FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW How technology became India’s social equaliser Delayed recognition Page 7 WORLD Trump can fire agency heads at will Page 6 BRIEFLY Monsoon uncertainty clouds outlook: FinMin report New Delhi: The Indian economy remains resilient, though moderation in some high-frequency indicators suggests a gradual easing of momentum, a Finance Ministry report said, while flagging risks from uneven monsoon rainfall, emerging El Nino conditions and geopolitical uncertainties. Following the robust growth performance in 202526, economic activity remained resilient in the initial months of 2026-27, the ministry said in its latest Monthly Economic Review. “Highfrequency indicators such as e-way bill generation, PMI indices, electricity consumption, and automobile sales continued to reflect underlying strength in domestic economic activity...At the same time, moderation in select indicators, including core industries, fuel consumption, air passenger traffic, consumer confidence, and labour market indicators, suggests some easing in momentum,” it said. New Delhi, 30 June P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting of secretaries from all Central ministries, with discussions centred on policy reforms, administrative efficiency, ease of doing business and the government’s long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. The meeting, attended by Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister P K Mishra, Principal Secretary Shaktikanta Das, the Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, and secretaries of key ministries and departments, marked one of the Prime Minister’s first full-secretarylevel interactions in the current financial year. According to sources, the meeting was aimed at aligning the country’s top bureaucracy with the government’s policy priorities for the second half of 2026 while reviewing progress on major governance initiatives and accelerating administrative execution. A key focus of the deliberations was improving the Ease of Doing Business by identifying administrative bottlenecks, reducing bureaucratic red tape, simplifying regulatory compliance and enhancing India’s economic competitiveness. Officials also reviewed measures to improve the Ease of Living through citizen-centric reforms and structural changes designed to strengthen governance and public service delivery. The meeting also assessed progress under the government’s ambitious Viksit Bharat 2047 roadmap, which seeks to transform India into a developed nation by the centenary of Independence. Secretaries reviewed longterm developmental targets and implementation strategies across ministries. unwavering commitment to the Nation, leaving an enduring imprint on the Indian Army and its continued journey towards transformation.” “General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, took over as the 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) from General Upendra Dwivedi, PVSM, AVSM, who superannuated after more than four decades of distinguished service to the nation on 30 June 2026,” the Ministry of Defence said. General Dhiraj Seth is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla, and was commissioned into the Armoured Corps in December 1986. Over a distinguished military career spanning nearly four decades, he has had extensive experience across the operational, strategic, capability development and institutional domains, contributing significantly to the Indian Army's combat effectiveness and long-term transformation. The officer has commanded at every level in diverse operational environments. His command assignments include an Armoured Regiment in the Desert Sector, an Armoured Brigade in the Western Theatre, and a Counter-Insurgency Force in Jammu and Kashmir. As a lieutenant general, he commanded the Sudarshan Chakra Corps, one of the Indian Army's premier strike formations. He subsequently served as General Officer Commanding, Delhi Area, overseeing key national and international military engagements and ceremonial responsibilities. On elevation to the rank of Army Commander, the officer commanded South Western Command and Southern Command, earning the rare distinction of commanding two operational Army Commands and providing strategic oversight across critical theatres over a period of two and a half years. He has held several key staff and strategic appointments that have significantly influenced operational planning, force management and capability development. Years of waiting, a government job for a day For two Jharkhand teachers, the long-awaited government job they had pursued for years came when there was virtually no career left to serve. While Chief Minister Hemant Soren handed appointment letters to 1,042 newly selected assistant teachers in Ranchi on 29 June as part of the state’s recruitment drive, at least two successful candidates had already reached, or were on the verge of reaching, the age of superannuation because of delays in the selection process. One of them, Nandalal Ravani of Jamtara, received his appointment letter on June 29 and retired the very next day on attaining the age of 60. Another candidate, Niyum Ansari (photo) of Palamu, had crossed the retirement age on 31 May, weeks before he was called to collect his appointment letter. “I had been waiting for a regular appointment for Germany knocked out as Paraguay prevail 4-3 on penalties to reach last-16 Page 12 BISWABRATA GOSWAMI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 30 June Ranchi, 30 June Wednesday, 01 July 2026 Haldia naptha pipeline PM Modi chairs high-level review with top bureaucrats inferno leaves 20 injured STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SHASHI SINGH | Page 9 Gen Dhiraj Seth takes over as India’s Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth took over as India's 31st Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), succeeding General Upendra Dwivedi, who retired from service on Tuesday. The change of command was marked with a ceremony at South Block Lawns in New Delhi, where General Upendra Dwivedi was given a special send-off. Sharing details of the ceremony, the ADG PI - Indian Army, in a post on X said: “General Upendra Dwivedi, COAS, was presented a Ceremonial Guard of Honour at the South Block Lawns, New Delhi, on the occasion of relinquishing the appointment of Chief of the Army Staff. His distinguished career of over four decades reflects a legacy of selfless service, inspirational leadership and SILIGURI SPORTS PERSPECTIVE EDITORIAL | years. I finally received the appointment letter, but today I retire,” Ravani said. For Ansari, the appointment brought satisfaction but no opportunity to serve. “I am happy that I was selected, but I never got the chance to work as a regular teacher. I will preserve this appointment letter as one of the most memorable achievements of my life,” he said. Nearly 12,500 candidates have so far received appointment letters under the assistant teacher recruitment drive, while appointments against around 26,000 sanctioned posts are still underway. Fifty per cent of the vacancies were reserved for para teachers, who were eligible to apply up to the age of 58. The recruitment process began in 2023, when many para teachers were still within the prescribed age limit. However, the selection exercise stretched for nearly three years. During this period, some successful candidates crossed the retirement age of 60, leaving them with little or no opportunity to serve after their appointments. Ravani had worked as a para teacher since 2006 and qualified for the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET) in 2016. Like many others, he waited years for a regular appointment. By the time the process was completed, his retirement had become inevitable. The unusual cases have raised questions over whether prolonged recruitment delays can deny successful candidates the very benefit for which they competed. They have also renewed debate over whether age should be protected from the date of application in recruitments delayed by administrative or legal processes. At the appointment ceremony, Hemant Soren described the newly recruited teachers as the state’s “intellectual asset” and urged them to strengthen the quality of education, particularly in remote areas. He also launched the online Continuous Professional Development (CPD) programme for teachers under the National Education Policy 2020. For Ravani and Ansari, however, the appointment letter marked not the beginning of a new career but the end of a long wait, fulfilled only when time had already run out. Another important agenda item was the “52 Reforms in 52 Weeks” campaign, under which ministries are expected to implement a series of governance reforms within a fixed timeline. The Prime Minister reviewed the pace of implementation and sought updates on the execution and performance of the initiative. The integration of nextgeneration technologies across government departments also featured prominently in the discussions. Ministries presented updates on the adoption of artificial intelligence and other digital tools aimed at improving operational efficiency, speeding up decisionmaking and reducing delays in service delivery. Individual secretaries are understood to have presented detailed reports on the performance of their respective ministries, highlighting reform milestones, implementation challenges and policy outcomes. Midnapore, 30 June A predawn inferno along a naphtha pipeline at Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd tore through a residential pocket on the industrial town's fringes on Tuesday, leaving more than 20 people injured, gutting houses and crippling rail connectivity. Investigators are probing whether an alleged fuel theft attempt triggered one of the region’s most serious industrial accidents in recent years. The fire broke out around 2.45 a.m. along a naphthacarrying pipeline of Haldia Petrochemicals Ltd (HPL) in East Midnapore district before rapidly spreading to Chiranjibpur under Ward 13 of Haldia Municipality, sending towering flames and thick plumes of smoke into the night sky. Twelve fire tenders were rushed to the spot and battled the blaze for several hours. Firefighters used foam and fly ash to contain the flames, while police cordoned off the area and evacuated residents from nearby localities. More than 20 people, including local residents and two HPL security personnel, sustained burn injuries in the incident. Five of the injured are reported to be in critical condition The injured were initially admitted to Haldia Sub-Divisional Hospital before several were shifted to Tamluk Medical College and Hospital. Around 10 others were referred to Kolkata's SSKM Hospital, NRS Medical College and Hospital and two private hospitals for specialised treatment. Several workers present near the pipeline at the time of the incident also suffered burn injuries. While the exact cause of the accident remains under investigation, Haldia Petrochemicals indicated that preliminary findings indicate the possibility of a naphtha theft attempt.HPL said that the fire occurred at a location where incidents of naphtha theft had been reported in the past.