Global MMR MMR in India declining (MMR value per lakh live births) 130 2014-16 vijayawada l wednesday l september 20, 2023 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION India’S maternal mortality rate down IN LAST 10 YEARS, SAYS W.H.O. India joins six other countries that have seen a drop in maternal mortality in the last 10 years, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday 122 2015-17 113 2016-18 103 2017-19 211 2017 More lives saved during live births The maternal mortality rate (MMR) in India has declined significantly, the WHO said at a regional meeting in Colombo (see graphic). But it is still some distance away from the target of under-70 per lakh live births by 2030 set by the UN in 2015. Bangladesh, Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand are the other countries that have seen a drop in MMRs ■ 40% UNDER-5 mortality rate too declines ■ Kerala, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra, TN, Jharkhand, Gujarat, Karnataka have achieved the UN target on maternal mortality India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal are on track to reduce under-5 mortality. For India, the under-5 mortality rate was 32 per 1,000 live births in 2020 as against 35 per 1,000 live births in 2019 | P7 reduction in newborn mortality recorded in southeast asia region 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 33% reservation in Parliament & state assemblies; 2029 first window for its implementation Women’s quota bill to sail in LS today implemented before 2029. “The seats will be reserved after the completion Marking a new beginning on the of the delimitation exercise based on first day of the new Parliament House, the first Census after the bill is passed. the Narendra Modi government on All the existing constituencies have Tuesday tabled the long-pending to be redrawn by the delimitation Women’s Reservation Bill in Lok Sab- commission. Then they have to idenha to block 33% seats for women in tify the constituencies to be reserved Parliament and legislative assem- for women. This is going to be a longblies. However, according to Constitu- drawn process,” says Achary Though . tional experts, the bill is unlikely to the decadal Census was to be carried be implemented before out in 2021, it was post2029 as it can be done only poned because of Covidafter the completion of de- SP, BSP demand 19. The government is yet reservation for limitation exercise based to announce a fresh date SC, ST & OBCs on the first Census after for the exercise. the Bill becomes law. Achary points out that The Samajwadi Party The discussion on the (SP) and the Bahujan the constituencies will be bill in Lok Sabha on redrawn only after the Samaj Party (BSP) Wednesday is likely to see extended their support next Census, which is heated exchanges as it is likely after 2026. Accordto the Women’s learnt that Congress leading to the Constitution Reservation Bill, but er Sonia Gandhi will lead demanded a separate (84th Amendment) Act, the debate from the Oppo- quota for women from there is a freeze on readsition camp. justment of constituenBCs, SCs & minorities If the bill comes into cies till the first Census in the Lok Sabha and force, the number of womafter 2026. “After the 2024 State assemblies en MPs in Lok Sabha will polls, the new Lok Sabha go up to 181 from the curcannot be tampered with rent 82. It also proposes one-third quo- till its term expires in 2029. So the deta for women within the seats re- limitation will be completed only afserved for SC/STs. As per the bill ter 2029,” he said. introduced by Union law minister ArAchary points out that the bill jun Ram Meghwal, the quota rollout needs to be ratified by not less than can happen only after the delimita- 50% of the State assemblies. Before tion or redrawing of constituencies that, the bill needs to be passed by spebased on data from the first Census cial majority (a majority of the total after the legislation is notified. number in the House & a majority of Constitutional expert P D T Achary two-thirds of the House present and said it is unlikely that the bill will be voting) in both Houses, he says. P7 P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi The Narishakti Vandan Adhiniyam will strengthen our democracy. We are committed to making this bill into a law Narendra Modi, PM The bill says it will be implemented only after census and delimitation. So doors are closed till 2029 Mallikarjun Kharge, Cong president Unfortunately, census was not held in 2021. Had it been done, quota rollout could have happened immediately Nitish Kumar, Bihar CM PM Narendra Modi walks towards the new Parliament building, in New Delhi on Tuesday | PTI Steeplechase before the actual rollout The bill has to be passed by Parliament and notified The national head count or census after the bill is passed would be the starting point C A delimitation exercise, which means redrawing of constituencies, will follow after the census to carve out more seats. Quota rollout would be on the based on the delimitation outcome. Delimitation can begin only after 2026 B THE frayed India-Canada ties sank to a new low on Tuesday with both countries expelling one diplomat of each other. The high-voltage drama unfolded with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaking in the House of Commons in the morning about “credible allegations that India was involved in the killing of slain Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar”, a charge rejected by India as ‘absurd’. Parallelly, Canada’s foreign minister Melanie Joly announced the expulsion of Indian diplomat Pavan Kumar Rai, prompting a tit-for-tat action from India as it asked Canadian diplomat Olivier Sylvestere to leave the country . The Canadian government also updated its travel advisory for India, urging its citizens to “exercise a high degree of caution” while in India due to “the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country”. Rubbishing Trudeau’s charg- es, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “Such unsubstantiated allegations seek to shift the focus from Khalistani terrorists who have been provided shelter in Canada and continue to threaten India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The inaction of the Canadian government on this matter has been a long-standing and continuing concern.” The diplomatic face-off between India and Canada over the Khalistani issue has been brewing for the past few years. Majority of the total members of each House Two-thirds majority of members present and voting YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, AP Chief Minister ‘Don’t want to provoke’ Hours after the row, Trudeau said he did not seek to “provoke” India but urged New Delhi to take killing of Nijjar with ‘utmost seriousness’ 9-day Srivari Brahmotsavams commence on a grand note E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Tirupati The annual Salakatla Brahmotsavams of Srivaru commenced on a grand note on Monday evening with Dwajarohanam. Priests hoisted the celestial Garuda flag during the auspicious Meena Lagnam between 6.15 pm and 6.30 pm as part of the ritual, which signifies inviting all the deities and Ashtadikpalakas to the nineday fete. On the first day Chief Minis, ter YS Jagan Mohan Reddy presented silk clothes to Sri Venkateswara Swamy on behalf of the State government on Monday evening. Dressed in a traditional attire, he offered prayers at the Sri Bedi Anjaneyaswamy temple before heading to the Srivari temple with the silk robes on his head. P4 The processional deities were taken out on the Hamsa Vahanam on Tuesday night HC reserves orders on Naidu’s quash plea Express News Service @ Vijayawada The High Court of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday reserved its judgement in the petition filed by former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, seeking that the case booked against him in the alleged Andhra Pradesh State Skill Development Corporation (APSSDC) scam be quashed. Senior Supreme Court advocates Harish Salve and Sid- dharth Luthra contended that Naidu was a victim of ‘regime revenge’. Citing previous orders of the apex court, they argued that as the FIR in the case was registered in 2021, the Andhra Pradesh Crime Investigation Department (APCID) had to take the Governor’s prior approval as per Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act for arresting the TDP supremo. On the other hand, senior counsels Mukul Rohatgi, Ranjit Kumar and additional advocate general Ponnavolu Sudhakar Reddy maintained that the State does not need to obtain prior sanction to investigate Naidu. They submitted that the act of fabricating records and misappropriating funds cannot be termed as ‘official duty .’ The arguments continued for around five hours in hybrid mode as Salve was not present P4 in the court.  * It will also have to be approved by at least 50% of state assemblies to become a law I am proud to extend YSRC’s support to the bill. Empowering women is of utmost importance to us. We achieved this in AP by ensuring equitable representation. Together, let’s create a more equitable future Since it is a Constitution amendment bill, it needs to be passed by both Houses with special majority India, Canada lock horns over terror, expel diplomats in tit-for-tat action Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi Jagan inaugurates Lakkasagaram LIS For women’s reservation to come into effect, 3 factors have to be satisfied A TDP chief A25 in AP Fibernet case The APCID added Naidu as an accused in the alleged AP FiberNet scam and sought a Prisoner Transit (PT) warrant e x p r e ss r e a d Kurnool: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday inaugurated the `224.31-crore Lakkasagaram Lift Irrigation Pump House, which will supply water to 77 tanks & irrigate 10,394 acres in Dhone, Aluru, Pathikonda & Panyam constituencies | P3 One killed in drone attack in Ukraine Kyiv: Russia launched a massive drone attack on the western city of Lviv early Tuesday, burning down a warehouse having humanitarian supplies and killing one man, authorities said. It was one of at least three deadly attacks | P9 LeT commander killed as gunfight ends Srinagar: Two terrorists, including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Uzair Khan, were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district during the gunfight that ended after seven days, ADGP (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said. Four security personnel lost their lives in the gunfight, he added