Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chairs the 47th meeting of the GST Council in Chandigarh on Tuesday | pti tadepalligudem l wednesday l june 29, 2022 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION Oppn-ruled states want gst compensation to continue Devolve 80% of revenue to states: DEO Change the revenue sharing formula or extend compensation period by five years, state finance ministers have demanded States’ protected revenue has been growing at 14% but cess collection has not risen at the same rate. Chhattisgarh Finance Minister T S Singh Deo said states need to get 70-80% of the GST revenue instead of 50% at present. “If the protective revenue provision is not continued, 50% formula should be changed to 80-70% for SGST and 20-30% for CGST,” said Deo P10 ■ 11.6% Address shortfall, says Balagopal ■ Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal said the compensation period should be extended as revenue growth is not as promised The GST Council meeting, being held in Chandigarh, will discuss the compensation mechanism. According to a recent Supreme Court ruling, the Council’s decisions are not binding on states The weighted average tax rate under gST, according to a Reserve Bank study 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 Fadnavis meets Guv, demands Maha floor test Says govt has lost majority; Koshyari to seek legal opinion before calling special session S u d h i r S u r ya w a n s h i a n d Rajesh Kumar Thakur @ Mumbai/New Delhi The ongoing political drama in Maharashtra moved into high gear on Tuesday after a BJP delegation led by former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and requested him to ask the Uddhav government to seek a floor test, saying it has lost its majority . Earlier in the day, Fadnavis flew into Delhi along with senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani to consult home minister Amit Shah and party chief J P Nadda. Sources said the Governor will seek legal opinion before deciding on a special session of Maharashtra Assembly for the floor test. As for beleaguered Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray he , made yet another emotional appeal to his party’s rebel legislators led by Eknath Shinde to save his chair, requesting them to return from Guwahati to thrash out a solution. Parallelly, his wife Rashmi called up family members of the rebels, invoking the family spirit and asking them to request their spouses to return. Fadnavis reportedly conveyed to the party brass that there were two options. One, staking the BJP’s claim with the backing of rebels by promising them proportional representation in the state cabinet; Rebel Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde addresses the media in Guwahati | PTI Hindutva card Uddhav sought to play the Hindutva card, by deciding to push through a proposal to rename Aurangabad as Sambhaji Nagar in the state cabinet on Wednesday. The dilution of Hindutva by the Sena was one of the factors that triggered the rebellion and two, facilitating a no-confidence motion by the rebels. Within the rebel camp, there were different voices on the next steps. “While one section wants a merger with the BJP, others are in favour of retaining the Sena identity The latter . want a meeting with Uddhav find a way out,” said a person camped in Guwahati. He added that most of the rebels are not allowed to speak freely. “They are missing their families and constituencies. They are pressuring Shinde for a solution.” But Shinde rubbished claims that the rebels were in touch with Uddhav. P10 Advantage India as G7 wants Russia oil price cap Express News service @ New Delhi IN a bid to weaken Russia’s ability to fund the Ukraine war, the Group of Seven (G7) leaders on Tuesday agreed to develop a price cap mechanism for Russian oil. According to reports, the G7 leaders discussed the US’ suggestion that a price cap decided by consuming countries be imposed. While the contours of the scheme have not been announced, reports say Moscow will be allowed to recover production cost and earn a very small profit for its petroleum products. For India, which currently imports 10% of its total crude requirements from Russia, the move will be beneficial as it will help combat inflation. Before the Ukraine war, India used to import just 0.2% of its total oil needs from Russia. As the western countries put sanctions on Russian oil, Moscow started offering deep discounts for its products. Thus, Indian Oil Marketing Companies purchased Russian Ural crude oil at discounts as high as $30 per barrel. Reports say 40% Russian oil was purchased by private firms including Reliance Industries and Rosneft-backed Nayara Energy . However, experts say consuming countries can’t enforce such representative picture Past example A similar mechanism was launched in 1995 as part of the oil-for-food programme by the UN to allow Iraq to sell oil in exchange for food and medicine. However, the programme was mired in widespread corruption a price ceiling. “Russian oil is anyway available at $30-35 discount to India. Even if G7 imposes a ceiling on paper, there will be significant leakages as witnessed from Europe’s socalled ban on Russian energy I . don’t foresee any major shift in India’s import bill with a price ceiling on Russian crude,” said Debopam Chaudhury, chief economist and head of research at TruBoard Partners. Russia produces around 11 million barrels per day of crude oil, and exports 5-6 million barrels per day. Moscow earned around $110 billion in 2021 from oil exports, which accounts for 45% of its total income in 2021. NATIONWIDE June 27 June 28 Jab-o-meter Fresh cases Recoveries Deaths 17,073 15,208 21 11,793 9,486 27 Take your shot June 27 16,56,479 doses June 28 11,79,301 doses Total doses 1,97,44,90,295 Amid outrage, Zubair remanded in Udaipur tailor butchered for supporting Nupur four more days of police custody E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi A Delhi court on Tuesday remanded senior journalist and Alt News’ co-founder Mohammed Zubair in four-day police custody The police had arrest. ed him on Monday in connection with a four-year-old tweet, alleging it had led to a Twitter storm, hurting religious sentiments and promoting enmity . Media and human rights organisations like Amnesty India, Editors Guild and Press Club of India strongly condemned the arrest, calling it extremely disturbing. Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria said, “Four-day police remand is being granted since the accused is to be taken to Bangaluru.” Appearing for Zubair, senior advocate Vrinda Grover argued that he was being maliciously targeted and that the case as a Muhammad Zubair being taken to court in Delhi on Tuesday | Parveen Negi whole borders on ridiculousness. She alleged that Zubair was targeted because of his religious identity. “Many have tweeted the same, the only difference between those handles and mine is my faith, my name and my profession.” But the prosecution contended that Zubair ought to be placed under police remand be- cause his “intentional act of outraging religious emotions was on record.” Zubair allegedly “used provocative tweets to offend religious emotions in an effort to achieve recognition,” according to the police. “His evasiveness formed the grounds for his arrest,” said K P S Malhotra, Deputy Commissioner of Police. A four-member police team will be sent to Zubair’s house in Bengaluru on Wednesday to recover evidence, he added. The police claimed Zubair received `50 lakh in his bank account in the last three months, adding they were investigating the source of the funding. But another Alt News co-founder Pratik Sinha said, “Fact-check: Absolutely lies. Police is linking donations received by Alt News to Zubair. All the money that Alt News receives goes to the organisations bank and not any individuals.” attacked him with sharp weapons. They also reportedly slit IN a horrific hate crime in Ra- his throat with a cleaver. The jasthan’s Udaipur district, two killers then fled the scene. Soon men on Tuesday killed a tailor after the shocking incident, a who had recently exlarge crowd gathered pressed support for at the spot and desuspended BJP leader manded tough action Nupur Sharma over against the culprits. controversial remarks Rajasthan Chief on Prophet MohamMinister Ashok Gehlot mad. The killers, who tweeted that no effort also posted videos of will be spared in catchtheir brutal attack ing the culprits and a claiming they did it to detailed probe will be Kanhaiya Lal avenge insult to Islam, conducted over the have been arrested. In the vid- brutal incident. eo, they also threatened to tarA curfew has been imposed get Nupur Sharma and even in many parts of Udaipur and Prime Minister Narendra markets are shut. Large gatherModi. ings have been banned and inThe attackers, identified as ternet suspended across RajasGos Mohammad and Riyaz, than for 24 hours. came on a bike at around 2.30 The victim, who lived in the pm on Tuesday. They entered Dhanmondi area of Udaipur, the tailoring shop of Kanhaiya had posted on social media in Lal (40) on the pretext of giving support of Nupur Shar ma measurements and suddenly some 10 days ago. R a j e s h A s n a n i @ Jaipur Balineni alleges defamation bid by Credit Aarogyasri aid into spl accounts: Jagan ‘big’ YSRC leader with TDP support E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Vijayawada E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Ongole FAULT lines in the ruling Y SRC c a m e o u t i n t h e open once again with senior leader Balineni Srinvasa Reddy accusing his party colleagues of trying to defame him. The former minister said some of his party leaders have been colluding with the TDP in a bid to bring him and his family into disrepute. S r i n iv a s a Re d d y w a s dropped from the YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s cabinet in April when the chief minister went for a major revamp. He was made the regional coordinator for Nellore, Prakasam and Bapatla districts. “Some YSRC leaders are conspiring with the support of TDP to defame me and my family with false allegations and propaganda on issues not related to me. It is very unfortunate. Some of my own party leaders are under the influence of some TDP leaders like Damacharla Janardhan and Mantri Srinivasa Rao, and are making unnecessary comments, playing cheap tricks and conspiring to land me in trouble,’’ he alleged while speaking to the media on the sidelines of Ongole Assembly constituency YSRC plenary meeting held on Tuesday . Without naming anyone, Srinivasa Reddy said a “big leader” was behind the ongoing episode to defame him. “I am well aware of those leaders and their cheap tricks. If I lose my patience, none of them will be spared. If they don’t stop this type of political games, gimmicks and false allegations, they will face consequences. Soon I will expose them before the public. If they prove me wrong I will resign my post and quit politics.” P5 Instructing the officials to open special bank accounts for Aarogyasri beneficiaries and credit the amount provided under the scheme directly into the special accounts, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy stated that the sum will then be transferred to the account of the hospital where the beneficiary undergoes treatment. On Tuesday Jagan held a re, view meeting with officials on the implementation of Aarogyasri and the status of works under Nadu-Nedu for the health and medical sector. Urging the authorities to continue transfer of aid through Direct Benefit Trans- elusive predator Driver, passengers get a late-night tiger fright E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Kakinada In THE second instance of sighting reported in a month, passengers of a bus spotted the elusive male tiger at Kummarilova village in Tuni mandal, East Godavari district, late on Monday .   Forest officials have been trying to capture the wild cat that has been on the prowl in Kakinada and East Godavari districts for almost a month. The passengers, all workers at a shrimp hatchery, were heading to their village when they saw the big cat. The driver immediately stopped the bus and waited until the tiger returned to the forest. “The door of the bus was Forest officials spot pug marks of tiger at Maruvada village in Tuni | Express open. As soon as we saw the tiger, we ran to the rear end of the bus, fearing it would come inside. The tiger strolled in front of the bus for a few minutes and disappeared into the forest,” a passenger recalled. Another passenger said they wanted to capture the tiger on their phones, but did not since they felt that it might provoke the big cat. Villagers in Latchireddypa l e m , Ku m m a r i l ova a n d Kolimeru villages in East Godavari district have been advised not to venture out of their homes after sunset. Meanwhile, forest department officials inspected the pug marks at Kolimeru and Kummarilova villages and found that the tiger was headed towards Maruvada village. Suspecting that the tiger might have come from Narsipatnam forest area, DFO IKV Raju said it could be going back to the region through Tuni, the same route, it had used to reach Kakinada district. “It may swim across the River Tandava to reach Narsipatnam reserve forest area via Payakaraopeta mandal in Visakhapatnam,” he explained. The big cat was first spotted on May 27. Two people, including an auto driver, had sighted the big cat on June 11. The tiger could be going back to the Narsipatnam forest region through Tuni, the same route that it used to reach Kakinada district. It may swim across the River Tandava to reach the forest via Payakaraopeta mandal in Visakhapatnam — IKV Raju, DFO Ensure quality, durability of tabs for Class 8 students: CM Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed officials to ensure the Byju’s content is uploaded to tabs, which are to be distributed to Class 8 students of government schools in the State in September. In a review meeting, he said priority should be given to quality and durability of tablets while tenders are being invited for their procurement | P4 fer (DBT) method, the CM said, “The authorities should take the patients’ consent and clearly explain to them that they need not worry about compromising personal information that is provided for opening the bank accounts. Transparency and accountability comes with express read Govt suspends IPS officer ABV again Vijayawada: The State government on Tuesday placed senior IPS officer AB Venkateswara Rao under suspension for allegedly trying to influence witnesses in a trial against him. The senior officer, who had been under suspension, was reinstated recently. Pawan to launch ‘Jana Vani’ on July 3 Vijayawada: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan will launch the party’s new programme Jana Vani (people’s voice) in Vijayawada on July 3. The programme’s aim is to make the government listen to the people’s problems. Pawan will receive petitions for the next five Sundays | P4 policies where the beneficiaries can avail medical services free of cost.” Directing the officials to strengthen Aarogyasri by making it transparent and free of irregularities, Jagan emphasised on reinforcing patient referral procedure under the scheme. He instructed the authorities to utilise village clinics as referral centers with continuous monitoring along with proper display of details. “A letter—explaining the benefits they have received— and a document, confirming the details of Arogya Asara, should be given to the beneficiaries after they have availed the scheme,” Jagan noted. Stating that Arogya Mitras need to be more proactive, the CM said, “Patients should be escorted from admission to discharge, and feedback should be taken from them on the services they received.” He called for action against those who demand money besides what the , government is spending for the treatment of the patient.  P4 Wanted Maoist leader held in Alluri, 60 others surrender E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam WANTED Maoist leader and secretary of the banned organisation’s Pedabayulu-Korukonda area committee Vanthala Ramakrishna alias Prabhakar alias Ashok alias Goddali Rayudu was arrested in Alluri district, police said on Tuesday . Besides Ramakrishna’s arrest, the Maoists suffered a further setback when 33 party members and 27 members of the militia, including eight women (in pic), surrendered to the police in Alluri Sitarama Raju district. The arrested Maoist, an accused in 124 cases, including several murders, registered in the neighbouring Odisha, and East Godavari and Alluri Sitarama Raju districts, was carrying a bounty of `5 lakh on his head. Ramkrishna was allegedly involved in 14 murders, including that of MLA Kidari Sarveswar Rao and former MLA Siveri Soma, Korra Lakshman of Bongajangi, Gemmili Krishnarao of Vakapalli, and P4 others, police said.