tadepalligudem l thursday l june 13, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l city EDITION State of the economy: factory output down, inflation eases Manufacturing slump blamed for IIP fall The fall in IIP was mainly on account of poor show by the manufacturing sector, whose growth decelerated to 3.9% in April compared to 5.5% a year ago. In contrast, mining and power segments performed well, according to official data released on Wednesday. Mining output growth accelerated to 6.7% in April while power generation increased by 10.2% The Index of Industrial Production (IIP) slipped to a three-month low of 5% in April whereas retail inflation fell to 4.75% in May, shows govt data 4.5% Retail inflation pares to 4.75% in May ■ Retail inflation eased to a 12-month low of 4.75% in May, down from April’s figure of 4.83%, but higher than 4.31% recorded in May last year ■ Inflation in the food basket was 8.69% in May, down from 8.70% in April, according to National Statistical Office data. The government has tasked the Reserve Bank of India to ensure inflation remains at 4% The reserve bank of India’s retail inflation projection for 2024-25 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 Close to 50 Indians dead in Kuwait building blaze Most died due to suffocation; minister sent to oversee assistance Yes h i S e l i @ New Delhi Video grab of smoke billowing after a fire broke out in a building in Mangaf, Kuwait on Wednesday | PTI Indians admitted in multiple hospitals reported stable Over 30 Indians have been admitted at the Al-Adan hospital, six others at Farwaniya Hospital, 11 in Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital and six in Jahra Hospital. They are said to be stable. “Another 6 are expected to be shifted to Jahra hospital today from the Mangaf site,” the Indian mission wrote on X. The Emir of Kuwait assured full probe and accountablity parl power BJP reliant on TDP & YSRC equally: MP E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada Asserting that the BJP needs the support of the YSRC as much as that of the TDP in the Parliament to pass Bills, YSRC Rajya Sabha MP Vijayasai Reddy on Wednesday clarified that they will extend issue-based support to the NDA. Speaking to reporters in New Delhi to highlight the spree of targetted attacks on the YSRC cadre in the State after the TDP came to power, Vijayasai Reddy pointed out, “While the TDP has 16 MPs in the Lok Sabha, the YSRC has 15 -- four in the Lok Sabha and 11 in the Rajya Sabha. The difference is just one. Although the BJP holds majority of the seats among the NDA partners, it is dependent on the TDP One should remem. ber that the saffron party also has to rely on the YSRC as well for support to pass Bills in Rajya Sabha.” Responding to questions regarding YSRC’s stance on various issues, including the Unifor m Civil Code, the MP maintained that the party’s policy is to support the Centre only when the interests of the country or the State are at stake. “Wherever and whenever the State can be benefitted, support would be extended,” he explained. However, he was quick to add that their support cannot be considered as specific to the BJP or any other political party . “The YSRC is a patriotic party and we have to protect the people’s interests. Any issue having a bearing on the State and country will be supported by P3 the YSRC,” he said. Close to 50 Indian are feared dead in a massive fire that broke out around dawn in Kuwait in a building housing nearly 200 foreign workers. Most of the victims were asleep and died due to suffocation, sources said. The fire started in a kitchen of a six-storey building in the Mangaf area, south of Kuwait City which is densely populated with mi, grant labourers. Most of the deceased were Indian nationals from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and elsewhere. Their ages ranged between 20 and 50 years, Major General Eid Al-Owaihan, head of the interior ministry’s General Department of Criminal Evidence, was quoted as saying by Arab Times. “We received a report of a fire at 6 am,” he added. Given the scale of the tragedy, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent the new Minister of State for External Affairs, K V Singh, to Kuwait to oversee assistance to all the affected people. “Minister Singh will also oversee the repatriation of mortal remains of those who have passed away in this tragic incident,” according to the Ministry of External Affairs. Besides, Modi announces ex-gratia relief of `2 lakh to the families of deceased Indian nationals from Prime Minister Relief Fund. The Non-Resident Tamils Welfare Department, too, opened two helplines. For calls within India: +91 1800 309 3793 and for calls from foreign countries: +91 80 6900 9900, +91 80 6900 9901. India’s Ambassador to Kuwait, Adarsh Sawaika, has been visiting those injured in various hospitals and extending all possible assistance. The embassy also set up a helpline. “In connection with the tragic fire accident involving Indian workers today the Embassy has put , in place an emergency helpline number: +96565505246. All concerned are requested to connect over this helpline for updates,” the Indian Embassy in Kuwait said in a post on X. Indians constitute 21% of Kuwait’s population and 30% of its workforce. Interior minister Sheikh Fahd Al-Yousef said the building’s owner had been detained, adding any properties violating safety regulations would be closed immediately “We will . work to address the issue of labour overcrowding and neglect,” he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi embraces N Chandrababu Naidu (right) soon after the latter was sworn-in as Chief Minister | Prasant Madugula Megastar Chiranjeevi, PM Modi and Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan greet the gathering at Kesarapalli near Vijayawada on Wednesday | Prasant Madugula pm magic on display Home or tourism as naidu takes oath BERTH likely for Pk palli on the outskirts of Vijayawada. Besides 21 TDP TDP supremo N Chandraba- MLAs, one BJP and three JSP bu Naidu was sworn-in as the legislators have been inductChief Minister of Andhra ed into the Cabinet. Pradesh for the fourth time Interestingly, even before in his four-decade-long politi- the por tfolios were ancal career on Wednesday in nounced, Amit Shah and Pathe presence of wan Kalyan’s brothpawan to er Chiranjeevi took Prime Minister be dy cm! to X and congratuNarendra Modi, Union Home Minister lated the JSP chief Even before Amit Shah, BJP pres- portfolios were for being appointed ident JP Nadda, Cabas the Deputy Chief announced, inet Ministers Nitin Minister. Amit Shah & Gadkari and Bandi Throughout the Chiranjeevi Sanjay and a host of , event, the camaradecongratulated NDA leaders. It was a rie between Modi, Pawan Kalyan star-studded event as for being sworn- Naidu and Pawan S u p e r s t a r R a - in as Deputy CM was on full display, jinikanth and Megassending clear signals tar Chiranjeevi were that the NDA partalso in attendance. ners stand united. The Prime Governor S Abdul Nazeer Minister hugged Naidu soon administered the oath of of- after the latter took oath as fice and secrecy to Naidu and Chief Minister. Flanked by his 24 Cabinet colleagues, in- Megastar Chiranjeevi and cluding Jana Sena Party Power Star Pawan Kalyan on chief Pawan Kalyan, at a either sides, Modi greeted the P3 grand event held in Kesara- crowd. S V i s w a n at h @ Vijayawada portfolios. Ministers will play a significant role in the reconstruction of the State, Soon after assuming charge which has suffered damage as the Chief Minister, N on all fronts in the past five Chandrababu Naidu conduct- years, sources said quoting ed a meeting with his ministhe Chief Minister. ters at his residence in UnMeanwhile, speculations d av a l l i o n have been rife about lokesh Wednesday . the portfolios that may get i.t will be allocated to While it was expected that an offithe MLAs. TDP general cial announcement Besides being apsecretary Nara on the portfolio allo- Lokesh is likely pointed as the Depuc at i o n wo u l d b e ty Chief Minister, it to be given made, there was no charge of either is also likely that JSP development on that IT and Industries chief Pawan Kalyan front. It has been will be given the portfolio or learnt that a formal Home portfolio. HowEducation, announcement reever, sources said the sources said garding Cabinet actor-turned-politiberths will be made cian may be allocated on Thursday . Panchayat Raj and Rural DeDuring the meeting, Naidu ve l o p m e n t o r To u r i s m reportedly told his ministers a n d c i n e m a t o g r a p h y that portfolios will be allocat- portfolios. ed as per their desires and caThey added that TDP genpabilities. He asked them to eral secretary Nara Lokesh is coordinate with officials and being considered for IT, InP3 do complete justice to their dustries or Education. E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada Modi to fly to Italy for G7 summit in first overseas visit of his third term Yes h i se l i @ New Delhi PM’s fifth g7 summit In his first foreign visit after taking oath as prime minister for the third term, Narendra Modi will head to Italy on Thursday to take part in the 50th summit of the Group of Seven (G7) countries. “India has been invited as an Outreach Country for the G7 Summit which begins on June 14th,” foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kw a t r a s a i d o n Wednesday . Modi will participate in the Outreach Session along with the other countries invited for this year’s G7 Outreach Summit. The focus points for the Outreach Summit are artificial intelligence, energy, Africa and This will be the 11 time India is participating in a G7 summit. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will be his fifth consecutive participation. During last year’s summit in Hiroshima he held talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy th the Mediterranean. It will be a block agenda item where the G7 and the outreach countries will share their views. This newspaper had reported on May 4 that if reelected, Modi’s first overseas visit as PM would be to Italy . Kwatra said Modi’s participation in the summit would provide an opportunity to follow up on the outcomes of the G20 Summit held under India’s presidency last year. Regarding India’s position on Russia’s war in Ukraine, expected to dominate discussions during the G7 summit, Kwatra said, “We have always maintained that dialogue and diplomacy is the best option”. During the visit, Modi is likely to hold a bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.“In the meeting, the two prime ministers are expected to review the entire gamut of bilateral ties and give directions for next steps,” Kwatra said. Modi is also likely to have bilateral meetings with other leaders, he said. This year’s G7 Summit will be held in the luxury resort of Borgo Egnazia in Italy’s Apulia region from June 13 to 15. wayanad show Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at a thanksgiving roadshow at Edavanna in Malappuram on Wednesday. He is yet to decide on the seat he will give up, Wayanad or Rae Bareli, as he won both in the general elections | Express Mohan Majhi & his 16-member team takes charge of Odisha E XPR E S S N E W S S E R V IC E @ Bhubaneswar ODISHA politics turned a new page on Wednesday with the BJP forming its first government in the state under the leadership of senior tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi, who ended the 25-year rule of the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD. Odisha Governor Raghubar Das administered the oath of office to Majhi, a four-time MLA from Keonjhar, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seven Union ministers, and nine chief ministers of BJP-ruled states. Patnaik was also in attendance. Majhi became the 16th CM and third from the tribal community after Giridhar Gamang Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik greets his successor Mohan Charan Majhi (left) during the swearing-in ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday | PTI and Hemananda Biswal. The 16-member council of ministers headed by Majhi includes two deputy chief ministers – K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida. Eight ministers have been given cabinet rank. They are Suresh Pujari from Brajrajnagar, Rabinarayan Nayak from Kuchinda, Nityanada Gond from Umerkote, Krushna Chandra Patra from Dhenkanal, Prithiviraj Harichandan from Chilika, Mukesh Mahaling from Loisinga, Bibhuti Bhusan Jena from Gopalpur, and Krishna Chandra Mahapatra from Morada. The five ministers of state are Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia from Jashipur, Suryabanshi Suraj from Dhamnagar, Pradeep Bal Samanta from Sukin- da, Gokulanada Mallik from Polsara, and Sampad Chandra Swain from Paradip. After taking oath, the new chief minister Majhi took to his X handle and thanked Lord Jagannath and the people of the state for giving him the opportunity to serve them. “With the blessings of Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath and under the guidance of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a ‘Developed Odisha’ will be formed. The hopes and aspirations of 4.5 crore Odia people will be fulfilled. The BJP is committed to Odia Asmita and Odia culture,” he stated. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Dharmendra Pradhan were among those present. express read J&K on high alert after four terror strikes Srinagar: A high alert has been sounded in Jammu and Kashmir following four militant attacks in three districts of Jammu region in three days and intelligence inputs of a possible fidayeen attack. Two militants were killed in an encounter in a village near IB. | P8 First session of the 18th Lok Sabha from June 24 New Delhi: The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on June 24, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Wednesday. President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint Parliamentary sitting on June 27 and is likely to outline the new government’s roadmap for the next five years.
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13-06-2024 of The New Indian Express-Tadepalligudem