bengaluru l thursday l december 05, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 22 l late city EDITION Reserve bank increases UPI Lite’s per-transaction limit to `1,000 The Reserve Bank of India also enhanced the on-device wallet’s total limit at any point in time from `2,000 at present to `5,000 Move to widen Scope of offline payments Aim is to encourage digital transactions The central bank on Wednesday amended the ‘offline framework’ issued in January 2022 to facilitate small-value offline digital payments. Till now, the upper limit for a UPI Lite transaction was B500 and the maximum amount of money you could hold on your on-device wallet was B2,000. The RBI had announced its decision on raising the limits in October ■ ■ ■ Transaction and wallet limits are being raised to encourage wider adoption of the popular instant payment system UPI Lite payments don’t require an Additional Factor of Authentication like a PIN or a password and transaction alerts are not sent in real-time UPI Lite was introduced in 2022 with a per transaction limit of B200 516 mn is the Average number of daily UPI transactions in November 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 ED letter to Lokayukta on MUDA probe politically motivated: Siddu E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Mysuru Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, flanked by BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis (L) and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, share a light moment at a press meet in Mumbai on Wednesday | pti Swearing-in today; November 25 tnie report said he was the likely cm pick Ajit Pawar to be dy chief minister; suspense continues over Shinde Fadnavis to be Maha CM ‘bjp-led govt will help state grow’ Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, BJP’s central observer for the legislature party meet, said on Wednesday that BJP governments in Maharashtra and the Centre will help the state become a greater economic powerhouse in the country No room for tainted leaders, allies told According to BJP sources, Fadnavis wants to have leaders with clean image in his cabinet so that his government can deliver on the poll promises. Alliance partners Shiv Sena and the NCP have reportedly been told not to recommend ‘tainted and painted’ MLAs as ministers | P10 S U DHIR S U RYA W A N SHI @ Mumbai ENDING days of speculation, Devendra Fadnavis was on Wednesday unanimously elected the leader of Maharashtra BJP Legislative Party, paving the way for his swearing in as chief minister. This newspaper had on November 25 reported that Fadnavis was likely to be picked as Maharashtra chief minister. Fadnavis will take oath on Thursday at 5.30 pm, after Governor C P Radhakrishnan invited him to form the new government in the state. Two deputy chief ministers, including NCP leader Ajit Pawar, will also be sworn in at the ceremony at the sprawling Azad Maidan in south Mumbai on Thursday . There is no clarity on whether Shiv Sena leader and outgo- ing CM and Eknath Shinde will be a part of the new government, though Fadnavis said he has requested him to join. In the joint press conference with Fadnavis and Pawar, Shinde said he has offered his support to the new government to be led by Fadnavis, but he refused to clarify whether he will become deputy chief minister. Shinde said he needs time to think over it and he will take the decision by consulting his people. Meanwhile, Shinde is facing pressure from his party to join the government. “We are hopeful that Shinde saheb will listen to us and be part of the government,” said Shiv Sena MLA and former minister Uday Samant. Sources said Shinde has demanded the home portfolio with an added condition that there should not be any interference in his ministry Shinde . has also handed over the list of names of probable ministers from the Shiv Sena to Fadnavis, who said he would consult the BJP’s top leadership and get back on the demands. “There is pressure over Shinde by his own MLAs and former ministers to be part of the new government. The BJP is offering urban development revenue ministry instead of home ministry We are confi... dent that he will accept the deal,” said a BJP leader. This is the third time in 10 years that Fadnavis is becoming the chief minister of Maharashtra. In 2014, he made history as the state’s first Brahmin chief minister in nearly 40 years. In 2019, he managed to form government with the help of Ajit Pawar but it lasted only a few days. digital gap Only 10.68% of govt schools in state have internet access court proceedings, the CM alleged. Siddaramaiah said the ED’s investigation into the case is illegal. The ED should have submitted its report to the Lokayukta instead of leaking it to news agencies and TV chan- paperless push K’taka Houses likely to have tablets for legislators A s h w i n i M S r i pa d @ Bengaluru Police in plainclothes subdue a man (in black pants) who tried to shoot Sukhbir Singh Badal | PTI The suspect being taken away by the police | PTI Sukhbir Badal narrowly escapes assassination bid other police personnel, Jasbir Singh and Parminder Shiromani Akali Dal Singh, overpowered him and (SAD) chief Sukhbir Singh the bullet hit a wall.” Badal on Wednesday narrowBhullar said 175 police perly escaped an assassination sonnel in plain clothes were attempt outside the Golden deployed at the site. The fore Temple in Amritsar. was headed by an AIG-level Badal was performing the officer. Chaura was arrested duty of ‘sewadar’ at at the spot and his the main gate of the gun was seized by the shrine when a former police. He was alBabbar Khalsa Interready facing charges We demand a national terrorist in 30 cases, including High Court Narain Singh Chauone under the Explomonitored ra tried to shoot him probe into the sives Act. around 9.30 am, but entire incident Pronouncing to unmask the missed. ‘tankhah’ (religious conspiracy Standing a few mepunishment) for Subehind it ters away from Badal, khbir Singh Badal Chaura took out a and other leaders for Bikram Singh pistol and tried to the “mistakes” comMajithia, SAD shoot Badal, but was mitted by his governleader quickly subdued by ment in Punjab from the security personnel in 2007 to 2017, the Akal Takht plain clothes. A bullet was had on Monday directed fired, which missed Badal Badal to wash dishes and and hit a wall. clean shoes at the Golden Detailing the incident, Temple in Amritsar as a Amritsar Police Commis- ‘sewadar’. sioner Gurpreet Singh BhBadal has a Z-plus security ullar said, “One of the police cover, which means both the personnel Rashpal Singh saw Punjab Police and the cenChaura and followed him. As tral forces are part of his prohe tried to fire at Badal, two tection detail. Ha r p r ee t Ba j w a @ Chandigarh E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Bengaluru Only 10.68% of government schools in Karnataka have inter net connectivity, while 71.98% of private schools have this facility . In Kerala, 94.57% of government schools have the facility . The percentage of government schools having this facility in Gujarat is 94.18, a reply in Rajya Sabha to a question by MPs Phulo Devi Netam and Ranjeet Ranjan on ‘digital infrastructure in government schools’ revealed this. Karnataka has 49,679 government schools. Of them, only 5,308 have access to the internet, according to the reply Of the . 19,650 private schools in the s t at e, 1 4 , 1 4 5 have the facility . The percentage in New Delhi (2,762 government schools), Chandigarh (123) and Puducherry (422) is 100. In Kerala (5,010) and Gujarat (34,699), it is 94.57 and 94.18, respectively. In Bihar (75,558), the percentage is 5.85. Development educationist Niranjanaradhya VP said it is sad that government schools lack internet connectivity . “Though digital technologies supplement physical classroom processes where competent and qualified teachers play a significant role, it is important to have access to the internet with appropriate gadgets,” he said.   COntinued on P5 Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday termed the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) letter to the Karnataka Lokayukta on MUDA probe politically motivated. In its letter, the ED observed that it found evidence of irregularities in the allotment of MUDA sites to Siddaramaiah’s wife. It also stated that MUDA had illegally allotted sites worth Rs 700 crore to several individuals. Siddaramaiah told reporters here that the ED wrote to the Lokayukta a day before the HC will hear his petition. Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging the single bench’s order will be heard on Thursday . It was written with malafide intentions to influence the Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra at the Ghazipur border on Wednesday | PTI Rahul stopped from visiting Sambhal P r ee t h a na i r @ New Delhi A Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi was on Wednesday stopped by the Uttar Pradesh police from visiting the violence-hit Sambhal district where prohibitory orders were in place. “We want to go to Sambhal and see what happened there. We want to meet the people but I’m not being allowed my constitutional right. This is a new India where attempts are on to end Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he said. Congress leaders, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and general secretary K C Venugopal, were sent back to Delhi after a two-hour standoff at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border. Holding up a copy of the Constitution in his hand at the Gazipur border, Rahul termed the police action as undemocratic. Rahul said though he was ready to go alone to Sambhal in BJP slams rahul The BJP on Wednesday flayed Rahul Gandhi for trying to visit Sambhal without giving prior intimation to authorities a police vehicle, the police did not heed his request. “I said that I am ready to go alone, I am ready to go with the police, but they did not accept that either. Now they are saying that if we come back in a few days, they will let us go”. Violence erupted in Sambhal on November 24 over a courtordered survey of a mosque, killing four people and injuring several others. “He is different from other people. He cannot be stopped. He has the constitutional right to go and meet the victims, he should be allowed,” Wayanad MP Priyanka said. dark side of sport India cricketers heckled and body-shamed in Adelaide E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai Perhaps, the organisers never expected such a crowd. The open nets session for India at Adelaide before the second day and night Test match against Australia turned carnivalesque. Almost. It turned into chaos. About 3,000 (some put that figure at 5,000) spectators descended at the practice wickets at Adelaide to watch their favourite stars going through their practice rituals. According to reports, the crowd started to laugh and tease players whenever they got out or were missing the ball. On the other hand, Australia team practice did not see a turnout of more than 100 people. Things started to turn ugly as some of the spectators started to request for selfies, even while batting, and if reports are to be believed, some were even doing Facebook live from the practice centre. Re- nels. This act of ED demonstrated that there is a political agenda behind it, he alleged. He said the Lokayukta has been directed to complete its investigation before December 24 and submit its report to the court. On Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s claim that there is a power-sharing formula in the state and that he will disclose it at an appropriate time, Siddaramaiah said there is no such formula. Any decision on the matter will be taken by the Congress high command, he added. He denied reports that there would be a cabinet reshuffle soon and said it was the media’s creation. He has no information regarding this from the party high command, the CM added. ports also indicated that players were even laughed and mocked at. The crowd also seemed to have gone personal, attacking certain player for fitness. What really irked the team was that the vociferous crowd distracted them and concentration while batting was getting difficult. “It was complete chaos. During the Australian training session, not more than 70-odd peo- ple turned up but during India’s session, 3,000 came. No one expected so many fans to turn up,” a senior Indian cricket board official told a news agency. The anonymity cricketers held may be in the last century is slowly changing with more engagement from the South Asian communities in Australia. The BCCI has banned all net sessions after this. P17 By next year, legislators in Karnataka are likely to have touchscreen devices on their tables in both Houses to read reports, bills, and access vital information during sessions. This is part of the state government’s initiative to make sessions paperless. It is expected to save at least Rs 30 crore annually by not printing reports and booklets to be given to the legislators and others. This initiative will also allow the public to access the draft bills. With this, Karnataka will become the first state in the country to go paperless in both its Houses. A detailed project report (DPR) will be ready in the next few months. If things move as planned, by next year, the system will be in place. Though the National E-Vidhan Application (NeVA) facility to make legislature proceedings paperless is in place, only a few states have adopted it. Speaker of the Assembly UT Khader said this facility is not apt for Karnataka as it has a bicameral legislature (Assembly and Council). There are technical issues with it. He said, “The Centre will share 50 per cent of the project cost. NeVA is not being used by the Parliament itself as it is also bicameral. It is not about the facility’s cost. When this facility is of little help for the bicameral system, what is the use of having it?”  P5 express read Bhovi scam: SIT to probe charges against DySP Bengaluru: Considering the allegations of businesswoman S Jeeva in her death note and another accused in the Karnataka Bhovi Development Corporation scam against CID DySP Kanaka Lakshmi BM, the Karnataka High Court has constituted an SIT to probe the charges | P3 Woman dies at Pushpa premiere in Hyderabad Hyderabad: The excitement to watch the latest Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa-2: The Rule, cost a woman her life, and left at least two injured, after they were crushed by the crowd at Sandhya theatre in Hyderabad late on Wednesday | P5