belagavi l friday l January 30, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION Maharashtra bids a tearful adieu to Ajit Pawar ‘dada’ a rich legacy turns into a memory As thousands gathered to pay their last respects, Pawar’s sons, Parth and Jay, lit the funeral pyre in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Pawar’s extended family. Sharad Pawar, Ajit’s uncle, sat quietly watching a legacy he helped build become a memory. The former deputy CM and four others had perished in a plane crash in Baramati Wednesday The 66-year-old NCP chief was cremated with full state honours at the Vidya Pratishthan college ground in Baramati on Thursday | P10 thackerays, bjp top brass pay tribute ■ ■ Ajit Pawar’s cousin Supriya Sule, NCP (SP) Lok Sabha member, stood with his wife Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha member, to console her Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray and MNS chief Raj Thackeray offered floral tributes at Ajit Pawar’s home. The entire top brass of the BJP, led by Amit Shah, was in attendance at the funeral 16,500 hours was the combined flying experience of the pilots of the jet CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Policy prescriptions Tariff impact Focus on building national capabilities and economic sovereignty in the face of shrinking space for rules-based trading, anti-immigrant stance, weaponisation of energy and export controls 2% Costly freebies Direct cash transfers to voters ahead of elections ­— a new strategy adopted by political parties — have long-term viability risks. Aggregate spending on such transfers would be `1.7 lakh crore in FY26, it warned Cool inflation Retail inflation is unlikely to cause any major worries for the economy, supported by favourable supply-side conditions and the gradual pass-through of GST rate cuts. Inflation is likely to average 2% this fiscal. The new CPI series, due to kick in on Feb 12, will have implications for inflation assessment, warranting careful interpretation of price dynamics G RAM G vs MGNREGS Learning outcome The VB-G RAM G Act, 2025 was brought in because there was a notable decline in work under MGNREGS, the Survey said. Since its enactment in 2005, MGNREGS provided wage employment, stabilised rural income, and created basic infrastructure, but the nature of rural employment requirements transformed overtime. VB-G RAM G is a comprehensive statutory overhaul of the earlier scheme, it said Elementary school enrolment is near universal, but learning outcomes remain weak. National assessments show many upper primary students struggle with basic reading and arithmetic. Although India accounts for 27% of the global population in the relevant age group, its expected years of schooling is only 13, compared to 15.5 in China and Germany, and 15.9 in the US 27% Economic Survey 2025-26 Despite trade risks and global volatility, national GDP expected to grow at 6.8-7.2% for the next financial year India to keep fastest growth tag P U SHPITA D E Y @ New Delhi INDIA’s economic engine is revving up and is expected to enter the next financial year at full throttle, the Economic Survey 2025-26 tabled in Parliament on Thursday signalled as it projected a real GDP growth rate 6.8%-7.2% for FY27. This outlook follows a strong performance in FY26 where the economy is estimated to grow at 7.4%, reinforcing India’s position as the world’s fastestgrowing major economy for the fourth consecutive year. The Survey upgraded India’s medium-term potential growth rate to 7% from the previous estimate of 6.5%. However, it flagged global uncertainties Yettinahole Contracts given without assessing contractors’ capability: CAG A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @Bengaluru The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on the Yettinahole Integrated Drinking Water Project has revealed that 80 per cent of works were awarded without assessing contractors’ financial capacity bid, ding ability or experience, pos, ing a risk of delays and non-completion. The report also said that the project aimed to provide drinking water to Kolar and Chikkaballapura districts, has lingered for more than 12 years due to severe deficiencies, including long delays in land acquisition, inordinate delays in construction of Balancing Reservoir, non-synchronisation of Phase-I and Phase-II components and funding uncertainty . “As a result, despite a very large expenditure of Rs 15,297 crore (as of March 2024), the project’s primary objective of providing drinking water facility to intended beneficiary districts remains unfulfilled,” it said. The audit report that was tabled in the assembly on Thursday noticed deficiencies in tendering process such as non-adoption of standard tender document, non-assessment of bid capacity of contractors and insufficient bidding time for high value contracts ranging from Rs 87.08 crore to Rs 1,135 crore.  P4 and warned of a 2008-like crisis in 2026. Given the potential risks, having a strong and sustained manufacturing growth would be the need of the hour, the finance ministry said. “First Advance Estimates place real GDP growth at 7.4% with growth largely driven by domestic demand. Private consumption and capital formation continue to support expansion, while services remain the key contributor on the supply side,” the Survey said. Higher tax collection, better export market, lower inflation and better employment will contribute to the growth momentum. The Survey tabled by , Finance Minister Nir mala Sitharaman in both Houses on Thursday, highlighted how internal resilience has helped create a buffer for the economy against external headwinds. The Survey highlighted the tax reforms – both in direct and indirect taxes – during the previous year, and noted that these helped India make a calibrated fiscal strategy, anchored in credible deficit reduction leading to resilient revenue mobilisation, and better spending toward capital formation. The Survey listed strong fiscal indicators – revenue receipts rising from 8.5 % of GDP in the pre-pandemic period (FY16-FY20) to 9.1% in FY22FY25, moderation of revenue expenditure from 13.6% of GDP in FY22 to 10.9 % in FY25, and halving of fiscal deficit from India is indeed an oasis of macro stability in an otherwise turbulent world. Numbers speak for themselves — Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran Film frat urges CM to take stand on screening of Palestinian films E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bengaluru Amid a row over the Centre not clearing four Palestinian movies for screening at the 17th edition of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFes) and the state government not taking a stand on the matter, multilingual actor and brand ambassador of BIFFes Prakash Raj insisted that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah take a stand. In protest, he read out a Palestinian poem on the stage set on the grand steps of Vidhana Soudha, during the inaugural ceremony of the film festival on Thursday . Members of the film fraternity and politicians urged the CM to take a stand regarding four of the five Palestinian films that were not cleared for screening. Speaking after the inauguration, Prakash Raj said an international film festival or literature festival is held to discuss and share diverse ideas and create possibilities for human connection. “However, nowadays, politics has made an entry into film and literary Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurates the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Thursday. Actors Rukmini Vasanth and Prakash Raj look on | Nagaraja Gadekal events. At a time when such a film festival is being held, Palestinian films are not being allowed to screen,” he said, urging the Karnataka government to oppose the Centre’s move and take a clear stand. CM Siddaramaiah said the purpose of holding an international film festival was to understand how people live in other countries, their politics and societies, and the inequalities or equality between men and women. However, he did not make any statement on the issue raised by Prakash Raj. Nowadays, politics has made an entry into film and literary events. At a time when such a film festival is being held, Palestinian films are not being allowed to screen Prakash Raj, BIFFes brand ambassador E x p r e s s Re a d Soon, govt employees may wear khadi once a month Bengaluru: Government employees are being encouraged to wear khadi on the first Saturday of every month and on occasions such as Independence Day and Republic Day. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh on Thursday held a meeting to discuss the initiative | P7 Joint session extended by four more days till Feb 4 Bengaluru: The joint session of the legislature, which was to conclude on January 31, has been extended till February 4, Speaker UT Khader told the Assembly on Thursday. The state government had scheduled the special session to debate the repeal of MGNREGA | P4 Tharoor gets space, Rahul smokes peace pipe P r ee t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Amid reports of unease with the party leadership, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Thursday held a detailed meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, signalling a possible thaw in relations. According to sources, Tharoor was assured by Rahul that he would re- ceive due recognition within the party going forward as both sides emphasised unity as the party gears up for the crucial Kerala assembly elections scheduled for April–May . The nearly two-hour meeting at Kharge’s Parliament office addressed concerns over Tharoor’s perceived sidelining within the organisation and his role in the party’s future strategy ahead of the assembly elections. Sources said Rahul conveyed to Tharoor that his services were crucial for the Congress and assured him that he would be included in important decision-making processes going forward. His close associate said Tharoor’s main grievance stemmed from a sense that his stature and contributions were not being adequately acknowledged by the central or state leadership. This was the first time Rahul had spent such an extended period with Tharoor. 9.2% in FY21 to 4.4% in FY26. The Survey advocated for more de-regulation to create a self-reliant (Swedeshi) Indian economy. At turbulent times when the “trade is no longer reciprocal” and “markets are no longer neutral”, Swadeshi-oriented policies will be empirical to Indian economic growth. Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said Swadeshi Ecosystem could be achieved through deregulation, wh o l e - o f - g ove r n m e n t ap proach, and cluster-led growth, input costs reduction including removal of inversion and crosssubsidisation. And thus, having an entrepreneurial mindset is much needed to have a risktaking attitude. P9, 13 Vague, capable of misuse SC stays UGC fiat on campus equity S U CHITRA KALYA N M O HA N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday stayed till March 19 the University Grants Commission (Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Institutions) Regulations, notified on January 23 after hearing a batch of pleas challenging the Commission’s controversial order. The new Promotion of Equity in Higher Education Regulations, 2026 had revised measures to tackle castebased discrimination in campuses by restricting grievance mechanisms only for SC, ST and OBC categories. “The 2026 UGC regulations on what amounts to castebased discrimination shall be kept in abeyance. The 2012 Regulations will continue. The provisions are prima facie vague and capable of misuse,” the court said. A two-judge bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi passed the order noting that the court was prepared to examine the constitutionality of the new regulations. The petitions before the court alleged that the UGC adopted a non-inclusive definition of caste-based discrimination and excluded certain categories from institutional protection. Several pleas challenged the regulations for excluding ‘general category’ students from the g rievance redressal mechanism. The court orally observed that if it does not intervene in the matter, it “will lead to a dangerous impact” and “divide the society”. In strong remarks during the hearing, the Chief Justice questioned Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, asking whether the country was becoming regressive. It also questioned why ragging had been left out of the scope of the new regulations, though it is a common form of harassment within educational institutions. Referring to provisions in the new regulations that contemplate separate hostels for different castes, the court said, “For God’s sake, don’t do this. We all used to stay together.” The Centre, UGC and others have been asked to file their detailed responses by March 19.