tadepalligudem l monday l march 04, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION iSRAEL AGREES TO TEMP TRUCE, BALL IN HAMAS’ COURT, u.s. SAYS Israelis have more or less accepted to a proposal for a six-week ceasefire in Gaza and release of vulnerable hostages by Hamas, US officials said Prisoner swap ratio is key issue in talks Will fighting pause for Ramadan? The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Hamas’ response is expected late Sunday or Monday. The issue is the identity of hostages who will be released and how many Palestinian prisoners will be freed in exchange, it said. Talks were held in Doha on Saturday and Cairo on Sunday. Besides the US, Qatar and Egypt are involved in the extended ceasefire talks ■ ■ A US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the extended ceasefire was the best option available now for sending aid and food to Gaza which is under threat of famine Mediators are trying to broker a deal to pause the fighting before the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which begins around March 10 | P9 5,75,000 people are one step away from Famine in Gaza, U.N. says 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 Not a moment to waste, says PM Prime Minister Narendra Modi | PTI The PM said the 100day action plan must be implemented soon after the next government is formed. “India needs a sustained effort in continuation without losing even a moment to make India a developed nation by 2047”, said a source, quoting PM. Sure of third term, PM & ministers plan agenda for next govt RA J E SH K U MAR T HAK U R @ New Delhi Confident of retaining power for the third consecutive term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a day-long meeting of his Council of Ministers to discuss the immediate steps to be taken by the next government within the first 100 days. The meeting, probably the last such gathering before the Lok Sabha polls, also discussed the action plan for the next five years, and a blue print to make India a developed country by 2047. Sources said PM Modi kicked off the 8-hour discussion by sharing his thoughts on the comprehensive Viksit-Bharat- 2047 vision document and spoke for an hour about the various long-term s t r a t e g i e s f o r I n d i a ’s progress. This was followed by presentations by the ministers on their respective ministries’ roadmap for 25 years with special focus on the next five years and 100 days. In the meeting, it was decided that steps will be taken to ensure the Central development schemes reach every intended beneficiary. Sources said the deliberations included steps ensure zero poverty and impart skills to the youth. The vision document includes goals and action points for economic growth, ease of living and ease of doing business, social welfare, and Sustainable Development Goals. “Creating a sustainable economy to push the country to become the third-largest economy, placing equal emphasise on empowerment of women and poor with the spirit of atamnirbhar (self reliance) has been one of the primary bases of the vision document,” said a source, adding that the details and outcome of more than 2,700 meetings held across the ministries have been added in the roadmap for 2047. This newspaper has learnt that PM Modi suggested that a separate budget of `1 lakh crore be earmarked for development of technologies to accelerate the pace of progresses. It was also advised that every ministry in future should frequently organise seminars with experts and try to implement good suggestions through suitable policies. “The objective of the discussions was to ensure saturation of the government’s welfare schemes, planning of people-centric policies, and schemes for time-bound elimination of poverty”, said a source. Jagan will lose big time, says Kishor Says YSRC chief’s freebie strategy is a blunder as he is not reaching out to over 50% of people E x p r e ss Ne ws Se r v ice @ Hyderabad Ac e p o l i t i c a l s t r at e g i s t Prashant Kishor, who played a key role in YSRC chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s massive victory in 2019, has predicted that the Andhra Pradesh chief minister is going to lose big in the ensuing assembly elections. Prashant was speaking on the pre-election scenarios in India at the Hyderabad Dialogues — an initiative of TNIE — here Sunday Asked about his views . on Jagan and TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu’s prospects, he offered the opinion that, even with all the usual caveats about calling an election, “I see this whole assumption that Jagan is too strong to be defeated has no legs. He is on a sticky wicket. He is going downhill... I have no data or first-hand experience (of the political situation in AP) but my gut is telling me that he is losing big. Not just losing… but losing big.” Prashant, who is now on his own Jan Suraaj Abhiyan in Bihar and away from professional E x p r ess Ne ws Se rv ice @ Vijayawada I see this whole assumption that Jagan is too strong to be defeated has no legs. He is on a sticky wicket. He is going downhill... I have no data or first-hand experience (of the political situation in AP) but my gut is telling me that he is losing big. Not just losing… but losing big Political strategist Prashant Kishor makes a point during Hyderabad Dialogues on Sunday | Sri Loganathan Velmurugan political strategising, offered an interesting rationale for his conclusion: that Jagan has made a mistake in putting all eggs in one basket. “It is a function of how he ran the state. Andhra would probably fall in the middle-income category If you are . not talking about capital creation and new infrastructure but only focusing on the distribution side in a middle-income state, you are taking a big stra- You can talk about a class battle in Bihar or Jharkhand, but you can’t in Tamil Nadu, Telangana or AP. It can’t be based on DBT because youth look for jobs, not a thousand-rupees benefit... So, if I am an Andhraite, would I take pride in the hope that Vijayawada or Vizag is coming up as the future city? I will feel inferior to my counterparts in Chennai, Kochi or Hyderabad tegic risk. His government has given more priority to giving doles and Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) even at the cost of incurring a lot of additional debt. This might work in a lowincome state but in Andhra Pradesh, where urbanisation is more than 50 per cent, and when your government is seen only in terms of the free benefit you are giving to the masses, it may not. Because 50 per cent (of the pop- Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said that the Modi government at the centre was ignoring 73% of the country’s population. Addressing a rally in Patna, Rahul said that farmers, youth and others are meted out injustice. “The central government is neglecting the plight of the country’s population that be- longs to marginalised sections of the society he said. ,” Launching a scathing attack on the government at the centre, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge accused the prime minister of failing to deliver on his promises. He questioned the veracity of Modi’s assurances regarding job creation, black money retrieval and pucca houses for all. He also accused BJP of betraying the trust of people and engaging in manipulative tactics devoid of factual basis. Taking a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the Congress chief advised RJD not to ally with him if ‘chacha comes again’. Taking a dig at Nitish, Bihar’s Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav said the Bihar government should get its insurance done as it runs the risk of JD(U) president taking repeated U-turns. “They (BJP) Modi to arrive in TS today, CM to receive Y e s h i s e l i @ New Delhi @ Hyderabad/ Adilabad E x p r e s s Ne w s Se r v ice Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy will receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi and accompany him to official programmes during his visit to the state from Monday The prime . minister is scheduled to lay foundation stones and inaugurate various developmental works, estimated to cost `56,000 crore, in Adilabad on Monday . This was announced by Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Minister Dansari Anasuya at a press conference at the Penganga Bhavan in Adilabad on Sunday . Sharing details, she said the prime minister will inaugurate the newly electrified railway line from Ambari to Adilabad and Pipalkhuti as well as lay the foundation stone for NT- PC’s 800 MW (Unit-2) of Telangana Super Thermal Power Project. Also, he will lay the foundation stone for two national highways —NH 353B and NH 163 — connecting Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The total cost of these projects is estimated to be `56,000 crore. Asserting that coordination between the state government and Centre is essential for the development of Telangana, Anasuya said though the Congress and the BJP differ on ideology they , maintain a professional relationship for the betterment of the state. The minister pointed out that the state government will submit a report to the prime minister on the requirements for the erstwhile Adilabad district and request support from the Centre. She added that Union Culture Minister G Kishan Reddy and Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan are also expecte d t o t a ke p a r t i n t h e programmes. Revanth will receive the prime minister and leave for Hyderabad after the official programmes, she said. Apart from official programmes, the prime minister is expected to address a public meeting in Adilabad. This is the first time in 40 years that a prime minister is visiting Adilabad town. Anasuya is scheduled to see off the prime minister at the conclusion of his visit to the Adilabad district. Modi is scheduled to address another public meeting in the state in Sangareddy on Tuesday . High salinity, fluoride levels found in groundwater in many dists U s h a P e r i @ Visakhapatnam A recent parliamentary disclosure by Minister of State for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change Ashwini Kumar Choubey shed light on the toxic elements found in groundwater across various States. He pointed out that the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) currently monitors groundwater quality at 33 locations in Andhra Pradesh. The latest assessment of groundwater under the National Water Quality Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in 2023 indicates that out of the 33 locations, 25 comply with the acceptable fluoride levels set by the BIS (Bureau of Indian Stand- ulation) are not even eligible and you are not even reaching them.” Prashant met TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu a few months back in Vijayawada. Asked about what transpired at the meeting, he replied that he had spent three hours holding talks with the former chief minister but reiterated that he was in no way associated with the party . INDIA bloc leaders sound poll bugle at Patna New Pakistan PM mentions Kashmir in victory speech Shehbaz Sharif becomes the new prime minister of Pakistan after securing 201 votes out of 336 in Pakistan’s Parliament in a vote of confidence held on Sunday amidst protests from supporters of jailed former prime minister Imran Khan. He takes oath of office on Monday . Speaking in Parliament after the vote, Shehbaz, 72 years old, brought up Kashmir in his speech and said the Parliament should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris. Also in his speech, he said he would eradicate terrorism and would maintain cordial relations with neighbours based on the principles of equality . Shehbaz, who was the prime minister till the parliament was dissolved in August 2023, takes charge at a time when Pakistan is deep in debt and where even the expenses of running the Parliament are paid through borrowed money he said. , The country was facing challenges because of its weak economy he said and promised to put the country on the path of devel, opment. His job was difficult but not impossible, he added. Trying to sound optimistic, he said he will work towards making Pakistan a G20 member by 2030. Chinese President Xi Jingping sent congratulatory messages to the new prime minister. Shehbaz vowed to promote the upgraded version of CPEC projects and build a deeper relationship with China, an all-weather Pakistan ally . Prashant Kishor Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi along with alliance partners Lalu Yadav, Tejashwi Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav at an election rally in Patna | PTI R a m a s h a n k a r @ Patna ards) Drinking Water Specifications IS:10500:2012, while eight locations do not meet these standards. With concern to arsenic levels, 32 locations comply with the acceptable limit, while one does not. As many as 23 districts have reported high salinity, which is indicated by Electrical Gut of AP people says TDP-JSP will lose: YSRC Conductivity (EC) above 3,000 micro mhos/cm. These districts are Anakapalli, Anantapur, Annamayya, Bapatla, Chittoor, East Godavari, Eluru, Guntur, Kakinada, Konaseema, Krishna, Kurnool, NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Sri Potti Sriramulu Nellore, Sri Satyasai, Tirupati, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari, and YSR Kadapa. Fluoride levels above 1.5 mg/l have been found in 19 districts —Alluri Sitharam a R a j u , A n a n t a p u r, Annamayya, Bapatla, Chittoor, Guntur, Krishna, Kur nool, NTR, Palnadu, Prakasam, Srikakulam, SPS Nellore, Tirupati, Sri Satyasai, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, West Godavari, and YSR P4 Kadapa. say ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’, but who will take the guarantee of Nitish Kumar?” he asked. Referring to Modi’s remarks on ‘parivarwad’ (nepotism), Tejashwi said, “They (BJP) call us nepotism, but they have Samrat Choudhary deputy CM, , Pashupati Kumar Paras, brother of late Ram Vilas Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi whose son has been made a minister in Nitish cabinet. It does not look like nepotism to them?” Responding to ace political strategist Prashant Kishor’s ‘gut feeling’ that the Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddyled YSRC would ‘lose in a big way’ in the upcoming elections, IT and Industries Minister Gudivada Amarnath said, “The gut feelings of people of the state is that the TDP-JSP combine will lose big time.” Addressing the media in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, he wondered, “Should we trust the gut feelings of the people or the gut feeling of a ‘Mayala Fakir’ (magician) who has lost his sheen?” He challenged Kishor’s assertion that providing `2.5 lakh crore to people through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) would lead to the party’s defeat. “If that is true, why did TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu announce his ‘Super Six’ schemes,” he questioned. Amarnath suggested that Kishor’s comments were influenced by his recent meetings with Naidu and dismissed his opinions as inconsequential. He labelled Kishor a ‘Chellani Nanem’ (counterfeit coin) in Bihar and questioned his relevance in Andhra Pradesh, emphasising that the people of Andhra do not trust him. Mocking Naidu’s reliance on political strategists, the minister said the TDP supremo, feeling insecure with one PK (JSP chief Pawan Kalyan), had now brought in another PK (Prashant Kishor). “Will people believe the person who lost on his home turf ? Just like the situation of Kishor in Bihar, the situation of Naidu is in Andhra,” he remarked. Should we trust the gut feelings of the people or the gut feeling of a ‘Mayala Fakir’ (magician) who has lost his sheen? Gudivada Amarnath, Andhra Pradesh IT and Industries Minister dr harsh Vardhan quits politics after ticket denial The sitting BJP Lok Sabha MP from Chandni Chowk said he will return to his roots after over 30 years of a glorious electoral career Calcutta High Court judge Gangopadhyay to resign P r a n a b m o n d a l @ Kolkata Calcutta High Court justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay, who is in the crosshairs of the ruling TMC for ordering central agencies to probe at least 14 scam cases, on Sunday announced that he would step down as a judge on Tuesday . “My inner soul tells me that my tenure as judge is over. Considering the interest of deprived people, who cannot come to knock the door of the judiciary it , is time to enter bigger sphere and serve. I will tender my resignation to the CJI and the President of India on Tuesday he said. ,” Gangopadhyay, 62, is scheduled to retire after three months. “For passing several judgements, many in the ruling party made insulting comments against me. They even asked me to quit my chair and face them in the field of poli- tics. I have finally made up my mind. I congratulate the ruling party for bringing me here. In history books, we have read about the Maurya Samrajya. Right now, we are witnessing Chaurya Samrajya (empire of thieves) in Bengal,” he said. Gangopadhyay came to limelight in May 2022 when he ordered the CBI to probe irregularities in recr u i t m e n t o f n o n teaching staf f and teaching staff by the education department between 2014 and 2021. The appointments were allegedly given in exchange for bribe to those who failed to qualify. In April 2023, he ordered CBI probe into alleged recruitment scam in civic bodies. On his next move, he said, “I will reply all your questions below the statue of freedom fighter Surya Sen at the high court building at 1.30 pm on Tuesday .”
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04-03-2024 of The New Indian Express-Tadepalligudem