GDP growth projections World watch 3.2% 3.2% July (Values in per cent) July 2024 2.7 April 2025 4.6 4.1 3.2 2.2 2.1 1.8 1.5 0.8 1.5 0.9 1 2.6 1.9 0.7 1.5 0.9 1.5 0.7 1 2.1 2.4 3.2 1.5 US BHUBANESWAR l friday l july 19, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l JEYPORE EDITION Revival in rural spending spurring growth in demand, says RBI report The revival of rural spending has turned out to be a bright spot in the growth of demand, the Reserve Bank of India said in its bulletin 1.9 U.K. EU Japan Brazil Russia JUL 2025 APR 2025 7 6.5 5 4.5 0.9 1.2 0.9 1.2 0.5 Advanced Economies APR 2024 6.8 6.5 3.3% 3.2% April JUL 2024 India China S Africa Emerging Market Economies Growth momentum quickens in Q2 of 2024-25 Food inflation persistent, not transitory The second quarter of 2024-25 began with signs of a quickening momentum in economic growth, the central bank said. The economic activity is picking up pace across advanced and emerging market economies and international trade in goods and services is also gathering momentum, the Reserve Bank said in its monthly bulletin ■ ■ However, persistent inflation in the food basket remains a concern. Consumer price inflation ticked up in June after three consecutive months of moderation amid a broad flare-up in vegetable prices The food inflation has remained at elevated levels for too long a period to be called transitory, the central bank said $15.2 billion Gross inward FDI during april-may, up from $12.3 billion during same period last year 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 After 6 yrs, Ayushman Bharat to roll out in Odisha; will be integrated with BSKY Hemant Kumar Rout @ Bhubaneswar Security personnel during an encounter with terrorists in a forest village in Doda district on Thursday | PTI Search ops on in Doda region for terrorists Army rubbishes video of Monday’s attack Heavy forests and caves being used as hideouts Search operation are on in Doda following the killing of four soldiers. Despite poor weather and terrain, security forces are determined to eliminate the terrorists and restore peace Kashmir Tigers, a shadow group of Jaish-e-Mohammad, released a purported video of the Monday attack on an Army officer on social media. But the Army dismissed it as doctored Doda is one of the heavily forested hilly districts of Jammu region. According to security officials, militants are using the caves in the dense forest area and mountain ranges as hideouts PM chairs CCS amid spurt in terror attacks in Jammu RAJE S H K U M AR THA K UR @ New Delhi Amid a spurt in terror attacks in the Jammu region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) to assess the situation. Officials gave a comprehensive briefing on the measures taken so far to proactively eliminate the scattered roots of localised terror links and sympathisers. Though no official details of meeting were shared with the media, sources said the aim was to stratagise and bolster security measures in the conflict-torn state. Home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, J&K’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and other senior officials in-charge of the security grid were present at the meeting. The officers presented a detailed chart of tactical strategies being used for elimination of localised terror links and neutralising terrorists. “The presentations provided an overview of the current security scenario and focused on express read Biden calls in sick, may drop out of race: Report Washington: US President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, halting his campaign at a critical juncture when he was facing increasing pressure about his health and concerns about his viability as a candidate. Meanwhile, news website Axios quoted top Democrats as saying that Biden understands the growing public mood against him | P9 ODISHA budget for 2024-25 likely to touch `3 lakh crore The state budget for 202425 fiscal is likely to touch `3 lakh crore, around `50,000 crore more than that projected by the previous BJD government. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will place the budget in the Assembly on July 25. The budget was finalised at the meeting of council of ministers presided over by the CM at Lok Seba Bhavan here on Thursday | P3 ongoing counter-terrorism operations by the armed forces,” an official said. Hours before the meeting, two soldiers were injured in an encounter in J&K’s Doda district. Elsewhere in the Keran sector along the Line of Control, the Army foiled an infiltration attempt and gunning down two militants. Modi is learnt to have directed officials to ramp up the deployment of armed forces in areas identified as vulnerable to terror activities. He also directed the intensification of counter-terror operations. Security forces along with Capt Thapa’s coffin The mortal remains of Captain Brijesh Thapa, who was killed while combating terrorists in Doda, were brought to his hometown in Darjeeling district’s Lebong on Thursday the J&K Police have launched comprehensive operations to curb the surge in terror across the region. As part of their intensified effort, many persons suspected of helping or aiding terrorists have been arrested in the last few days. The recent spate of terror attacks are also possibly timed to impact the assembly polls that are due in September in J&K, throwing a challenge to the administration. On June 13, Modi had chaired a high level review meeting on J&K after four encounters were reported between security forces and militants. At that meeting, he had directed the security officials as well those at the helm of anti-terror operations to ensure the “full spectrum of counter terror capabilities” are deployed in the region. Since 2021, as many as 34 soldiers have been killed in J&K while security forces neutralised 40 terrorists during antiterror operations during the same period. The toll of security personnel laying down their lives in the line of duty in J&K since May this year stands at 13 — nine Army personnel and one each from the IAF, CRPF, BSF and J&K Police. Nearly six years after its nationwide rollout, the flagship health protection scheme Ayushman Bharat - Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (ABPMJAY) is all set to be implemented in Odisha soon. All the states have implemented the scheme launched in 2018 except West Bengal, Odisha and NCT Delhi. Odisha government has started the process to roll out the scheme from this fiscal after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi asked the Health and Family Welfare department to get ready with all formalities. As per guidelines, the state will have to sign an MoU with the Centre to implement the scheme. Modalities are being finalised to integrate it with the state scheme Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY). At present, 1.03 crore families are being covered by BSKY through over 866 empanelled hospitals in and outside the state. The previous BJD government had introduced BSKY by forgoing the central scheme, then named as National Health Protection Scheme (NHPS) Ayushman Bharat, following disagreement between the state and Centre over the number of beneficiaries and eligibility criteria. While the Centre had asked Odisha government to include 61 lakh families as per the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC), 2011 and finalise the list of beneficiaries after a fresh enumeration, the state had demanded inclusion of 69 lakh families. BSKY was launched as the figure was not acceptable to the Centre. The number of households covered under the state scheme crossed one crore after Odisha government relaxed the eligibility criteria. “We are now finalising the list of beneficiaries as per the eligibility criteria of AB-PMJAY. Once the number is segregated, it will be easier to make a list of left-out beneficiaries, who will be covered under the state scheme,” said a health official. The eligibility criteria of the state scheme is also being reviewed to fine tune it and exclude those who are either getting benefits under other health insurance schemes or capable of availing them. The government is also planning to change Bhitara Bhandar valuables shifted; no other chamber, tunnel detected D i a n a s a h u @ Bhubaneswar/Puri ALL the ornaments, jewels and other articles from Bhitara Bhandar or inner chamber of Shree Jagannath temple’s Ratna Bhandar were shifted to the designated temporary strongroom in the shrine on Thursday The . process, under the supervision of the 11-member core committee, lasted for sevenand-half hours. As scheduled, the Bhitara Bhandar was opened at 9.51 am by the committee chairman Justice Biswanath Rath and temple chief administrator Arabinda Padhee. Puri king Dibyasingha Deb also accompanied them and checked the Bhitara and Bahara Bhandar. All contents of the four almirahs - three wooden and one steel - besides two wooden chests and one iron chest were emptied from the Bhitara Bhandar and shifted to the Khata Seja Ghara, the temporary strongroom inside the 12th century shrine. The valuables have been shifted to almirahs in the strongroom. The entire process, which ended at 5.15 pm, has been videographed Justice Biswanath Rath, panel chief “The valuables have been shifted to almirahs in the strongroom. The entire process, which ended at 5.15 pm, has been videographed,” said panel chief Justice Rath. He said, all the containers inside the temporary strongroom have been locked. The entire structure is under high-security surveillance system and CCTVs. A technical team had accompanied the 11 core members. Amid claims by some histor i a n s t h at there existed another chamber and tunnel inside the Bhitara Bhandar, Justice Rath said the team could not find any such thing inside. “Since there are talks about more chambers in the Bhitara Bhandar, we will meet again and seek government’s permission for re-examination of the inner chamber, if required. The present SOP has no scope of re-examination,” he said. While a certain section of servitors claimed a poisonous snake was seen inside the Bhitara Bhandar during the shifting process but could not be caught, Snake Helpline member Subhendu Mallick said no snake was seen inside the inner chamber and their services were not required. The team remained stationed near Mukti Mandap on the day . “A lot of rumours about the Ratna Bhandar are being spread, particularly by Youtubers,” said Justice Rath and urged people not to believe them. Continued on P5 Avoid local travel, India advises citizens Two dead as express train in Bangladesh as unrest toll touches 32 derails near Gonda in UP Anti-quota protesters clash with the police in Dhaka on Thursday | AFP Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi With student protests snowballing in Bangladesh, leaving at least 32 people dead so far, India on Thursday advised its citizens there to avoid local travel. “In view of the ongoing situation in Bangladesh, the Indian community members and the Indian students residing in Bangladesh are advised to avoid local travel and minimise their movement outside their living premises,” an advisory issued by the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh said. Indians living in Bangladesh were advised to reach out to the High Commission in Dhaka and the Assistant High Commissions in Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet and Khulna through their 24-hour emergency helpline numbers. About 7,000 Indians are estimated to be living in Bangladesh at present. Bangladesh cut off internet and mobile services as violence continued on the streets. Metro rail services, tto, were suspended and all universities and colleges shut down. Protests erupted following a June 5 ruling by Bangladesh High Court reinstating 30% quota for freedom fighters and their descendants in government jobs, which was repealed in 2018 after a massive agitation. Army units have been deployed across Dhaka to bring the situation under control. “Security has been beefed up around Gonabhawan (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s residence) to keep off protesters. Army is said to have been deployed in Dhaka and Chittagong where the situation is most volatile,” a source said. The US embassy in Dhaka, too issued a travel advisory for its citizens.  P9 Why Bangla students are on protest The agitation is for lifting 30% quota in govt jobs for descendants of those who participated in the 1971 war. Hasina govt spiked quota but HC reinstated it. SC suspended HC order, next hearing on August 7. Yet, students are on protest as the prime minister labeled them as Razakars N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow AT least two persons were killed and 35 injured when eight coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh Express train derailed between Motiganj and Jhilahi railway stations near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday The accident site is . about 150 km from Lucknow. According to senior officials, the loco pilot of the 23-coach train heard the sound of a blast before the derailment. The Railway Ministry has ordered a high level inquiry into the cause of the accident. Of the two casualties, officials said one person, identified as Saroj Kumar Singh (31), a resident of Araria in Bihar, died on the spot; the second person, Rahul (38) from Chandigarh, succumbed to injuries on the way to a Lucknow hospital after being referred from the Gonda district hospital. Ambulances and medical teams were rushed to the spot as news of the derailment came in. Inclement weather hampered the rescue operation initially but the police and SDRF teams completed the task in a few hours. Quota break-up 44% Based on merit 30% Progeny of freedom fighters 10% People belonging to backward districts 10% For women 5% For minorities 1% For diffabled Rescue operation underway after several coaches of the Chandigarh-Dibrugarh express train derailed near Gonda in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday | ANI the name of the state scheme, sources said. Sources said it will have to tread cautiously to ensure that no eligible beneficiary is left out and the exclusion, if any, does not cost BJP dearly “The . annual budget for BSKY was around `2,300 crore whereas the AB-PMJAY outlay will be little over `300 crore with the funding ratio of 60:40 as the health coverage under the scheme is `5 lakh instead of `10 lakh under the state scheme in case of women beneficiaries. The budgetary provisions will be made taking everything into consideration,” the official said. AB-PMJAY currently has a network of 30,178 empanelled hospitals, including 12,881 private ones. The scheme has an inter-state portability that would be helpful to migrants. SC directs NTA to publish centre-wise NEET scores S u c h i t r a K a lya n M o h a n t y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to publish the marks obtained by students in the controversy-ridden NEET-UG 2024. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the centre- and citywise results should be declared by Saturday 12 noon so that the hearing on the matter can be concluded on Monday the apex , court said. The bench said it wanted to ascertain whether candidates appearing at allegedly tainted centres scored more marks than those elsewhere, adding the identities of candidates must b e CBI arrests four ‘paper masked. The bench, solvers’ a l s o c o m - CBI on Thursday prising Jus- arrested four t i c e s J B MBBS students P a r d i w a l a of AIIMS Patna, and Manoj alleged to be Misra, ini- part of the t i a l l y o r - ‘solver module’ d e r e d t h e working with an testing agen- accused in the cy to release NEET-UG paper the results leak case. by Friday 5 Officials said the pm b u t four students granted time were working in till Saturday Pankaj Kumar, a f t e r N TA who allegedly sought more stole the papers time. gave it to the On the pe- solvers titioners’ plea for a retest, the bench said it can’t issue such an order without concrete evidence that the alleged leak was systemic and the sanctity of the entire process was affected. “The fact that there was a leak at least in Patna and Hazaribag is (made out)... The question papers have been disseminated before the exam, that is undoubted. The question is whether this is only confined to these centres—in which case there is no question of a retest—or whether this is more widespread,” it said. While refusing to hear a plea by Narinder Hooda, lawyer for one of the petitioners, requesting to stay the counselling of the exam, the bench said: “We will hear it on July 22, as the counselling is starting from July 24 and might go on for more than a month or more.” During the hearing, NTA denied the allegations that there was a systemic failure and widespread irregularities in conducting the exam.