VISAKHAPATNAM  SATURDAY  MAY 02, 2026  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION GST KITTY SWELLS TO RECORD HIGH OF `2.43 LAKH CRORE IN APRIL Gross GST collection rose 8.7 per cent in April as growth in import-led revenues outpaced domestic transactions, data showed on Friday GST MOP-UP FROM IMPORTS RISES BY 25.8% NEED TO INCENTIVISE LOCAL MANUFACTURING The previous all-time high GST collection was recorded in April last year at over `2.23 lakh crore. Gross revenues from domestic transactions were up 4.3 per cent to over `1.85 lakh crore, while GST mop-up from imports rose by a massive 25.8 per cent to `57,580 crore in April 2026. Union govt data showed refunds were up 19.3 per cent to `31,793 crore | P10 ■ ■ Total gross CGST and SGST collection in April stood at `52,140 crore and `61,331 crore, respectively. IGST mop-up was at `1.29 lakh cr EY India tax partner Saurabh Agarwal said there is a need to critically re-examine policy frameworks to incentivise domestic manufacturing and ensure ‘Make in India’ keeps pace with global supply chain shifts 7.3% WAS THE JUMP IN NET GST MOP-UP AFTER ADJUSTING FOR REFUNDS 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 Commercial LPG Spl bench to hear TMC plea on counting today refill cost up by `933 a cylinder EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi/Kolkata Domestic LPG, petrol, diesel and aviation fuel price for domestic airlines untouched R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi DAYS after the latest cycle of polls in a few states ended, oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Friday passed on the global spike in fuel rates due to the West Asia crisis, to the consumers by raising the cost of commercial liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders by a whopping `933 per unit. They, however, left domestic LPG cylinders, petrol, diesel and aviation fuel price for domestic airlines untouched. A 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder will now cost `3,071.50 in Delhi, up from `2,078 earlier. “Overall, approximately 80% of petroleum products have witnessed no Energy prices change in prices, ensuring stability for the not linked to majority of consumers,” Indian Oil Corpopolls: Min ration Limited (IOCL) said in a statement. However, since commercial cylinders are For his part, used by hotels, restaurants, and other esUnion Minister for tablishments, their impact cannot be Petroleum and ignored. Natural Gas But OMCs said price revisions have been Hardeep Singh limited to select industrial segments, which Puri refuted form a small share of overall consumption charges that and are subject to routine monthly adjustenergy prices may ments based on global benchmarks. This go up further in includes bulk and commercial LPG cylinthe near future as ders (less than 1% of total consumption). polls in several Crude oil prices in the international marstates are over. He ket have surged sharply, touching a foursaid the energy year high on Thursday amid escalating tenprices are not sions in West Asia and the continued linked to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — a critielections cal global energy transit route. India, which imports nearly 88% of its crude oil needs, is heavily dependent on this corridor, accounting for about 40% of crude, 50% of LNG, and 90% of LPG imports. Despite this volatility the government indicated that domestic supplies remain , secure. Brent crude futures climbed to $126.41 per barrel — the highest since March 9, 2022 — while WTI crude touched $110.93 earlier in the day Prices later eased, with Brent trading around . $113 per barrel and WTI at $107 per barrel at 8.27 pm IST. For his part, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri refuted charges that energy prices may go up further in the near future as polls in several states are over. He said the energy prices are not linked to the elections. A special bench of the Supreme Court will hear on Saturday a plea filed by All India Trinamool Congress against appointment of Central Government and Central PSU employees as counting supervisors and assistants for the West Bengal Assembly elections. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Friday approached the Supreme Court seeking comprising Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Joymalya Bagchi has been constituted to hear the matter. The hearing is expected to begin at 8 am. Meanwhile, EC on Friday ordered a repoll at 11 polling booths in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district’s Magrahat Paschim and four booths in Diamond Harbour assembly constituencies. Polling in these constituencies were held in the second phase elections on April 29. The ECI said it had received 32 complaints from Falta, 29 from DH, 13 from Magrahat, and three from Budge Budge in the district. Besides Magrahat, remaining three booths fall under the TMV’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency Officials said that . the complaints include allegations of EVM tampering and attempts to obstruct surveillance cameras. U S H A P E R I @ Visakhapatnam TO MUMBAI Khopoli Khandala Mumbai-Pune Expressway Ghat Mumbai-Pune ‘Missing Link’ The much-awaited 13.3-km-long “Missing Link” project on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday Tunnel 1 1.67km Tunnel 2 650m Cable-stayed bridge Labour Addas will be established in State to support workers: CM Y B R A H M A J I @ Vijayawada EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Vijayawada CHIEF Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has announced that Labour Addas will be set up across the State to support workers and 15 such centres will come up in major cities and towns in the first phase. The Chief Minister presented Shramashakti Awards to outstanding workers and employers at Pamidimukkala village in Pamarru Assembly constituency of Krishna district marking the occasion of May Day He also distributed social . security pensions to beneficiaries and interacted with them. Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said the Labour Addas will be developed into skill centres where workers can upgrade their skills. New ESI hospitals will be set up in places like Atchutapuram, Guntur, Kurnool, Sri City and Amaravati to provide better healthcare facilities to counting table must include at least one supervisor drawn from the Central government or a PSU. AITC had contended that appointing counting supervisors and assistants from Central G ove r n m e n t a n d Central PSU employee could lead to bias and that “the fiat lacks legal basis.” Following the urgency cited by the ruling TMC, a special bench of the Supreme Court Marine fish landings in State drop by 13% in 2025 LPG price hike may threaten livelihood of hotel workers THE steep and successive hikes in the price of commercial LPG cylinders have triggered widespread concern across Andhra Pradesh. The price of a 19-kg commercial LPG cylinder has jumped from `1,700 in January to nearly `3,250 now, registering a sharp increase of `1,550 within just four months. The latest hike of `933 has dealt a severe blow to hotels, restaurants, bakeries and street food vendors who rely heavily on LPG for their daily operations, besides posing a threat to livelihood of workers. T he upward trend has been consistent over the past few months, steadily increasing the financial burden on small businesses. After January level, the price of LPG cylinders rose by `49 in February, followed by a `114 increase in March, taking to nearly `1,900-2,000. In April, a further sharp hike of `195 pushed the price to around `2,200, before the unprecedented spike of `933 in May . The LPG price rise has significantly hit operational costs of hospitality sector. Commercial LPG is not subsidised, leaving small businessmen exposed to market price fluctuations. Many eateries, which operate on thin profit margins, say the sudden surge has disrupted P4 their cost structures. permission to include West Bengal government employees as counting supervisors for the upcoming assembly election results. ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS The move came a day after the Calcutta High Court dismissed the party’s plea challenging the order by the Election Commission of India (ECI). Under the EC’s directive, issued through the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, each workers. Naidu emphasised that just as workers work tirelessly the government is equal, ly committed to the development of the State. He highlighted that the Telugu Desam Party symbol reflects workers and farmers and reaffirmed its commitment to uplift of poor families, besides enabling their children to beP4 come entrepreneurs. EXPRESS READ AP tax collections off to a strong start Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh recorded 12.07% growth in Commercial Taxes collections in April 2026 (`598.78 crore higher than in April 2025), marking an excellent start to Financial Year 2026-27. April is particularly significant as it is the first month of the new fiscal | P4 State Cabinet moots ‘Pillale Sampada’ Vijayawada: Population management, with a focus on treating children as wealth under the ‘Pillale Sampada’ framework, was discussed at length during the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the Secretariat on Thursday | P4 Lonavala 8.92km 13.3 km Built to bypass the steep mountain pass section, improve road safety and reduce travel distance, it connects Khopoli on the Mumbai side to Kusgaon near Lonavala in Pune dist Kusgaon Mumbai-Pune missing line TO PUNE The Missing Link project is expected to reduce the Mumbai-Pune travel distance by around 6 km and cut the journey time by 20 to 30 minutes, officials said Expect relatively cooler days in May, higher night time temp: Met office J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi THE Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Friday predicted comparatively cooler days and warmer nights in May in most parts of the country. However, some parts of India, including the foothills of the Himalayas, eastern coastal states, Gujarat and Maharashtra, could experience above normal heatwaves. Daytime temperatures will be relatively cooler than normal, as most parts of the country are expected to experience above normal pre-monsoon showers. There is also a higher possibility of the development of El Nino, which could lead to subdued monsoon conditions, impacting agriculture. According to IMD’s analysis, Cyclonic circulation possible IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said climate change is contributing to the consistent rise in temperatures and noted the possibility of cyclonic circulation in the Southeast Bay of Bengal, which could enhance rainfall activity in May maximum temperatures are likely to be normal to below normal across many parts of the country, except in regions of the Southern Peninsula, Northeast and Northwest, where above-normal maximum temperatures are expected. Conversely, many other are- as, except for certain parts of Northwest India and some regions in central and Southern Peninsular India, could experience above normal minimum night time temperatures. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the IMD, explained that warmer nights are expected due to cloudy weather, which is associated with above normal rainfall predictions. “Above normal rainfall causes cloudy weather at night, which traps heat and makes the nights warmer,” Mohapatra said. Above-normal heatwave days are expected in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, northern Uttar Pradesh, Northeast Bihar, coastal parts of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra, the IMD said. MARINE fish landings in Andhra Pradesh dropped to 1.52 lakh tonnes in 2025, recording a decline of 13% compared to 2024, and 20% from 2023, indicating continued pressure on the fisheries sector. According to the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) Annual Report 2025, the State had recorded 1.75 lakh tonnes in 2024, and 1.90 lakh tonnes in 2023. The decline is mainly linked to weather disturbances. Cyclone Montha affected fishing operations in late October across Andhra Pradesh and other east coast regions. This was followed by Cyclone Ditwah, which further disrupted fishing activity . As a result, several coastal regions reported lower fish landings, including Odisha (15%), Andhra Pradesh (13%), Puducherry (3%), and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (26%). The number of marine species recorded in the State also decreased to 371 in 2025 from 404 in 2024. In 2023, the species count was 383, showing fluctuations in marine diversity . In terms of major species, lesser sardine landings rose sharply to 15,500 tonnes in 2025 from 9,400 tonnes in 2024, showing a strong increase. Penaeid shrimp also registered a moderate rise, increasing to 13,400 tonnes in 2025 compared to 12,320 tonnes in the previous year. In contrast, Indian mackerel witnessed a steep decline, dropping to 9,650 tonnes in 2025 from a much higher 32,490 tonnes in 2024. Croaker showed a slight improvement, with landings increasing to 7,810 tonnes from 7,030 tonnes. Ribbonfish, however, recorded a marginal decrease, falling to 7,390 tonnes in 2025 from 8,000 tonnes in 2024. Fishing activity remained dominated by the mechanised boats, which contributed 60%of P4 total landings. PRIDE OF PLACE Sikkim first paperless state judiciary in India S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi CHIEF Justice of India Justice Surya Kant on Friday declared Sikkim as the first paperless state judiciary in the country, while inaugurating a Conclave on Technology and Judicial Education in Gangtok. Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day conclave, the CJI said the Indian legal landscape has moved away from the era of the paper trail, where vital records languished in physical storage, to a vibrant digital ecosystem. Digital re- AI can be used to identify patterns for judges CJI Surya Kant said AI systems can be deployed to identify patterns in sentencing and bail practices, to promote greater consistency and predictability. “The modern judge must also engage with the logic that underpins emerging technologies,” the CJI said form, he said, is not a matter of theory but a practical necessity , for sustaining the rule of law. “Beyond basic data collection, we have witnessed the advent of intelligent assistance within our chambers,” he said, mentioning translation tool SUVAS and SUPACE, an AI-driven tool de- signed to assist judges. These innovations act as force multipliers, he said, aiding in the swift translation of judgments and providing rapid research to the bench. “They relieve the judge of mechanical burden of routine inquiry the CJI said. ,” Justice Surya Kant also spoke about the role of Artificial Intelligence in improving efficiency in trial courts, including in managing cases, verifying assets and ensuring consistency in sentencing. He urged judicial academies to go beyond basic digital training and also teach judges and legal professionals about the ethical use of newer technologies. Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court Justice A Muhammed Mustaque, Sri Lankan SC judge Mohammad Dhilip Nawaz and Seychelles Supreme Court CJ Rony James Govinden were present, among others.