KOZHIKODE l wednesday l june 15, 2022 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION IPL: Star retains Television rights, viacom bags digital steep rise in the digital space From a combined price of D16,347.50 crore in the 2018-22 cycle, the IPL media rights price has grown in multitudes, 2.96 times to be precise, with the digital space dominating this auction. With the base price set at D33 crore/game, Viacom18 bought the rights for D50 crore/game. It paid an additional D2,991 cr P11 to bag package C (non-exclusive rights for 18-22 games/season) as well  The IPL media rights for the 2023-27 cycle, which was sold via e-auction, went for a cumulative record price of E48,390 crore whos and whats of the auction ■ ■ Disney Star bought the subcontinent television rights for D23,575 crore while Viacom18 won the digital rights (Packages B and C) for a combined D23,491 crore Package D, the overseas rights, went to Viacom18 and Times Internet, with the parties broadcasting in different territories US $6.46 bn revenue the BCCI stands to make In 2023-27 via broadcast rights 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 Modi sets a new target of 10L jobs in 18 months E x p r e s s ne w s s e r v i c e @ New Delhi With Prime Minister Narendra Modi issuing instructions to hire 10 lakh government employees in mission mode within 18 months, filling up of existing vacancies and creating new job opportunities climbed right on the top of the priority ladder of the government on Tuesday . Modi issued the instructions after reviewing the status of human resources in all departments and ministries. As if on cue, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a scheme to recruit soldiers for just four years. The scheme is expected to provide jobs to over 46,000 youth in a year (see box). Political circles saw in Modi’s announcement, an attempt to snatch the unemployment card away from the Opposition ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. His 18-month deadline for jobs will end just four months before the general elections. It is also an acknowledgement that unemployment is a top-of-the-mind issue particularly among youth. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi panned the Centre’s drive as maha jumla (peddling rhetoric), saying it’s similar to “the failed BJP promise made eight years ago to provide 2 crore jobs each Want to be an Agniveer? The Centre on Tuesday unveiled an Agnipath job scheme for armed forces Age group: 17.5-21 yrs. Salary: 30K a month. 4-yr service. D48L insurance At the end of the four-year period, 25% will be absorbed into the service and the rest will be relieved They will be inducted into the force as Agniveers, a new rank, distinct from sepoys Those retained will serve for 15 years more and retire with pension They will be recruited under an “all India, all-class” basis as opposed regiment model that recruits youth from specific regions and castes Those relieved will get severance package of D10-12 lakh; no pension | P7 year”. But home minister Amit Shah lauded the recruitment drive, saying the youth are the foundation of “new India”, adding Modi has been constantly working to empower them. As on March 1, 2020 the number of regular Central government civilian employees was 31.91 lakh as a g ainst the sanctioned strength of 40.78 lakh. In other words, about 21.75% posts were vacant. About 92% of the total Central jobs are provided by five major ministries or departments — railways, defence (civil), home affairs, posts and revenue. Railways alone has 2,98,428 vacancies. Of them, 2,177 are gazetted posts, according to a reply to a query in the Lok Sabha by railway minister. Railways has restarted the process to fill up about 50% of vacancies — 1,40,713 posts, sources said. Resist bid to scuttle development: Pinarayi E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @T’Puram San t w ana B h at ta c h a r ya @ New Delhi It’s that season when names swirl around like summer dust for the next incumbent of the mansion atop Raisina Hill. Who the Prime Minister smiles at or does namaste to is being watched with a hawk eye. The Opposition too is donning its armour—a contest is more or less certain, even if its numbers mean it will be symbolic. Chief ministers—and a mentor of CMs—are trying to settle on a common Opposition candidate. Sharad Pawar is in the thick of the action, even as he slinks away from a contest himself. With Sonia Gandhi away in hospital and Rahul Gandhi busy fending off the ED’s queries, it was left to Pawar to give some shape to the disaggregated Opposition army . Pawar had powwows with both West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and her arch-foes, Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, in Delhi. Other heavyweights will arrive on Wednesday. Pawar is plumping for long-time friend Farooq Abdullah. The Left is keen on ex-Bengal governor Gopal Gandhi—he had dropped out last time after Congress fielded Meira Kumar. Farooq is not unwilling. But the last word won’t be said till Didi speaks her mind. In what could be perceived as a climbdown from his earlier stance that SilverLine will be implemented at any cost, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the state government can go ahead with the semi-high speed rail project only after getting the Union government’s clearance. Hinting that political clearance could be further delayed, Pinarayi said though the Centre had initially taken a war of words Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday called for ‘political resistance’ against the attempts to scuttle development in the state even as the protestors clashed with police in many places. The police slapped attempt to murder charges on the two youths who, raising slogans, moved towards the CM on board an Indigo flight on Monday. The duo was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody . Alleging that the ongoing protests against him was the result of the opposition’s frustration over the growing popularity of the LDF government, the chief minister said “we should not remain silent towards such protests, we should resist them politically and expose their motives before the society .” He was addressing the ‘Nava Kerala’ development seminar organised by the EMS Academy at Vilappilsala here. Pinarayi alleged that the opposition’s ‘narrow-minded approach’ stemmed from the concern that the development projects being implemented by the government would bring more popularity to the LDF. “The Opposition thinks that development projects being undertaken in the state will harm them. This mindset applies to both UDF and BJP So, they are . trying all means to scuttle development,” he said. On his way back to the capital city, the CM was shown black flags by Youth Congress workers at Vilappilsala and by a BJP worker at Kun- We should not remain silent towards such protests, we should resist them politically and expose their motives before the society — Pinarayi Vijayan, CM We will retaliate if we are attacked. There is no point in preaching Gandhism to those who assault us — K Muraleedharan, Congress MP People with criminal background were deployed to attack the CM. It was done with Congress leadership’s knowledge — E P Jayarajan, LDF convener On what basis the Youth Congress workers were charged with murder attempt when they just shouted slogans inside the flight - V D Satheesan, Leader of Opposition damankadavu. Meanwhile, police formed a special investigation team to probe Monday’s incident on board the flight. Kannur Crime Branch SP Prejish Thottathil will head the team comprising five other officers. Kuthuparamba DySP Pradeepan Kannippoyil, Shanghumugham ACP D K Prithewiraj, Valiyathura SHO T Sathikumar, Kuthuparamba SHO Binu Mohan P A and Mattannur SHO Krishnan M are the members of the team. The team will work under the direct supervision of Crime Branch ADGP Sheikh ● More on P4 Darvesh Saheb. ‘Metro phase II on track’ A n u j a S u s an Va r g h e s e @ Kochi The 11.20-km phase II of the Kochi Metro from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to Infopark, Kakkanad, is on track, its managing director Loknath Behera has said. Ahead of the Kochi Metro’s fifth anniversary on Friday, Behera told TNIE that all the clarifications sought by the Centre have been given. “Now it’s understood that things are moving and hopefully we can go direct, ly to tender proceedings and begin work 5 M ETRO @ Names of Farooq, others in play for Oppn Prez pick Can go ahead with SilverLine only if Centre gives nod: CM this year itself. The plan is to complete the work in 24 months using modern technology and bring down the labour cost,” he said, in a wide-ranging interview. As for the third phase, the Kochi Metro’s board of directors’ approval will be sought, he said, adding that the Kochi Metro Rail Limited is looking forward to developing phase 4, and 5 too. Full Interview page 2 3o years & running ‘Mattuppetty Machan’ — tale of a super fast N e j m a S u l a i m an @Idukki When people come into our life, they become part of our everyday existence. But, could this be possible in the case of a KSRTC bus? Going by the adulation enjoyed by a KSRTC Super Fast operating on the Thiruvananthapuram-Mattuppetty (near Munnar) route, it is indeed possible. The residents fondly call the bus ‘Mattuppetty Machan’. Right from 1992 when the bus started service, mainly to cater to the needs of the employees of the Mattuppetty-based Kerala Livestock Development Board (KLDB), it has played a key role in the lives of local residents. Now though, the bus fer- The Thiruvananthapuram-Mattuppetty KSRTC super fast ries everyone. Since majority of KLDB employees hailed from T hir uvananthapuram and its neighbouring districts, the bus was a blessing for them. The bus connects at least six districts, including Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Idukki. Subsequently local politicians head, ed for the state secretariat, patients en route to the Regional Cancer Centre in the capital and college students became regulars. “During weekends, all the 49 seats will be booked. On other days, at least 30 seats will be booked on an average,” conductor of the bus T K Sumesh told TNIE. He said considering the good collection and demand of residents, the service has never been discontinued. “Be it flood or strike, ‘Mattuppetty Machan’ arrives without fail,” said local resident Sub● More on P4 hash C.  E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ T’Puram favourable stance towards the project, it is now hesitant to give approval, following protests by the Opposition UDF and BJP . He alleged that the BJP and UDF want to sabotage developmental initiatives in the state. “In certain instances, we can go forward with the projects despite opposition. However for developmental projects like SilverLine, the Centre’s nod is of utmost importance,” the chief ● More on P4 minister said.  E X P RESS REA D Sweeping reforms in draft transport policy Kochi: The draft of the transport policy for Kerala prepared by the motor vehicles department has proposed wider use of technology, including an integrated and intelligent transport system and making GPS facility a norm, to help commuters locate and plan their short and long trips. The nearly 40-page report, which was made public on Tuesday, proposes to establish a transport company in the cooperative sector. P5