Responding to the query about hiswork on ‘JaatiGaan’, mentioned inthe old treatise like “Sangeet Ratnakar” of Sharangdeva , with AcharyaK.C. Deva Brihaspati, he �rst had ahearty laugh remembering how theAcharya spotted him for this project.“He (Acharya Brihaspati) had spent along time in Rampur, interacting withthe court musicians of those days, sohe knew me from the times I was atoddler. Later once he heard mewhen I was performing in a concert,perhaps the National Programme ofMusic on AIR, where he was the o�cer incharge. When I took a sapaattaan encompassing threeandahalfsaptak and stood for a while on the

komal rishabh, before coming to theshadja, he found that I have an inclination towards the Shrutis. After theprogramme, he asked me to assisthim for this project because I was theonly one he had come across till then,who could practically prove his pointby demonstrating it by singing.”

Association with �lmsReplying to how he got associated

with �lms, he remembered that �rsthe started singing for Marathi andGujarati �lms. Mrinal Sen’s “BhuvanShome” was perhaps the �rst Hindi�lm he sang for. Then Pt. Vijay RaghavRao asked him to sing for “BadnaamBasti”. As a composer/singer he madewaves with the Jhoola song “Jhoolakin, dara ri amraiyan…” for the unforgettable �lm “Umrao Jaan” by Muzaffar Ali. Who can forget the melodiousRagamala from Bhairav to Bhairavi,where one sees Rekha growing upfrom an innocent teenager to thebeautiful young woman as the time

cycle of the ragas gradually proceedsfrom the morning Bhairav composition “Pratham dhar dhyaan Shri Ganesh…” to midmorning Todi “Ab mori naiya paar karo tum…”, the noonraga Shuddha Sarang “Sagun bichaaro Bamhana…” to the afternoonBhimpalasi “Biraj mein dhoom machai aaj”, the evening Yaman “Darshan deho Shankar Mahadev..” to themidnight Malkauns “Pakrat bahiyaan…” reaching the concluding Bhairavi Bandish “Baansuri baja rahi….”.On how the idea of Ragamala came tohis mind, he said that Muza�ar Ali explained to him what he exactly wanted and he thought of the Ragamala according to the time theory of the raga.“I preferred to take the traditionalcompositions here, since it also had todo with the taleem, the musical training of the girls.”

He was a bit hesitant to share thathe had played the role of Baiju Bawrain a German documentary �lm shot inJaipur, where he also sang for himself.He has sung for and composed musicfor many documentaries made by theFilms Division, many of whom wenton to win the National Award.

Apart from being a reputed vocalistof the Rampur Sahaswan Gharana,Khan Saheb is equally comfortablesinging and composing the semi classical ThumriDadra to Sugam Sangeetand Ghazal. He is a sought after Guruas well.

Apart from his nephew, the classical vocalist Ud. Rashid Khan, many ofthe playback singers have also takenguidance in singing from him rightfrom Asha Bhosle, Kamal Barot, Hariharan to Sonu Nigam and Shan. His

four sons, Ghulam Murtuza, GhulamQadir, Rabbani Mustafa and GhulamHasan Khan are, of course, trained byhim only..

Among his relatives the young vocalist of this Gharana, Ghulam AbbasKhan, the son and disciple of Ud.Ghulam Sadiq Khan is a great fan ofKhan Saheb. He says, “I have done hishero worship right from my childhood. His music is vast abd hence hecan sing the sampoorna ragas withgreat facility, without bothering aboutthe challenging situations. I was inspired by his sapaat and lachchhedaar (complicated) taans of threeandahalf saptak and tried to imitatehim. He has composed �rst rate bandishes (compositions) sung by themusicians all over, like the bandish inraga Bhathiyar “Tarpat beeti sagrirain…”, which he has dedicated to hisGuru Nisar Hussain Khan, where theantara (second half of the composition) goes ‘Nisar Piya ko kou manao,baat takat thake nain” . His Yamanbandish, “Aao Balma…”, with ‘Firat’ki taan woven into it, is an ideal composition to season your voice.”

Soulful ghazalsOn the secret of his soulful ghazal

compositions, the Padma Vibhushanawardee admits that he is fond ofreading good poetry. In fact, he hasno other hobby except music andpoetry. “Pahle Ghaliyaat ko dil semehsoos karta hoon tab jaakar compose kar paata hoon, ho sakta hai yahivajeh ho! (I �rst feel the poetry fromthe depth of my heart and soul, thenonly try to compose it. This may bethe secret you wanted to know)!

Modest man, majestic voice In conversation with Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan, who has just added one more feather to his illustrious cap

Manjari SinhaDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Complete devotion Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan in performance * AFP

DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

A class apart The splendour of Rampur Durbar shines forth in the music of Rampur Sahaswan Gharana. which is anamalgamation of inputs from many Gharanas. Since Ud. Inayat Khan learnt from Ud. Haddu Khan, thepioneer of Gwalior Gharana; the signi�cant features like the ‘Thehraav’ of Gwalior came in automatically.Most of the musicians of Dilli Durbar took shelter under Nawab Rampur after the dynasty was ruined,hence the in�uence of musicians of Dilli and other Gharanas who adorned the Delhi court, came in. Thenmusicians of Awadh like Kadar Piya and Sanad Piya brought the in�uence of Lucknow and styles likeThumri, Dadra and Tappa. All these in�uences merged with the royal splendour of Rampur Darbar.One can clearly see the signi�cant features of his gharana in Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan’s gayaki likethe combined elements of Dhrupad, dhamar, khayal, tappa, thumri, etc, alap in nom tom like syllablesnot just akar. Aesthetics with virile singing and a combination of melodic and rhythmic excellence, thechhoot taans, sargam taans, tarana, bandishi thumri, composition studded with taans and best of all,focus not just on speed but repose as well.He is one of the ideal representatives of his gharana but what sets him apart is his versatility, as aclassical vocalist who is totally in command whether singing khayal, thumri, tarana and equally at easeas a ghazal singer, an imaginative composer and the most sought after guru, who can chisel anyone fromclassical to light classical, ghazal or singing for �lms!DDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD


#4 9 2 3 5 3




CANVAS

ND-X

Balan Nambiar is an artist with several exceptions and �rsts to his credit.As his creative works and researchon ritual art celebrate his six decades of artistic life, the National

Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru, will hold amonthlong retrospective of this veteran painter turned enamellist and sculptor.

A few years ago, while honouring BalanNambiar at a function in Bengaluru, the lateU.R. Ananthamurthy commented, “while hisresearch work is based in Kerala, the soil forhis creative works is Karnataka.” That was aclear analysis of Balan Nambiar, whose basehas been Bengaluru since 1971.

Why Bengaluru? “At some point of timeduring my Madras days and during the �nalyear of the course at the Fine Arts Collegethere, I had an inner call that I must move.There were emotional con�icts between myguru, the late KCS Paniker, and me and Ithought I must leave the place, which, whilelooking back today, I think was the correctdecision.”

When Nambiar landed in Bengaluru in 1971,he had nothing in his pocket to sustain a living. The Brothers’ Holy Cross provided free facilities to conduct art classes for adults on thecondition that he had to teach to four of theirinmates without fees. Since 1971, he has beenconducting classes for drawings and paintingto children without charging fee; his lineage ofartists has now crossed 2,000.

“Fortunately in my entire artistic career,right from my initial days, I was able to make alife through the sale of my works. There wereups and downs, there were periods that I hadto manage with minimum comfort but somehow sustenance was ensured,” adds Nambiarwhose �rst exhibition was in 1967 before joining the College of Fine Arts.

Nambiar is the only Indian sculptor, whohas conducted a solo exhibition of stainlesssteel sculptures and enamel paintings on silver and copper. He is also known for his outdoor sculptures. Till 1999 he was doing sculptures on iron (normal steel); from 2000 onwards, it is mainly on stainless steel. About100 stainless steel sculptures have been doneby him so far.

Earlier Nambiar had worked with clay,wood, �breglass reinforced concrete (GRC),bronze, etc. as well.

Nambiar’s method of sculpting is through avariety of processes such as making thesketches, drawings in various angles, computer generated designs, laser cutting, water jetcutting, TIGwelding, grinding, polishing andassembling. Inspired by the concept of Kanna-dibimbam — mirror idol — which is a strongethos of Indian culture, especially in Kerala,he made several arresting mirror forms instainless steel.

Enamel painting Nambiar pioneered the intricate jewelleryenamel paintings on silver and copper in modern India, even though enamelling as an artform was prevalent in the country since theMughal period, probably through the European goldsmiths associated with them. Enamel colours are not produced in India andthose used by artisans were limited in range. Afew of the Indian artists who tried jewelleryenamel paintings have used limited coloursand techniques. Further, the works are highlyrestricted in size.

Paolo De Poli, considered the father ofmodern jewellery enamel paintings, wasNambiar’s fatherinlaw. When he understoodthat Nambiar’s creations were di�erent intechnique, colour and concepts and he had apassion for using a variety of colour combinations and larger dimensions, he extended all

facilities of his studio to Nambiar and askedhim to work more with enamel.

Hailing from Kannapuram in Kannur district, Nambiar started his career as a drawingteacher in a High School in Kunissery, Palakkad. Soon he quit joined Southern Railway inChennai as a draughtsman. A meeting with Paniker changed the course for the young aspirant. “During my visit to an exhibition, I metAkkitham Narayanan, who told me that Paniker would be happy to meet me as he hadheard from the catalogue of the Dusssara Exhibition about my winning prizes,” recallsNambiar. “I met Paniker and he thought Ishould take up art as my profession.”

It was Paniker who advised Nambiar to joinThe Madras Art Club which was functioning atthe college. Keen on becoming a fulltime student at the College of Fine Arts under Paniker,Nambiar resigned from the Railways a year before Paniker’s retirement.

It was Nambiar who plotted the land at

Cholamandal and made the layout drawingsusing his technical background as a draughtsman. “Paniker was a great mentor. His greatness lay in the fact that he was exceptional inspotting talent,” observes Nambiar.

Nambiar’s association with metal sculptures started after he settled in Bengaluru.Shankar Hegde, whom he knew during hisMadras days and who owned a factory in Kanakapura Road, suggested Nambiar make ametal sculpture. After the �rst sculpture,Hegde asked him to do more work by o�eringthe facilities, while the raw materials wereprocured by Nambiar. Hard work led to a soloexhibition of 24 garden sculptures, �rst in India, in the lawn of Hotel Ashoka in 1975.

The breakthroughWhat would he call the crucial breakthroughin his career? “From my college days to 1977,almost every year I used to conduct a solo exhibition and paintings and sculptures weresold regularly. In 1974 I had an exhibition inMumbai. Air India bought two of my paintingsand in exchange I was o�ered a ticket to go toanywhere in Europe. I used the o�er in 1977.With the help of the Malayalam novelist M.Mukundan, who was working at the FrenchEmbassy, I got an invitation from France for a21day visit. I was invited also to visit Germanyby the German government. Combining these

trips I visited almost all the signi�cant museums.”

Nambiar discovered a new medium in theprocess. At the South Asian Institute at Heidelberg, where he presented his works, a personfrom the audience asked him whether hecould do a sculpture with a new medium. Thesuggestion was GRC. After a visit to the R&D ofPortland Cement, Nambiar I accepted the o�er. He made a sculpture with GRC within fourweeks and it was exhibited at the Constructa78, at Hannover.

Nambiar’s stay was extended for fourmonths during which he made �ve moresculptures. With the money, he stayed on for11 months in Europe visiting nine countriesand every important museum. “It opened awindow to a panoramic view of European andAfrican art,” describes Nambiar.

Back in Bangalore, where he returned,challenges waited. The building in which hewas living at Brothers’ Holy Cross had beendemolished and his belongings were scattered. Nambiar made a new beginning by resuming his free art classes for children. On aninvitation from Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay,he presented an illustrated lecture at India International Centre, Delhi which was anotherbreak. It was in 1980.

Next summer he was invited to visit Kashmir. In Srinagar, Dr Karan Singh, who was present at his lecture at IIC, advised him to applyfor Nehru Fellowship. That was in 1981 and hegot it. “After that till date I have not signed anapplication for any fellowship or grant oraward, but many came in search of me,” saysNambiar.

Nambiar thinks it is high time India has afew Institutes of Fine Arts of world class. Nambiar submitted a paper on the necessity of alaw in India to protect works of art in publicspaces because works are stolen or lost forever. In 2004, one of his commissioned worksinstalled at Lavelle Road in Bangalore was removed by the police using bulldozers and noteven a piece of steel used for it could be retrieved. A photograph of the sculpture will�nd a prominent place in the retrospective atthe NGMA, Bangalore.

What are the recurring motifs in his creative works? A series of stainless steel sculptures of cactus depicts symbolically his autograph. Cactus asserts its right to exist in theodd, uncongenial, hostile environment. Oftenhe felt his life was like a cactus. Another motifoften found in his creative works is cosmic spiral and the mathematical principles associated with it.

Metal maniaVeteran artist BalanNambiar’s installations andart works of steel and bronzewill be on display at theexhibition in Bangalore

K.K. Gopalakrishnan

DDDDDDDDDDDDD

Theme twists BalanNambiar at hisBangalore residence

Celebrating an artistic journey Curated by Sadanand Menon, the NGMA will hold a monthlong retrospective of his

creative work and research on ritual art to celebrate six decades of his artistic careerfrom February 4 onwards, marked by an unconventional inauguration.

Why ‘unconventional’? “My life is also unconventional. An ensemble of live mizhavuled by Kalamandalam Sajith Vijayan followed by lighting of altar wicks by students whohad attended my art classes since 1971 would be the main event of the inauguralfunction.”

There will be sketches and drawings in Indian ink, charcoal, pastels and paintings inwater colour and oil, apart from photographs of the ritual arts of the west coast ofSouth India. About 60 jewellery enamel paintings on silver and copper, all done at thestudio of Paolo De Poli, in Italy, might be signi�cant in the Indian art context. Sculpturesin bronze, mild steel and about 50 stainless steel sculptures both indoors and outdoorwill be on show. In addition, lectures, panel discussions, gallery walks for the visitorsand musical programmes are planned.

Special gallery walks will be arranged for groups of students of architecture and the�ne arts. Nambiar himself will be giving three lectures on topics such as Golden Ratio,Fibonacci sequences and Fractles in Mathematics, Nature and the Arts; Comparativestudy of Bhutas of South Canara and Theyyams of North Kerala; and On Children’s ArtEducation.


#4 9 2 3 5 3




BOOKWORM ND-X

Does the muchadmired creativity explore inherent po

tentiality of untidiness,not visible to ordinary human eye? Does it also invite us to go beyond theabiding passion for putting things in order? Theanswer “Yes” has beenpoignantly told in an elegant Dogri poem “Makingof Scrapheap” (Khalar).The poem, composed by acelebrated Dogri poet LalitMagotra, is published in areputed Hindi quarterly,“Hindi Jagat”. The journaledited by an eminent Hindi poet Suresh Rituparnacarried three poems of Lalit in its latest issue. Thepoem “Khalar” presentsan alternative perspectivein contrast with an intensedisdain for things lying inbits and pieces:

“My wife/gets angry/As Itoss my books and papereverywhere/ My house is�lled with the litter/ Shedoes not know/ These unread books, incompletenotes/ These rubbed andcurved lines/ Early signs ofpoems/ All parts of mylife’s dustbin/ It is my life/I also know/ When timeschange/ A rag and boneman will wrap up it all/The way the rag picker oftime carrying dirty bag onhis back/ Collects the pastlife and goes away/Thehouse maker does notknow/ Life produces junkall around/Death bundlesup the litter.”

Lalit, casting a satiricaleye on a subject that doesnot get talked about, explores an array of nonvisible feelings and the poem

produces a subtle intriguethat pulls one into thepoem, makes us morealive to the vanished truth.

Lalit Magotra, who gotSahitya Akademi Awardfor his collection of essays,“Chetan Diyan Galiyan” in2011, writes in a languageDogri, spoken about �vemillion people in Indiaand Pakistan. In the second poem, “Many atimes poetry”, the poetseeks to demystify the process of writing poetry andcreatively asserts thatpoem is essentially an ideaof text that the poet himself cannot readily pindown, the more he tries to�nd appropriate words,the more apt words escape him. The poem pro

duces an air of amused astonishment and it alsomakes it clear that mostordinary things create amore lasting impressionthan serious.

Creative dexterityNot much is known

about the rich legacy ofDogri language and literature with the exception ofPadma Sachdeva whosecreative dexterity got wideacclaim in literary circlesand she bagged SahityaAkademi Award and Saraswati Samman for her collection of poems “MeriKavita aur Mere Geet”,(1971) and autobiography“Chitt Chete” (2015). Shewas also instrumental inpersuading Lata Mangeshkar to sing some Dogrisongs and it went a longway in popularising Dogrilanguage.

The term Dogri was �rstused by famous Persianpoet and su� saint AmirKhusro in his long epicpoem “Nu Sephar”. Dogri

is spoken in Jammu andKashmir and HimachalPradesh. It has becomeone of the popular languages of Northern India.Many literary genres aremaking their presence feltin Dogri and recently LalitMagotra published translation of his Dogri poems inHindi. The book, carrying80 poems titled as “Shabda Se Maun Tak”, seeks toexplore inner potentialityof the silence as majorityof poems do not necessarily provide the reader withfull explanation and theyunfailingly create a senseof creeping unease. Thethemes of incompleteness,fragility and pause are revisited with a markedsense of introspection.

Besides novel, short story, drama and poetry, anew genre personal andlight essay has become very popular in the contemporary Dogri literatureand recently a prominentDogri poet Darshan Darshi, whose collection ofpoems “Kore Kaal KorianTalian” won the SahityaAkademi award in 2006,published a selection ofhis essays “Musings fromMy Attic”, which carriestwentynine short essayson various traits, valuesand human follies.

Authors across theglobe are worried aboutthe future of book in acompletely digitalizedworld. Darshi too talksabout the survival of bookand he suggests a newmeans to take on the likesof Facebook and digitalpublication. One suchmethod is Book Crossingwhere a physical book travels across and also takesassistance from the samemonitor which is feared tobe killing the future ofbooks.

Book crossing has a simple idea. Share books withstrangers if you can, leavea book at a café, on thetop of an ATM, the trainstation, anywhere that someone might �nd it. Thatperson reads the book andreleases it into the ‘wild’again after letting youknow where he found itand what he thought of it.

If Darshi’s advice is adhered to, it will certainlyproduce more argumentative Indian, not intolerantIndians as many writersfear.

Finding elegance in scrap Poets Lalit Magotra and Darshan Darshi are espousing the cause of Dogrilanguage through their imaginative works

Shafey Kidwai

DDDDDDDDDDDDD

The term Dogri was first used

by famous Persian poet and

sufi saint Amir Khusro in his

long epic poem “Nu Sephar”.

Dogri is spoken in Jammu and

Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

It has become one of the

popular languages of Northern

India. Many literary genres are

making their presence felt in

Dogri and recently Lalit

Magotra published translation

of his Dogri poems in HindiDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Casting a satirical eye Lalit Magotra, (below) PadmaSachdev * SUSHIL KUMAR VERMA

She walked across the stage with a glass of water. The audience held their breath as she didso, “…and if a bead of water goes down the

glass, you can hear them gasp…” says Alan Alda.Even as you wonder what great suspense is

held within that glass of water, Alan Alda, theAmerican actor, says: “An engaging story is onethat has a dramatic obstacle in it. The attempt toget past the obstacle, to get where you are going,to achieve what you are trying to, makes it an interesting story. So my guess is instead of leavingout your mistakes, the problems you have inachieving something, whether it is science or aninterview…are the elements that make for a goodstory.” So, Alda told the audience that if the girlspilt even a drop of water, all her villagers wouldbe dead…an imaginary situation, albeit, it keptthe audience interested. And this is the essence ofcommunication.

Alda’s book, “If I Understood You, Would IHave This Look On My Face?” is all about communication and miscommunication, particularly between scientists and civilians. It begins with a personal anecdote, “I was at a dentist’s o�ce in thechair ready to have him start an operation on mygum… he’s got the scalpel ready to poke me in the

face with it. He says:“Now, there will besome tethering.” Isaid: “Pardon me?" Iwas too impressed byhis surgical gown tosay: ‘Put the knifedown and tell me whatyou mean by tethering’. I let him go aheadwith the operation andit turned out that itchanged my smile…”

Serious endingAlda says: “People

are dying because wecan’t communicate inways that allow us tounderstand one another…It sounds like an

exaggeration, but I don’t think it is. When patientscan’t relate to their doctors and don’t follow theirorders, when engineers can’t convince a townthat the dam could break, when a parent can'twin the trust of a child to warn her o� a lethaldrug… they can all be headed for a seriousending."

Alda did not sue his dentist, he took to runningworkshops for doctors on communication andeven does improve exercises with them, “…toreally get everybody accustomed to the idea thatcontact with the other person is essential, is a �rststep toward good communication. Because if youare thinking only about communication as havingthe perfect message regardless of how it lands onyour audience, then you’re likely just to be spraying information at them and not really saying something to them that sticks.”

Alda says science fascinates. If scientists couldcommunicate in a way that their passion couldrub o� on others, we would improve the generalunderstanding out there.

Overcomingdramatic obstacles

Sudhamahi Regunathan

DDDDDDDDDDDDD

In his book “If I Understood You,Would I Have This Look On MyFace?”, Alan Alda drives home thepoint that a writer needs to explainhis/her experiences in overcominghurdles to make a compelling read

Telling Voices Going Native


#4 9 2 3 5 3




ENTERTAINMENT

ND-X

Devi duo, along with the other two hit pairs – UttamSuchitra, and UttamSabitri, almost ruled the Bengaliscreen in the ’50s and ’60s.The lead pair UttamSupriyacreated magic through theirsuperb romantic roles thatenthralled a whole generation. The duo gifted the audience with blockbusterBengali movies like “Chirodiner” (1969), “Sabarmati”(1969), “Baghbandi Khela”(1971), “Bon Palashir Padavali” (1973) and “Sanyasi Raja”(1975). Known as one of the�nest actresses of her time,she played a variety of rolesthat captivated the audienceas well as the critics. Roleslike Chandramukhi in DilipRoy’s Bengali �lm “Devdas”(1979), where Uttam Kumarplayed the role of Chunnilal,Sujata in “Jadi Jantem”(1974), Ms. Karabi Guha in“Chowringhee” (1968), Sumitra in “Sabyasachi” (1977),re�ected her versatility as anactress. Her role as a Bengaliwidow in “Lal Pathar” (1964)and a successful singer in“Bilambita Loy” (1970) gotcritical acclaim across thecountry.

She wonderfully performed the role of Anusuyain Ritwik Ghatak “KomalGandhar” (1961), but it wasGhatak’s “Meghe Dhaka Tara” (1960) that gave her a cultstatus. Popular Bengali �lm

Neeta, su�ering fromtuberculosis, uttersher last words, to her

singerbrother, in agony :“Dada ami kintu banchtecheyechilam…Dada, tumi ekbar bolo, ami banchbo..dadaami banchbo… dada amibanchbo.. (Brother, I justwanted to live… tell me oncethat I will survive. I want to live…brother, I want to live)”.

Bengal’s Sophia LorenKnown as one of the classicscenes in Indian cinema,these poignant and heartrending words of Neeta atthe end of Ritwik Ghatak’scult �lm, “Meghe Dhaka Tara” (1960), still resonate inthe minds of each and everysensitive cinemagoer. Supriya Devi’s role as Neeta tookher to the heights of a legend. In her career spanningmore than �ve decades inBengali �lm industry, sheacted in over 45 �lms and later, emerged as one of themost proli�c actresses inBengali cinema.

Known as the Sophia Loren of Bengal, she breathedher last in her South Kolkataresidence on January26, following a massive cardiorespiratory failure. She left ahuge void in the Bengali �lmindustry and her death hasbrought the end of an era.

“Supriya Devi was an extremely brilliant artist andexceptionally unique. It wasa great loss to the Bengali cinema,” says director SandipRay. Veteran �lmmakerBuddhadeb Dasgupta remarks, “She was one of thebest actresses in Indian cinema of her time. She ruledBengali cinema for sometime. Her demise has created a great vacuum in Bengalicinema.”

Supriya Devi was born on8th January, 1933 in the Burmese town of Myitkyina.During World War II, her family left Burma and came toCalcutta in search of a secured life. Supriya startedher acting career from anearly age of seven. She actedin two plays Shah Jehan andNar Narayan , directed byher father, Gopal ChandraBanerjee. Fondly called ‘Benu’ by her close associates,Supriya Chowdhury took thescreen name as Supriya Devi. She made her debut inNirmal Dey's Bengali classic�lm Basu Paribaar (1952) asUttam Kumar’s sister, SabitriChattopadhyay. But she wonthe hearts of the audiencethrough her splendid performance in Mangal Chakraborty’s Bengali �lm, Sonar Ha-rin (1959), where UttamKumar played the maleprotagonist.

The Uttam KumarSupriya

actor Prosenjit Chakrabortysaid that every actress has adream to play the role ofNeeta and if one works in aclassic �lm like Meghe DhakaTara, it will be like a lifechanging moment. “Her performance as Neeta was exemplary.”

Her reallife relationshipwith Uttam Kumar created afurore among the middleclass Bengali family in ’60sand ’70s. In spite of being a

married woman, she openlyadmitted her relationshipwith Uttam Kumar who wasalso married. Finally, she decided to live with Uttam Kumar as partners. They shifted to Mumbai to start newjourney in Bollywood, but later, after the death of UttamKumar, she returned to Calcutta in the late 80s. Shemarried Bishwanath Choudhury in 1954, and had adaughter named Soma .She

went against the wave because it was a daring task tospeak openly about her relationship in a conservativeand conventional Bengali society.

Supriya Devi also workedin Hindi �lms like “Begaana”(1963), “Aap Ki Parchhaiyan”(1964), “Door Gagan KiChhaon Mein” (1964), buther stint in Hindi �lms wasshortlived. She turneddown some o�ers as she wasnot satis�ed with the roleso�ered to her. When cinemawas trapped into the formulaic ingredients, she almostretired . But with the arrivalof satellite television in ’90s,she appeared on smallscreen by enacting a role in“Janani”, one of the mostpopular Bengali televisionserial on Doordarshan. Sheeven hosted a show “Benudir Rannaghor” and itproved to be one of the mostpopular television shows .The last �lm where she actedas a grandmother was MiraNair’s “The Namesake”(2006).

Recipient of the PadmaShri and the Banga Vibhushan, West Bengal’s highest civilian award, she will be remembered for her immensecontribution to Bengali cinema. Her image as a strongwoman in reel and real lifewill continue to linger in ourminds.

Blast From The Past

The end of an era

Supriya Devi will be remembered for her image of a strong woman, both on and o� screen Parthajit BaruahDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Multifaceted actress Supriya Devi

I do not have to adapt myvoice to a character but Igive my own touch to it.That way I was not typecastto a particular genre. I havesung melodies as well asitem songs, and diversity isessential to a singer. I am also a Su� singer and also singsemiclassical songs like athumri for “Padmaavat”. Igot a chance to experimentby singing comic songs, romantic songs and even amassage song (laughs).

You will surely �nd a songof your choice in my bucket.

Do you think that withso many singers around,there is a lack of stardomin singing?

It is good that there aremany singers and no singleartist is controlling the industry. As far as my stardomis concerned, people knowme for my voice eventhough they do not recog

nise me by pictures. Thoughmany singers get recognisedbecause of social media andlive concert, I believe, it isvoice which should beknown and not face. Evensingers singing singles aregetting popularity and themeaning of stardom ischanging.

It is good in a way peopledo not know me by face because I am enjoying my lifeas an ordinary person and Ican go to a restaurant withmy family and enjoy foodwithout creating chaos(laughs). Even then if peoplemake me star, I will be morethan happy.

You are equally famousin independent and devo-tional space

I want to be knownbeyond Bollywood and thatis why I make sure that I singsingles each year as peopleknow you because of it. I al

Richa Sharma, the versatile singer, who hasgiven voice to many

hit songs including the recent “Thumri Holi” in “Padmaavat” was in Delhi to perform at the recentlyconcluded Delhi BollywoodMusic Project. The artistetook time to talk about herjourney, her unique voiceand her love for devotionalmusic.

How was the receptionto your concert in Delhi?

Delhi is very close to myheart. I always want to cometo Delhi and it is a privilegeto regularly come here. Iwas born in Faridabad andmy roots attached to thisplace. I have spent yearslearning music here andthere are memories fromthe college years. I have undergone struggle here and

have done shows in everypart of the city. Also thestreet food here always attracts me. My professionallove may lie in Mumbai butthe heart lies here.

How do you look backto your journey so far?

I am contended with whatI have achieved. I feel proudwith whatever I have doneso far because I did it withpassion and dedication. Idid not face any big hurdlesin my life though challengeswere always there in my life.Good thing is I was able getsuccess at the end of thestruggle and that gave meenergy to continue my journey further.

Do you think your un-conventional voiceworked in your favour?

People always search away to do something di�erent in their work but I amblessed with a unique voice.

ways inspire new singers tosing in independent spacebecause you have to createyour own market. Music hasa large landscape, we haveto spread out as much wecan.

I am a spiritual person

and devotional music is mypriority as it was earlier. Ithas given me my �rst stageand even though I choosemy songs these days, I always pick up devotional �rstas it gives me inner happiness.

The unconventional voice Atif Khan

DDDDDDDDDDDDD

Touching new heights Richa Sharma* NAGARA GOPAL

Quick Five
