FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 190 | BHOPAL | MONDAY | DECEMBER 22, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports ASHES WIN BOOSTS PATH TO THIRD STRAIGHT WTC FINAL P.15 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL WORLD Borrowed money spent on Ladli Behna Yojana, salaries Nitendra Sharma REVENUE EXPENSES Finance Minister Jagdish Devda and Additional Chief Secretary Manish Rastogi may have said two days ago that the government spent the borrowed money on the development work, but the statement was opposed to the fact. The statistics provided by the finance department say something else. In the halfyearly review done by the department from April to September, it came to light that the government is spending the capital incomes to meet the revenue expenses. The capital incomes are not being used to meet the capital expenses. Spending of the fp Briefs SRINAGAR Kashmir enters ‘Chillai Kalan’ The higher reaches of Kashmir received its first snowfall of the season, and rain lashed the plains of the Valley, heralding the first day of the 40 days of harsh winter cold, locally known as ‘Chillai Kalan’. The nearly three-monthlong dry spell was broken on Sunday as rain and snow washed down all the suspended particulate matter (SPM) from the air, making it safer and easier to breathe.People suffering from chest ailments heaved a sense of relief with the season’s first snowfall and rain, clearing the air and settling the dust down in cities and towns. NEW DELHI Tracking missiles from space Indian startup Digantara, which specialises in monitoring space debris, has ventured into the domain of tracking missiles using satellites, citing greater interest from governments across the world for such information. Space debris and traffic monitoring has emerged as a key segment of the global space economy as companies launch more satellites in low Earth orbit for high-speed internet and Earth observation applications. T he revenue expenses do not create assets. Nor it reduces debts. The revenue expenses are generally meant to pay salaries, rent, subsidies, and grants. CAPITAL EXPENSES capital incomes to meet the revenue expenses indicates that the government is using this amount to pay the beneficiaries of the Ladli Behna Yojana and salaries and allowances. But the capital incomes should be spent on such works as are permanent. The spend- Assets are created through capital expenses. It is used to purchase offices, machinery, and equipment and to pay the debts. ing of capital incomes should be higher in any developing state. The government has received Rs 51,109 crore from the capital income from April to September. A sum of Rs 33,468 crore has been the capital expenses during this period. The government has received revenue of Rs 107,159 crore, but the revenue expenses were Rs 125,297 crore, which indicates that a sum of Rs 18,000 crore received by the government through capital incomes was spent on the revenue expenses. In the half-yearly review, it also came to light that the government was facing a problem in maintaining the revenue surplus during 2025-26. There has been revenue surplus in the state in the past few years. As the revenue expenses have increased this year, the government is facing difficulties in maintaining revenue surplus. G RAM G scheme to cast burden of Rs 2,500 cr on state PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Cinema Celebrity weddings that defined the year P.14 110 flights cancelled, 200 delayed due to fog PTI Vajpayee remained ‘Atal’ to principles, values: Veep Our staff reporter INDORE NEW DELHI A total of 110 flights were cancelled and over 370 services delayed due to low-visibility conditions amid fog at the Delhi airport on Sunday. An official said 59 arrivals and 51 departures were cancelled at the airport. According to latest information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com, more than 370 flights were delayed and the average delay time was around 26 minutes for departures at the airport. In a post on X in the evening, Delhi airport operator DIAL said operations are running smoothly. DIAL operates the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), the country's largest airport that generally handles around 1,300 flights daily. Recalling the legacy of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Sunday said that his strong leadership, principled politics and commitment to good governance laid the foundations of modern India, anchored firmly in democratic values. Speaking at the stalwart's birth centenary celebrations here, Radhakrishnan said Vajpayee's life reminds the nation that leadership is not merely about authority, but about service, responsibility and commitment to the people. "Atal ji was a towering personality who shaped modern India with integrity, intellect, and an unwavering commitment to democratic values. He was no ordinary individual but a mission in himself, who always remained "Atal" in his Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The provisions included in the G Ram G scheme, a changed version of the MNREGA, will increase the financial burden on the state government. The Central Government used to pay 100% of the wages and shared 75% of the material costs. Under the MNREGA scheme, the state government was paying 25% of the material costs and unemployment allowance if someone was jobless. But now, the Central Government will pay 60% of the expenses, and the state will share 40% of the expenses under the G Ram G scheme. The G Ram G scheme will ensure 125 days of work. The state government will pay unemployment allowance every week if a person does not get a job within 15 days of submitting applications under the new scheme. According to sources, the Bill gets Prez assent state government received Rs 6,343 crore under the old scheme. Now, the government has to set aside an additional amount of Rs 2,500 crore in the budget to meet expenses under the new scheme. The state s fiscal health is not in the pink. Thus, the new scheme is set to cast a burden on the state. According to the Panchayat and Rural Development Minister, Prahlad Patel, the state government is ready with a plan to deal with the expenses under the G Ram G scheme. A wild animal snatched a fouryear-old girl from her mother's arms in Alirajpur and killed her. The body was found after four hours of searching in the forest. The incident occurred in Godwani village of Bichholi area under Aalirajpur district on Saturday evening. Notably, a woman was taking her two daughters home after sunset, holding one daughter's hand while carrying the other, named Raksha in her arms. Suddenly, the animal attacked and grabbed the child from woman's arm, running towards the forest. Forest Department ranger Tarun Aniya said villagers and forest teams began searching around 7:30 pm. They found the child's body around 11:30 pm in bushes on a hill. The upper part of her body was severely damaged and her face was mauled. The ranger said a leopard likely carried out the attack based on the nature of injuries. Earlier reports claimed the girl’s father Dev Singh was holding the girl near their house when the animal pounced. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday gave assent to the Viksit Bharat--Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB--G RAM G) Bill, 2025, marking a significant milestone in the transformation of rural employment policy, as per a release by the President's Secretariat maiden run People photograph the running Bhopal Metro on Sunday as the service was opened to the public. On its first day of commercial operations, the Metro witnessed a huge rush, recording a footfall of over 7,000 passengers and completing 17 trips between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar stations. Full report on Pg 3 in South Africa in three weeks. About 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan opened fire at pub patrons at KwaNoxolo tavern, in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police. "Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen," the police said of the incident that left nine people dead and 10 hospitalised. Provincial police commissioner Maj. Gen. Fred Kekana told SABC television that one of the deceased was a driver from an online car-hailing service who had been outside the pub. 4Continued on | P8 PTI NAMRUP Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing it of engaging in "anti-national" activities and helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam. The PM, addressing a public rally after unveiling a Rs 10,601crore fertiliser plant at Namrup in Assam's Dibrugarh district, accused the grand old party of opposing the revision of voter list due to its only aim of grabbing power. "The Congress is indulging in anti-national activities. They want illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam's forests and land. They only want to strengthen their vote bank, and don't care about the people," he claimed. Modi said the opposition party is not concerned about Hike in train fares: 1 paisa/km beyond 215 km for ordinary class PTI The Railway Ministry has on Sunday announced a hike in train tickets by 1 paise per km for ordinary class beyond a journey of 215 km, and 2 paise per km for non-AC classes of mail/express trains and AC classes of all trains. The new rates will be effective from December 26, 2025. "There is no increase in the monthly season tickets of suburban trains and up to 215 km travel in ordinary class of offgrid A tigress was rescued from Pench Tiger Reserve and translocated to Rajasthan’s RamgarhVishdhari Tiger Reserve on Sunday evening. Indian Air Force’s M17 helicopter was used to airlift the tigress, marking the first inter-state translocation of a big cat from Madhya Pradesh. The tigress is three years tain of its location. The tigress was tranquillised and checked by veterinary doc- tors before being airlifted. The M17 helicopter made a brief stop at Raja Bhoj air- port for refuelling under guidance of wildlife experts. High-tech tracking - To track the tigress, 50 cameras were placed in Pench Tiger Reserve, including motionsensor cameras. Rajasthan’s Chief Conservator of Forest, SugnaramJat, coordinated the operation for over a month and spent eight days in Pench monitoring the campaign. 4Continued on | P8 the identity, existence and pride of Assamese people, which the BJP has been trying to protect. "The Congress is opposing the revision of voter lists as it MUMBAI: As the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is poised for a landslide victory in the Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections across Maharashtra, with this the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also set to achieve a remarkable feat of emerging as the single largest party in the state winning 129 municipal councils seats so far. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took to X and said that as so far 129 BJP candidates have been elected as municipal presidents, adding that this number is way ahead of the 2017 polls, where the BJP had secured 95 seats. Agencies other trains," officials said adding that the increase in fare will fetch 600 crores to the Railways till March 31, 2026. According to the Railway Ministry, the previous fare hike in July 2025 has generated Rs 700 crore revenue till date. wants to grab power... They oppose whatever good I try to do... The BJP government will always work to protect the identity, land, pride and existence of Assamese people," Modi asserted. "Assam must be safeguarded from the poison of Congress' appeasement and vote-bank politics. I assure you all that BJP will stand like a 4Continued on | P8 Misleading propaganda: India rejects Dhaka report on Delhi protest NEW DELHI Air Force’s M17 airlifts tigress from Pench to Raj old. A senior forest officer of Pench Tiger Reserve said Rajasthan had requested three tigresses from MP and two from Maharashtra due to inbreeding problems among its felines. The translocation is expected to improve gene pool and safeguard tiger population. The Pench team had tracked the tigress for almost a month. At one point, its radio collar had fallen off, leaving forest officers uncer- 4Continued on | P8 ‘Cong indulging in anti-national activities’ NEW DELHI AP of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is steering the nation towards the goal of Viksit Bharat @2047. Atal ji believed deeply in dialogue, inclusive development and strong yet humane governance. Maha civic polls: BJP emerges single largest party FP News Service 9 killed, 10 injured in South African tavern shooting Nine people have died, and at least 10 others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said. The incident occurred just before 1 am in the township of Bekkersdal, which is located 46 kilometres (28 miles) west of Johannesburg. It is the second mass shooting to happen Our Staff Reporter commitment to principles and values. He is remembered and honoured for his exemplary actions as a statesman, administrator, parliamentarian, poet, and above all, as a great human being," the VP said. "His vision is being carried forward under the leadership AALIRAJPUR JOHANNESBURG BHOPAL Vice President CP Radhakrishnan confers ‘Atal Alankaran’ on former Union minister Satyanarayan Jatiya in Indore Wild animal snatches 4-YO from lap, body found after 4 hrs Now, Centre to pay 60% of expenses, state will share 40% PRESS Edit Why Oman is important P.6 US forces seize second oil tanker off Venezuela FISCAL PICTURE | Capital expenses are used to meet revenue expenses. Fact came to light in Finance dept’s half-yearly review BHOPAL UJJAIN Pic: Anand Shivre FREE ESTD-1983 India on Sunday dismissed "misleading propaganda" in sections of the Bangladeshi media over a demonstration in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi against the "horrendous killing" of Hindu youth, and said the protest was brief and posed no security threat. MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal's statement comes amid heightened regional tensions following the recent killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh, which has triggered international concern over the safety of minorities in Bangladesh. "We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident. The fact is that about 20-25 youth gathered in front of the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December and raised slogans in protest against the horrendous killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, while also cal- BSF steps up vigil In view of the ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh, the Border Security Force (BSF) has intensified its vigil along the border with the neighbouring country, officials said on Saturday. A senior BSF official said that although no additional border guarding forces have been deployed along the frontier, surveillance and vigilance have been further strengthened following the fresh violence in the neighbouring country, especially in Dhaka ling for the protection of all minorities in Bangladesh," Jaiswal said. The spokesperson emphasised that at no point was the security of the diplomatic mission compromised. "There was no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation at any time. 4Continued on | P8