coimbatore l tuesday l august 19, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION India’s job market shows relief as unemployment rate falls A government survey on Monday said the unemployment rate dipped to 5.2 per cent in July, down from 5.6 per cent in June marginal rise in urban youth joblessness labour participation rate sees a spike The Periodic Labour Force Survey released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation said the pace of joblessness among men stayed slightly higher at 5.3 per cent compared to that of women at 5.1 per cent. The rate of unemployment in urban areas for 15-29 age group saw a marginal increase to 19 per cent in July from 18.8 per cent June | P10 ■ ■ The Labour Force Participation Rate among persons of all age groups rose to 41.4 per cent in July 2025 as compared to 41 per cent in June In rural areas, the Labour Force Participation Rate of all age groups was 42 per cent, as against 41.5 per cent in the preceding month. In urban areas, it was 40.1 per cent in July, up from 39.8 per cent in June 89,505 Households were covered by The periodic labour force survey 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 INDIA parties mull impeaching CEC p r e e t h a n a i r @ New Delhi AS the face–off between the Election Commission Of India (ECI) and the Opposition intensifies over allegations of ‘vote theft’ and poll rigging, the INDIA bloc on Monday said it is mulling an impeachment motion against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar. The move comes a day after the CEC asked Rahul Gandhi, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, to either file an affidavit substantiating his vote theft allegations or apologise. The pro- posal for an impeachment motion was discussed at the INDIA bloc meeting on Monday morning. Several Opposition leaders met in the chamber of Mallikarjun Kharge, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, and held discussions on how the CEC on Sunday addressed a press conference without answering any of the questions raised by them, according to a leader who attended the meeting. The Opposition also decided not to cooperate with the gov- Mettur Dam close to brim, flood alert issued for 11 TN delta districts Express News Service ernment on the special discussion on the impact of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s space mission. The Lok Sabha is having a two-day special discussion on the issues. Some opposition MPs said they feel this fight has to be taken forward and suggested an impeachment motion against the CEC, sources said. Addressing a joint press conference on Monday representa, tives of eight opposition parties including Congress, TMC, SP DMK and RJD hit out at the , CEC, alleging that instead of responding to questions raised by them, he chose to attack them at his presser on Sunday . TMC’s Mahua Moitra said the Lok Sabha should be dissolved as the last elections were held on “faulty” voter list. When the Lok Sabha met at 11 am on Monday, opposition MPs, including those from the Congress, were on their feet, raising slogans and showing placards with demand for discussion on the Special Intensive Revision in Bihar. Speaker Om Birla adjourned the House following the bedlam. We’re not afraid of poll panel’s threat: Rahul Patna: A day after chief election commissioner asked Rahul Gandhi to submit an affidavit on his vote theft slur or apologise in a week, the Congress leader on Monday said he was not afraid of such threats | P7 BJP throws a dare at opposition parties New Delhi: BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Monday dared INDIA bloc parties to dissolve state assemblies where they are in power if they doubt the Election Commission’s fairness. Putin dials Modi, briefs him on Alaska summit Both leaders discuss prospects of a lasting solution to Ukraine war @ Salem Minimum city Commuters wade through a waterlogged road following heavy rain in Mumbai on Monday. The civic body was forced to order closure of all schools and colleges. Across Maharashtra, seven people were killed and more than 200 stranded | PTI IMD issues red alert for rain in Konkan, South Ji t e n d r a C h o u b e y @ New Delhi THE India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday issued a ‘red alert’ for extremely heavy rains in the next 24 hours in Central and Southern India along with the Western Ghats. The alert said there was a risk of flash floods in Maharashtra, South Interior Karnataka, and isolated areas of Chhattisgarh. The IMD forecast indicates a higher possibility of extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh, southern Chhattisgarh, southern Odis- express read Semiconductors TN unveils design promotion scheme Chennai: The state government has sanctioned a new design promotion scheme that offers subsidies and prototyping of grants to fabless design firms, as part of its broader ambition to create ‘Product Nation Tamil Nadu’. The scheme, which will be backed by new centres of excellence to be established by TIDCO in partnership with private firms and universities, aims to step up efforts to position TN as a hub for semiconductor innovation, and builds on the state’s `500 crore ‘Tamil Nadu Semiconductor Mission 2030’ | P4 namakkal liver racket Health dept to look into organ trade Chennai: The Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services has instructed health officials to look into an alleged case of organ trade, following reports of a 37-year-old woman from Pallipalayam in Namakkal selling her liver at a private hospital in Chennai to repay debts. Officials said they learned about the issue from media, but added that they have not yet received any complaint. Probe is on into the alleged operation of liver racket in Namakkal | P2 ha, Telangana, South Interior Karnataka, the Konkan region (including Mumbai), Goa, the Western Ghats area of Madhya Maharashtra, and coastal Karnataka and Gujarat in the next two days. IMD’s bulletin predicted flash floods over several watersheds in north Interior Karnataka, Telangana, Konkan-Goa, and Maharashtra in the next 24 hours. Besides, there is a low to moderate risk of flash floods in some watersheds in south Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha, and Marathwada during the same period. With the heavy water discharge from Karnataka reservoirs resulting in increased outflow from Mettur Dam, the Water Resources Department (WRD) issued flood alerts for 11 downstream districts of Tamil Nadu on Monday . The outflow from Mettur Dam in Salem was sharply increased on Monday due to heavy discharge from Kabini and Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) dams. Flood alerts have been sounded for Salem, Erode, Namakkal, Karur, Ariyalur, Tiruchy Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, , Mayiladuthurai, Nagapattinam and Cuddalore districts. People residing in the low-lying areas of these districts have been advised to remain alert, and shift to safer places if necessary . With Kabini Dam releasing 25,000 cusecs and KRS Dam releasing 1,00,000 cusecs, the inflow into Mettur Dam increased steadily during the day As a re. sult, the outflow from the dam was stepped up in stages from 22,000 cusecs in the morning to 50,000 cusecs by the evening. Of this, 21,300 cusecs were JAYANTH JACOB @ New Delhi released through the dam and tunnel powerhouses, and the re m a i n i n g 2 8 , 7 0 0 c u s e c s through the 16-vent Ellis Saddle sluices of Mettur Dam. Officials said the release could be raised further, up to 70,000 cusecs, if inflows continue to rise. The water level in Mettur Dam stood at 117.46 feet on Monday, which is nearly 95% of its full reservoir level (FRL) of 120 feet. The reservoir could reach its maximum storage at any time, marking the fifth time this year that the dam has touched full capacity officials added. , In Salem, as per the orders of District Collector R Brindha Devi, precautionary measures have been stepped up. Revenue and fire service officials sounded flood warnings through loudspeakers in areas near the surplus channel.  P5 RUSSIAN President Vladimir Putin spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday—their second call in the past 10 days— to brief him on his summit with US President Donald Trump in Alaska. Putin’s telephone call came amid mounting pressure from US over India’s continued purchase of Russian oil, which Washington claimed was funding Moscow’s war in Ukraine. During the call, Putin shared his take on his meeting with Trump and Modi responded by reaffirming India’s position: support for a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine conflict through dialogue and diplomacy . “Thank my friend, President Putin, for his phone call and for sharing insights on his recent meeting with President Trump in Alaska,” Modi posted on so- Trump-Zelenskyy meeting under lens Late on Monday night, US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and several European leaders at the White House, in an attempt to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end | P9 cial media. “India has consistently called for a peaceful resolution of the Ukraine conflict and supports all efforts in this regard.” The two leaders also discussed expanding bilateral cooperation, underscoring their intention to deepen the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’. They agreed to stay in close touch. “Prime Minister underlined India’s consistent position for a peaceful resolution of the conflict through diplomacy and dialogue. He reiterated that India supports all efforts in this regard,” the Ministry of External Affairs said. The timing of the conversation is politically charged. Just weeks ago, Trump slapped a 25% punitive tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi’s refusal to scale down energy imports from Russia. This came on top of a 25% reciprocal tariff imposed by India, signalling rising trade friction. New Delhi has pushed back, with the MEA stressing that India’s energy policy is dictated by national interest and market realities, not external pressure. “India-Russia relations are a steady and time-tested partnership,” it said, warning against viewing the relationship “through the prism of a third country”. Monday’s telephone call follows Modi and Putin’s August 8 conversation, which came a day after National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met with the Russian president in Moscow. names of DMK’s Tiruchi Siva, scientist Mylswamy doing rounds as INdia bloc’s choice Ideology above all else, DMK refuses INDIA bloc Vice-Prez to back NDA’s ‘Tamil’ V-P nominee pick to be decided today K Ezhilarasan & K u m a r e s a n S @ Chennai Even as the BJP’s state unit and AIADMK play the ‘Tamil’ card in a bid to pressure the DMK into extending its support for the NDA’s vice-presidential candidate C P Radhakrishnan, DMK leaders said the party has no intention of backing him since ideology is “above all else”. “We will give preference only to ideology. We cannot suppor t Radhakrishnan merely on the grounds that he is Tamil. We have to look at what his ideologies are,” DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told TNIE. “BJP has not done anything for Tamil or Tamil Nadu. The BJP-led union government has not approved Keezhadi excavation reports, has not released due funds the state, and also is averse to the development of TN,” he added. Elangovan also recalled DMK’s campaigns against Radhakrishnan during the Lok Sabha elections. “Moreover, we all know how the BJP government treated the former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar. We do not even know his whereabouts now,” he said. Meanwhile, names of DMK’s five-term Rajya Sabha member Tiruchi Siva and f o r m e r I S RO s c i e n t i s t Mylswamy Annadurai have been doing the rounds as the INDIA bloc’s choice for V-P candidate.  P5 EPS urges parties to back Radhakrishnan Chennai: AIADMK general secretary EPS and state BJP president Nainar Nagenthran urged all parties to extend support to CP Radhakrishnan, stating his candidature is a matter of pride for TN | P4 P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi THE Opposition INDIA bloc is likely to announce its candidate for the Vice Presidential election on Tuesday afternoon. According to sources, though top leaders of the bloc discussed a few names at a Zoom meeting on Monday the final call will be , taken on Tuesday . “A meeting of leaders of all Opposition parties in Parliament will be held at 12.30 PM Tuesday Aug 19 at 10, Rajaji Marg,” wrote Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on X. Sources said names that came up in the meeting include former ISRO scientist and Padma Shri awardee M Annadurai and Tushar Gandhi, great grandson of Mahatma Gandhi; and DMK leader M Annadurai. The Opposition’s candidate will be vying with NDA pick Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan. Sources said the Opposition wants to field a non-political face who has national standing and stature senior DMK leaders have proposed the name of M Annadurai, who hails from Tamil Nadu and is well respected, for the vice-president’s post. wangON yi In India TWO-DAY VISIT The Chinese foreign minister on Monday held talks with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who called for “a candid and constructive approach” to reset ties. Wang will meet National Security Adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday SC stays Madras HC order, frees TN min from facing trial in 2012 DA case SUCH I TRA KALYAN MOHANTY @ New Delhi Minister I Periyasamy The Supreme Court on Monday stayed an April 28 Madras High Court order reversing the discharge of Tamil Nadu Rural Development Minister I Periyasamy and his family members , in a 2012 disproportionate as- sets (DA) case and directing them to face trial. Periyasamy, his wife P Suseela, and sons P Prabhu and P Senthilkumar, the Palani MLA, were among the accused in the case.A bench of the top court, headed by Justice Dipankar Datta, which was hearing the appeal filed by the minister and his family members, also issued notice to the state of Tamil Nadu and sought its reply . Five hours after the SC order, the Enforcement Directorate, in a statement, said its searches Saturday on the premises of Periyasamy and his family members had led to the seizure of documents related to properties and investments. The agency also said it found certain paper companies being operated from the premises of Irulappa Mills India Private Limited, a firm in which the minister and his younger son P Prabhu are directors. Significantly the ED’s money , laundering probe, of which Saturday’s searches were a part, had used as predicate offence the same DVAC case which had been revived by the HC before the SC on Monday stayed the proceedings.  P5