BHUBANESWAR  THURSDAY  OCTOBER 24, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  JEYPORE EDITION BYJU’S IN TROUBLE AS SC JUNKS NCLAT ORDER ON INSOLVENCY PROCEEDINGS The Supreme Court also annulled the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s approval of Byju’s `158.9 crore dues settlement with the BCCI BCCI ASKED TO DEPOSIT SETTLEMENT AMOUNT TRIBUNAL DID NOT FOLLOW DUE PROCEDURE A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra directed the cricket board to deposit the settlement amount of `158.9 crore with the committee of creditors. Now, Byju Raveendran and his brother Riju Raveendran stand to lose control over Think and Learn Pvt Ltd or Byju’s—a company engaged in providing online educational services ■ ■ ■ The SC held that the NCLAT violated the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code procedures and cleared the settlement in a wrongful manner The SC said insolvency withdrawal plea can only be submitted through the Interim Resolution Professional and not by the parties themselves The SC order came in an appeal filed by US creditor firm Glas Trust | P10 Glas Trust REPRESENTS U.S. LENDERS FROM WHOM BYJU’S HAD BORROWED $1.2 BILLION 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 FACILITATE MUTUAL ASPIRATIONS: XI Both sides must facilitate each other’s development aspirations, Xi said. They must strengthen communication and properly manage differences and disagreements, he added FRICTION POINTS PART OF THE PACT The recent patrolling and disengagement agreement will cover the remaining friction points at Depsang and Demchok, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said Prime Minister Narendra Modi shakes hands with President Xi Jinping Modi, Xi talks lay BRICS for normalisation road Special Representatives to oversee peace and tranquility on border Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi TAKING off from the recent agreement on patrolling and disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday initiated steps to normalise bilateral relations by issuing directions to revive various dialogue mechanisms. The talks happened on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Kazan for about 50 minutes, almost five years after a bloody faceoff at Galwan in eastern Ladakh in 2020. “India-China relations are important for the people of our countries, and for regional and global peace and stability Mu. tual trust, mutual respect and mutual sensitivity will guide bilateral relations,” said Modi. Welcoming the agreement for complete disengagement and resolution of issues that arose in 2020 along the LAC, Modi underscored the importance of properly handling differences and disputes and not allowing them to disturb peace and tranquility . “The two leaders agreed that the Special Representatives on the India-China boundary question will meet at an early date to oversee the management of peace and tranquility in border areas and to explore a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution to the boundary question. The relevant dialogue mechanisms at the level of Foreign Ministers and other officials will also be utilised to stabilise and rebuild bilateral relations,” according to the foreign office. The two leaders affirmed that stable, predictable, and amicable bilateral relations between India and China, as two neighbours and the two largest nations on earth, will have a positive impact on regional and global peace and prosperity . Closer India-China ties will also contribute to a multi-polar Asia and a multi-polar world. The leaders underlined the need to develop bilateral relations from a strategic and longterm perspective, enhance strate gic communication and explore cooperation to address developmental challenges. Later, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said both Modi and Xi stressed that India and China can have a “peaceful, stable and beneficial bilateral relationship” with maturity and wisdom, and by showing mutual respect for each other’s sensitivities. He said peace in the border will create space for returning towards normalisation of bilateral relations. ‘You’re in safe hands’, CM tells people as evacuations start ahead of Dana landfall Cyclone to pound rain over 11 dists E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Bhubaneswar CHIEF Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday assured the people that the government was fully prepared to tackle the impact of Cyclone Dana, which is likely to hit Odisha coast between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak district within the next 24 hours. Called upon the people not to panic, Majhi said, “You are in safe hands. The state government is fully prepared to deal with the situation.” While seeking cooperation of the people with the administration in the evacuation efforts, he said, “The government is shifting people for their own safety. They should remain aware and cautious of the situation till it improves.” The state government has evacuated around three lakh people from the six vulnerable districts lying in the path of Cyclone Dana. After reviewing the preparedness of the administration at the office of the special relief commissioner (SRC) here, Majhi told mediapersons that about 30 per cent of 10 to 12 lakh people who are residing in vulnerable areas of Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Puri districts have been evacuated. The evacuation process will continue through the night and 90 per cent would have been shifted to safer places by 11 am on Thursday District col. lectors and other officials are monitoring the situation on the ground, he added. A S I S H M E H TA @ Bhubaneswar CM Mohan Majhi and Revenue minister Suresh Pujari take stock of the situation in Bhubaneswar All arrangements of basic necessities like electricity drinking water, medicines , and baby food have been made in the 6,000 cyclone shelters set up by the government, he said. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik also urged people not to panic and take necessary precautions during the cyclonic storm. Laying emphasis on awareness and caution, the former chief minister called upon people to cooperate with the administration. Stating that Odisha has successfully faced several cyclones in the past, Naveen said the state’s effective disaster management policy will help mitigate its impact. He also urged all elected representatives to stand with people during this challenging time and provide assistance. “I firmly believe that together, we will successfully overcome this cyclone just as we have in CONTINUED ON P5 the past,” he added. CYCLONE ‘Dana’ formed over the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday and travelled closer to the coast of Odisha, carrying with it apprehension of gusty wind and heavy rains as it in likelihood will cross the shoreline between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra as a severe category storm by Friday morning. During the landfall process, the storm is expected to pack 110 kmph wind, gusting up to 120 kmph. The Joint Typhoon Warning Centre’s forecast track indicated Dana’s landfall point between Basudevpur in Bhadrak and Chandipur in Balasore near a place Kharasahapur between Thursday night and Friday morning with maximum sustained winds of 55 knots translating to 101 km per hour. Meanwhile, Dana tracked north-westwards with a speed of 12 km in the last six hours and lay about 420 km southeast of Paradip and 450 km south-southeast of Dhamra by 5.30 pm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said Dana will build up to a severe cyclonic storm after midnight and induce 1 metre to 2 metre storm surge. CONTINUED ON P5 Meaningful accountability sought by US on conspiracy Y E S H I S E L I @ New Delhi THE US has said it would not be fully satisfied until there is “meaningful accountability” resulting from India’s investigations into the foiled murderfor-hire plot against Khalistani radical Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil. “We continue to expect and want to see accountability based on the results of that in- vestigation, and certainly the United States won’t be fully satisfied until there is meaningful accountability resulting from that investigation,” State Department Deputy Spokesperson Ve d a n t P a t e l s a i d o n Wednesday . He said this in the context of the US visit of an Indian enquiry committee on the case for talks last week. Of the two main players in the alleged plot, Nikhil Gupta is in a US jail as Prague extradited him months after his arrest. The US recently named former RAW field officer Vikash Yadav as Gupta’s handler and the alleged mastermind in the conspiracy Yadav no longer works . for RAW. In an unrelated case of extortion and kidnapping, Yadav was arrested by the Delhi Police in December last year and lodged in Tihar Jail for over four months till he managed to get regular bail. Patel said that there was “valuable engagement with India’s inquiry committee last week”. Information, he said, was also exchanged between “our two governments to further our respective investigations.” Patel noted the US understands that the Indian inquiry committee will continue its investigation. States have right to tax PRIYANKA FILES NOMINATION FOR industrial alcohol, rules SC POLL DEBUT, KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN 80 lakh tonne paddy to CABINET APPROVAL S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi OPENING a major revenue source for state governments, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the regulatory power over the production, manufacture, and supply of industrial alcohol lies with states and not the Centre. In a 8:1 majority ruling, a nine-judge Constitution bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud held that industrial alcohol comes within the definition of ‘intoxicating alcohol’ under Entry 8 of the State List, so the state governments can regulate and tax it. The majority bench comprised CJI Chandrachud and Justices Hrishikesh Roy Abhay S Oka, , J B Pardiwala, Manoj Misra, Ujjal Bhuyan, Satish Chandra S h a r m a , a n d Au g u s t i n e George Masih. However, Justice B V Nagarathna dissented and held that states did not have the legislative competence to regulate industrial alcohol. The latest verdict overturns a 1990 seven-judge bench judgment which held that the Centre had the regulatory power over industrial alcohol. Several state governments including Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Kerala had challenged the seven-judg e bench judgment The matter was referred to the nine-judge bench in 2010. EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ Kalpetta AICC general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday filed the nomination for her maiden electoral battle from Wayanad, Kerala. Her mother and Congress Parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, brother Rahul Gandhi, and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge accompanied her to the collectorate. The bypoll in Wayanad, scheduled on November 13, was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat to retain Rae Bareli. Before filing the papers on Wednesday, Priyanka held a massive roadshow. Addressing a huge gathering of supporters, Assets worth `12 crore In the elction affidavit, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra declared assets worth `11.9 cr, including her `5.63 cr house in Shimla. Her husband Robert Vadra’s assets worth `65.5 cr were also mentioned she said she has 35 years of experience in the political arena, though she is fighting election for the first time. “I campaigned for my father when I was 17 years old in the 1989 elections. I had campaigned for many leaders including my mother and brother. This is for the first time I am asking to vote for myself,” she said. Priyanka will take on CPI veteran Sathyan Mokeri and BJP’s Navya Haridas. In his address, Rahul Gandhi said there will be two representatives for Wayanad in the Lok Sabha if Priyanka is elected. “I will be the unofficial representative and Priyanka the official face,” he said. Rahul represented Wayanad from 2019 to 2024. After filing the nomination, Rahul and Priyanka went to Puthumala and offered floral tributes at the graves of those killed in the landslide. ENHANCING EFFICIENCY PMO on the learning curve to harness AI RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ New Delhi PRADHAN BATS FOR INDIA, AUSTRALIA EDU TIES, INVITES OZ UNIVS TO SET UP CAMPUS Establishment of Australian university campuses in India is just the beginning, with much more potential to be realised, Pradhan said | P7 AI for notes and efficiency! That’s what seems to have struck a chord with the government as it strives to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) in a big way in its functioning. Officials from various wings of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Tuesday participated in a dedicated session on AI so as to enhance productivity, decision-making and public delivery systems. The session sought to address the use of AI in official work, such as file management and notetaking in offices, since the cutting-edge tech is seen as a means to scale up productivity at humongous speed. In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on the use of tech as a tool for efficiency and productivity, Union Minister of State at the PMO, Jitendra Singh, advised the officers to try and optimise AI in government operations. During the session at South Block, Singh highlighted the role AI could play in transforming governance, streamlining operations, and improving decision-making across various gover nment departments. The session was attended by officials at all levels — from section officers to the principal secretary to the Prime Minister — focusing on different AI modules in decision-making. The attendees included P K Mishra, Principal Secretary to the PM, as well as Amit Khare and Tarun Kapoor, advisors to the PM. The session was part of Mission Karmayogi, a capacitybuilding initiative to empower government employees. A demonstration aimed at breaking ‘hierarchical barriers’ within the PMO, showed how officials could learn advanced concepts. The session covered how AI could revolutionise sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and public delivery services. be procured this season EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE 2024 to March, 2025 while rabi paddy purchase will take place from May 1 to June 30, 2025. DisTHE state cabinet chaired by trict administrations will schedChief Minister Mohan Charan ule their procurement dates Majhi on Wednesday approved within these broad timelines, he the proposal of the Food Sup- said. plies and Consumer Welfare dePaddy will be procured only partment for procurement of 80 from farmers who have regislakh tonne paddy in the current tered their names in the online kharif marketing season (KMS) portal of the department and 2024-25. subject to Aadhaar-based Approval of Food and biometric identification. Paddy Procurement Validation of land depolicy was among the tails provided by the six proposals including farmers will be done afthe implementation of ter field verification of Samrudha Krusak Yopaddy growing areas jana that got the cabithrough satellite net nod. imagery . “A tentative target Registered farmers of 54 lakh tonne in A tentative target will be intimated in adterms of rice has been of 54 lakh tonne in vance by way of SMSes terms of rice has fixed for KMS 2024-25. regarding date of sale been fixed for In terms of paddy, this of paddy and quantity KMS 2024-25. In comes to around 80 to be sold. Small and terms of paddy, lakh tonne. For kharif, marginal farmers will this comes to the tentative target for be given priority for around procurement of paddy sale of paddy. The 80 lakh tonne will be 66 lakh tonne farmers are free to sell Manoj Ahuja, and for rabi 14 lakh their entire produce or chief secretary tonne. There is no bar keep a portion for perfor procurement of sonal consumption. any higher quantum if more This has been done to facilitate paddy comes to mandis from entry of more small and marregistered farmers,” said chief ginal farmers into the procuresecretary Manoj Ahuja after the ment fold, Ahuja said. meeting. The cabinet approval of SamHe said a cabinet sub-commit- rudha Krushak Yojana will now tee or a group of ministers enable the FS&CW department (GoM) will review the imple- to purchase paddy at `3,100 per mentation of the policy and quintal including an additional modify the overall target if, the input assistance of `800 as need arises. Kharif paddy will promised by the BJP during the be procured from November 1, elections. @ Bhubaneswar