HYDERABAD THURSDAY JUNE 13, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 16 LATE 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 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% 4.5% 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 Y E S 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 BLANK CALL Court rejects bail plea of Tapgate accused cops E N S @ Hyderabad THE Nampally court on Wednesday rejected the bail petitions of Additional DCP Thirupathanna and Additional SP N Bhujanga Rao, accused in the high-profile phone-tapping case. Thirupathanna and Bhujanga Rao were arrested and remanded to judicial custody . During their detention, their statements were recorded as part of the ongoing investigation. Both officers had sought bail from the court, claiming innocence and cooperation with the investigation. However, the court rejected their petitions, citing concerns that they may tamper with evidence or interfere with the investigation. 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. PM Narendra Modi embraces Andhra CM N Chandrababu Naidu (right) during the oath-taking ceremony in Vijayawada on Wednesday | PRASANT MADUGULA Former Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik greets his successor Mohan Charan Majhi (left) during the swearing-in ceremony in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday | PTI NAIDU LOGS IN AS TEAM MOHAN TAKES CHIEF MINISTER OF AP CHARGE OF ODISHA Besides 21 TDP MLAs, one BJP and three JSP legislators TELUGU Desam Party boss N have been inducted into the Chandrababu Naidu was on new ministry . Wednesday sworn-in as the Interestingly, even before chief minister of Andhra the por tfolios were anPradesh for the fourth time nounced, Amit Shah and Pain his four-decade-long politi- wan Kalyan’s brother Chirancal career in the presjeevi took to X and ence of Prime Miniscongratulated the ter Narendra Modi JSP chief for being and Union ministers appointed as the depAmit Shah, Nitin Our government is uty chief minister. committed to Gadkari, J P Nadda, Throughout the upholding the and Bandi Sanjay beevent, the camaraderights of the sides a host of other rie between Modi, marginalised NDA leaders. It was a Naidu, and Pawan star-studded event Chandrababu Naidu, was on full display, attended by film Andhra Pradesh CM sending clear signals stars Rajinikanth that the NDA partand Chiranjeevi. ners stand united. PM Modi Governor S Abdul Nazeer hugged Naidu soon after the administered the oath of of- latter took oath as Andhra fice and secrecy to Naidu and chief minister. Flanked by his 24 Cabinet colleagues, in- Chiranjeevi and Pawan Kalycluding Jana Sena Party an on either side, Modi greetchief Pawan Kalyan, at a ed the crowd. grand event held in KesaraLater, Modi also posed for palli on the outskirts of photos with Naidu’s family Vijayawada. members. S V I S W A N AT H @ Vijayawada cil of ministers headed by Majhi includes two deputy chief ministers – K V Singh ODISHA politics turned a Deo and Pravati Parida. new page on Wednesday with Eight ministers have been the BJP forming its first gov- given cabinet rank. They are ernment in the state under Suresh Pujari from Brajrathe leadership of senior tribjnagar, Rabinarayan Nayak al leader Mohan Chafrom Kuchinda, Nityran Majhi, who endanada Gond from ed the 25-year rule of Umerkote, Krushna the Naveen PatnaikChandra Patra from The hopes and led BJD. Dhenkanal, PrithiviOdisha Governor aspirations of 4.5 r a j H a r i ch a n d a n crore Odia people Raghubar Das adfrom Chilika, Mukewill be fulfilled. ministered the oath BJP is committed sh Mahaling from of office to Majhi, a Loisinga, Bibhuti to Odia asmita four-time MLA from and Odia culture Bhusan Jena from Keonjhar, in the presGopalpur, and Krishence of Prime Minis- Mohan Charan Majhi, na Chandra Mahapter Narendra Modi, Odisha chief minister atra from Morada. seven Union minisThe five ministers ters, and nine chief ministers of state are Ganesh Ram of BJP-ruled states. Patnaik Singkhuntia from Jashipur, was also in attendance. Suryabanshi Suraj from Majhi became the 16th CM Dhamnagar, Pradeep Bal Saand third from the tribal com- manta from Sukinda, Gokum u n i t y a f t e r G i r i d h a r lanada Mallik from Polsara, Gamang and Hemananda and Sampad Chandra Swain Biswal. The 16-member coun- from Paradip. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Bhubaneswar Modi to fly to Italy for G7 summit in first overseas visit of his third term Y E S H I S E 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. EXPRESS READ Group-I Mains to be held from Oct 21, says TGPSC Hyderabad: The Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC) on Wednesday announced that the Group-1 Mains examination will be held from October 21 to October 27. The examination will be conducted in English, Telugu, and Urdu. Candidates can choose to answer the papers, except for General English in the Mains, in English, Telugu or Urdu | P2 First session of the 18th Lok Sabha from June 24 ‘CLASS’IC KIDS STUFF Aliya School students wait for Minister Ponnam Prabhakar to welcome them back to school after summer vacation, in Hyderabad on Wednesday | ISHIKA MUKHERJEE 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. The session will end on July 3 | P7 I-T payers may be excluded from crop loan waiver Podu farmer ends life, foresters blamed M A N DA RAV I N D E R R E D DY @ Hyderabad IN order to implement the crop loan waiver scheme by August 15, as promised by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, officials are formulating the guidelines and modalities. Sources said that the officials are examining the modalities of the Centre’s PM-KISAN scheme that provides financial assistance of `6,000 per year to eligible farmers in the country As . per PM-KISAN guidelines, those exempted from the scheme include ministers, legislators, mayors, ZP chairpersons, holders of constitutional office, Central government employees and Income Tax payers. Aug 15 IS THE DATE PROMISED BY THE CHIEF MINISTER FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SCHEME MATTER OF MONEY Officials are calculating the funds required to implement the crop loan waiver and also deliberating on the cut-off date for its implementation “Should such special guidelines be followed for the crop loan waiver here? If so, will those genuinely eligible benefit? The state government is looking at the regulations to be put in place to ensure every farmer who is facing financial trouble benefits,” said officials. In addition to examining the implementation of loan waivers in the past, the officials are studying the loan waiver schemes implemented in other states and the welfare schemes being implemented by the Union government, especially the benefits, procedures followed and eligibility . Sources said that the chief minister has decided to convene a Cabinet meeting within a week to discuss the loan waiver and finalise the modalities. The chief minister recently directed the officials of the Agriculture and Finance departments to prepare plans for implementation of the loan waiver within the deadline as per his promise made to farmers. Following this, the officials are calculating the funds required, available and alternative sources to raise funds. Officials said that the CM was determined to strengthen the hands of farmers by helping them with loan waivers and made it a priority to waive the crop loans before the deadline. A S E S H A C H A R Y U L U @ Nalgonda A 58-year-old farmer who had been cultivating podu land in Bang arikunta thanda of Adavidevulapally mandal in Nalgonda district for over 15 years died by suicide on Wednesday allegedly after be, ing harassed by some officials of the Forest department. According to the villagers, Kurra Kasna had been cultivating cotton and pulses on four acres of podu land. On Wednesday Kasna, along with , his son K Srenu and daughterin-law Achi, was doing farmwork when forest officials stopped them and proceeded to dig pits for planting saplings with the JCB that they brought with them. SUICIDE PREVENTION HELPLINE 040-66202000 & 66202001 (Call between 11 am and 9 pm) Villagers said that Kasna and his family requested the officials not to do so but their pleas fell on deaf ears, following which the farmer hanged himself from a nearby tree. The police complaint lodged by the victim’s son said that Kasna was driven to suicide due to harassment by forest officials. K Srinu, a former sarpanch of the village, alleged that the forest officials had been demanding a bribe to allow the f ar mers to cultivate on the land. The former sarpanch said that all the farmers who had been carrying out farming activities in 100 acres of podu land in Bangarikunta thanda under Compartment 61, Molakacherla beat in Adavidevulapally mandal applied for patta certificates. “Farmers cultivating in 60 acres were given titles during the previous BRS regime. However, 15 farmers who have been cultivating in another 40 acres did not receive the titles. Forest beat officers Yadagiri Reddy, Swamy and Section Officer Ramulu ensured that only farmers who paid them bribes got the titles,” he added. CONTINUED ON P5
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