BHUBANESWAR l tuesday l july 23, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l JEYPORE EDITION sailor missing after fire erupts aboard navy vessel in Mumbai One sailor was missing after a fire erupted onboard INS Brahmaputra, which was undergoing refit at Mumbai’s Naval Dockyard, on Sunday night blaze put off, but Ship lists to one side Search on for missing junior sailor Though the fire was brought under control by Monday morning by the ship’s crew with the help of fire fighters from the dockyard, the ship later started listing to one side. Despite all efforts, the ship could not be brought to an upright position, the Navy said. “The ship continued to list further alongside her berth and is presently resting on one side,” it said ■ ■ A search was underway for the junior sailor who was missing. All other personnel who were on the ship have been accounted for The Navy said further follow-on actions, including sanitisation checks for assessment of residual risk of fire, were carried out on the ship, which is an indigenously-built multi-role frigate 2000 When INS brahamputra was commissioned into service 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 MUTED GROWTH FORECAST Survey says GDP growth in FY25 would slow to 6.5-7% from 8.2% in FY24 The projection is lower than 8.2% estimated in 2023-24 and RBI’s forecast of 7.2% The muted projection is due to global uncertainties and various domestic challenges SURVEY SURPRISES Review FDI policy to bring investments from China Chinese firms can make in India, to tap export market Govts should “renounce some powers” to help improve governance Artificial intelligence could impact workers, regardless of whether they are low-killed or high-skilled Private sector and state govts need to do more to create jobs: Corporates must invest in tandem with their profit growth and states need to formulate policies and incentives for job creation Private companies contribute to ‘toxic mix of habits’ among workforce such as social media, screen time, sedentary habits, and unhealthy food High stock market participation and overconfidence of retail investors a matter of concern Long road to Viksit Bharat: Eco Survey Pre-Budget document contradicts government’s anti-China stance; seeks to shift the responsibility of job creation to the private sector DIPA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi INDIA’s march towards Viksit Bharat in 2047 may not be a walk in the park amid rising global uncertainties, climate change risks, and the ‘huge pall of uncertainty’ cast by artificial intelligence (AI). Premised on this reality check, the Economic Survey 2023-24, tabled by Finance Minister Nir mala Sitharaman in Parliament on Monday, presents a mixed picture of hope and high water. Though the Survey asserts that India’s economy is on a “strong wicket and stable footing, demonstrating resilience in the face of geopolitical challenges”, it outlines in great length the challenges ahead. In this context, the report pegs GDP growth rate at a conservative 6.5-7% for FY25, lower than the estimates of many domestic and international agencies. “It is not that we are not optimistic about growth, we are just making aware of the challenges it faces going forward,” said Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran. He outlined three major challenges facing India’s growth – geopolitical tension and growing inward looking economic policies in the developed world; climate change and global To boost manufacturing and plug India into the global supply chain, it is inevitable that India plugs itself into China’s supply chain Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran warming; and, the AI casting a huge pall of uncertainty on workers across all skill levels. Overcoming these challenges will need a ‘grand alliance’ of Union, state governments, and the private sector, says the Survey. The three stakeholders should work in tandem for generating productive employment by reducing the skill gap, boosting the MSME sector by easing compliance burden, de-cluttering financing bottlenecks, and managing the China conundrum, it adds. Raising concerns about inequality and the poor health of the young population, the Survey ticked off the private sector for encouraging sedentary habits among employees. With the external sector remaining uncertain, the Survey says the domestic sector should do the heavy lifting. Notably, the Survey seeks to shift the responsibility of job creation to the private sector. “Employment generation is the real bottom line for the private sector,” says the CEA, under whose supervision the Economic Survey report was drafted. It also says that private sector investment has not been commensurate with the benefits it received from the corporate tax rates in 2019. Cautioning that the deployment of AI could have deleterious impact on jobs, the Survey says deploying capital- and energy-intensive AI is probably the last thing a lower-middleincome economy needs. In a clear departure from the general anti-China stance of the government, the Survey bats for more Chinese investment to boost domestic manufacturing, adding that India must ‘plug itself ’ into China’s supply chain. “Whether we do so by relying solely on imports or partially through Chinese investments is a choice that India has to make,” it says, hinting that the anti-China policy has P10 not been helping India. Kanwar yatra SC stays order to eateries to show owner’s details S u c h i t r a K a lyan M o hant y @ New Delhi The Supreme Court on Monday issued an interim stay on directives issued by the governments of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh asking eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display the names, addresses and mobile numbers of their owners. “Food sellers may be required to display the kind of food they are serving. But, they must not be forced to display the name/identity of the owners and also the employees,” a two-judge bench comprising justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti said. It was hearing pleas filed by the Association For Protection of Civil Rights, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra and Prof Apoorvanand, challenging the state governments’ orders. During the hearing, Justice Bhatti said he used to frequent a vegetarian restaurant in Kerala run by a Muslim. “Without disclosing the name of the city, there is a vegetarian hotel run by a Hindu. There is another vegetarian hotel run by a Muslim,” Justice Bhatti said. “I was going to the hotel run by a Muslim for vegetarian food. When it comes to food standards and safety he , was displaying everything,” he said. The bench issued notices to all three states and asked them to file their responses in time for the next hearing slated for July 26. Welcoming the order, the Congress said it hopes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will make BJP CMs aware of their raj dharma. Sparks fly over NEET-UG on budget session day 1 P r eetha N a i r @ New Delhi Facing heat from the Opposition on the opening day of the Budget session in the Lok Sabha over the NEET-UG row, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan rebutted all charges on Monday during Question Hour, saying his government is not hiding anything, adding there is no evidence of paper leak in the last seven years. Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi led the offensive, alleging many are convinced that the Indian exam system is a fraud. “The education minister has blamed everybody except himself. I don’t even think he understands the fundamentals of what is going on here... The issue is that there are millions of students in this country who are extremely concerned about what is going on and who are convinced that the Indian exam system is a fraud,” Rahul charged. Countering the argument, Pradhan said “only one case” of malpractice has come to light in Bihar and the CBI is investigating it. “Regarding anomalies and information of some malpractices, out of 4,700 centres, due to proactive approach of Bihar Police, only Minister Dharmendra Pradhan speaks in the Lok Sabha on Monday | PTI SC sets up IIT panel The SC asked the IIT-Delhi director to set up an expert panel to go into a NEETUG’s Physics question for which the answer key said there were two correct answers. The panel was directed to submit its report by Tuesday noon | P7 in one place in Patna and surrounding points, there is an incident of anomaly. CBI is getting into the details. Some action has been taken. We are hiding nothing. Everything is on record,” he said. While Rahul demanded a one-day discussion on the issue, the minister said, “I am here at the mercy of my leader, the prime minister. When- ever question of accountability comes, my government is answerable to that.” When other Opposition leaders like SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that the Modi government will create new records in paper leaks, Pradhan hit back, saying: “I do not want to do politics, but I have a list of how many paper leaks happened when Akhilesh Yadav was CM.” Later, writing on X, Pradhan questioned why the Congress-led UPA failed to implement bills to stop malpractices in educational institutions, including the Prohibition of Unfair Practices Bill, 2010, when it was in power. “The LoP and his cabal are all but shedding crocodile tears. The ground reality on paper leaks during the UPA regime and when Akhilesh was at the helm of UP, will open a can of worms for both Gandhi and Akhilesh,” Pradhan wrote. “Maybe Rahul Gandhi understands the fundamentals and maths of unfair practices too well. That explains why Congress govt failed to implement the bills to stop malpractices in educational institutions, including Prohibition of Unfair Practices Bill, 2010,” he said. WALK OF faith Kanwariyas brave heavy rains on their way to the Lingaraj temple in Bhubaneswar on the first Monday of holy Shravana month | DEBADATTA MALLICK With just over 100 days left for the election day, she has to quickly lock in her nomination and pick a running mate | P9 PR E E T H A N A IR & R A M A S H A N K A R @ New Delhi/Patna THE Centre on Monday ruled out granting special category status to Bihar, a long standing demand of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Janata Dal (United), a crucial ally of the NDA government. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday Minister of , State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary cited an inter-ministerial group report of 2012 to assert that a case for granting special category status to Bihar is not made out. He said special category status was granted in the past by the National Development Council to some states, based on certain criteria which doesn’t apply in Bihar’s case. E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar Governor Raghubar Das on Monday announced that over 3.5 lakh jobs will be created by 2029 through the Make-in-Odisha initiative to boost employment and growth in state. In his address to the Assembly amid the Opposition walkout on the first day of the budget session, the Governor said the government will also ensure recruitment to all the 1.5 lakh vacant posts including 65,000 within the next two years. Priority will be given to fill up vacancies earmarked for SC, ST, SEBC, PwD, sportspersons and exservicemen, he said. He said that the state government will enhance skilling efforts and apprenticeship avenues for youth and focus on the automobile, EVs, semiconductor and IT/ITES sectors to create more employment opportunities. Opposition walk out Outlining the priorities of during Guv’s address the maiden BJP government The budget session of the in the state, Das said, it will Assembly got off to a work on the commitment to stormy note on Monday realise the mission of ‘Viksit with the Opposition BJD Odisha’ by 2036 with pro-farmand Congress boycotting er policies, employment for the address of Governor youth and empowerment of Raghubar Das in the House women. “The motto of the govover the issue of alleged ernment will be reform, perassault of an assistant form and transform to usher section officer in the Raj in new era of inclusive, rapid Bhavan by his son | P3 and sustainable development,” he said. The Governor said that the state government envisages Odisha to be the powerhouse of eastern India in industrial and infrastructure development, leveraging natural resources sustainably improving education and skill de, velopment, ensuring financial inclusion and other Continued on P5 sectors. Dy dir Fisheries steals `1.05 cr office funds, buys plot, gold E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bhubaneswar A senior officer of the Fisheries and Animal Resources Development (FARD) department who transferred `1.05 crore from office account into his personal bank account has been booked by the state vigilance. Basanta Kumar Dash, deputy director of FARD, purchased a plot of land and gold ornaments with the office funds, investigation revealed. Interestingly, Dash was ar- rested by Mangalabag police in Cuttack on July 4 for allegedly transferring ‘29 lakh sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to his personal bank account. When Vigilance took over the investigation, it found that Dash, the drawing and disbursing officer, had also transferred `1.05 crore to his State Bank of In- The development comes a day after JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha voiced his party’s demand for the status at an allparty meeting. The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), also a BJP ally, and the RJD, too, raised the demand at Sunday’s all-paty meeting. Reacting to the Centre’s response, JD(U) spokesperson K C Tyagi said: “JD(U) would keenly looking at dia account in Puri by carrying out eight transactions between May 21 and June 19. He bought a plot in Bhubaneswar worth `72 lakh and purchased gold ornaments valued at `27 lakh using government funds. Dash made 281 transactions to withdraw `99.37 through ATM, cheques and other means. Interestingly, Dash has been Dash had transferred `1.05 crore to his SBI account in Puri by carrying out eight transactions. He bought a plot in Bhubaneswar worth `72 lakh and gold ornaments valued at `27 lakh – Vigilance offcials Kamala No special status for Bihar, says Centre in Parl tries to mop up support from other delegates Govt to create 3.5L jobs by 2029, fill up 1.5 lakh posts: Guv Nirmala Sitharaman’s budget speech on Tuesday to what is on offer for Bihar.” The JD(U) has already said that it is willing to settle for a special financial package. Meanwhile, the RJD hit out at Nitish Kumar demanding his resignation. “He should resign immediately, he has said that he will get special state status,” RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav said. on leave since April 22. He was under vigilance scanner since over a month after he reportedly demanded `1 lakh bribe to provide subsidies to a person who had executed a project of the de par tment, said the sources. Vigilance registered a case against Dash and searched his premises on Monday So far, he . has been found in possession of two buildings and four plots in Puri, two plots in Bhadrak and one in the capital city, a farmhouse in Pipili and gold ornaments weighing 250 gm. e x p r e s s r ead Never asked for lifting ban on govt staff : RSS Terror attack on Shaurya Chakra awardee’s house New Delhi: After a row erupted over the Centre’s order on lifting the ban on government employees to participate in RSS activities, the Sangh sources said that it never demanded the government to remove the ban which was in force since 1966. Union minister and BJP leader Piyush Goyal alleged that the ban was driven by political reasons | P7 Srinagar: A week after four Army men, including a Captain, were killed in an encounter with militants in mountainous Doda district, militants on Monday struck in J&K’s border district of Rajouri by attacking the house of Shaurya Chakra awardee Village Defence Committee (VDC) member Purshotam Kumar in a remote village, triggering a gunfight with the Army | P8
Express Network Private Limited publishes thirty three E-paper editions of The New Indian Express newspaper , thirty two E-paper editions of Dinamani, one E-paper edition of The Morning Standard, one E-paper edition of Malayalam Vaarika magazine and one E-paper edition of the Indulge - The Morning Standard, Kolkatta.