tirupati l friday l august 22, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION French President Macron dials Prime Minister narendra Modi The two leaders on Thursday discussed efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the war in Ukraine and Gaza conflict, apart from bilateral relations review of indo-france bilateral ties call for peaceful resolution of conflict The two leaders reviewed progress in bilateral cooperation, including in trade, defence, civil nuclear cooperation, technology and energy. “They reaffirmed joint commitment to strengthen India-France Strategic partnership and mark 2026 as ‘Year of Innovation’ in a befitting manner,” the PMO said. The call was initiated by the French side ■ ■ Macron was among a host of European leaders who accompanied Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during his talks with US President Donald Trump this week in Washington DC Modi reiterated India’s consistent support for peaceful resolution of the conflicts and early restoration of peace and stability, PMO said 2026 is when india gets presidency of brics and france of g7 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 China firmly with India on Don’s unfair trade squeeze Ambassador Xu Feihong says silence only emboldens the 'US bully' J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi In a striking show of solidarity, Chinese Ambassador to India Xu Feihong on Thursday condemned the United States’ recent tariff hike on Indian goods, calling it “bullying” and pledging that China “will firmly stand with India” against what he described as unfair trade practices. Speaking in New Delhi, Xu said Beijing “fully opposes” the US move, noting that tariffs on Indian goods could soar to 50% if Washington follows through on its 25% penalty for importing Russian oil and further escalation could still be on the table. “… the US has long benefited greatly from free trade but now uses tariffs as bargain chips to demand exorbitant prices from various countries. The US imposed tariffs of up to 50% on India, and has even threatened for more. China firmly opposes it. In the face of such acts, silence only emboldens the bully . China will firmly stand with India to uphold the multilateral trading system with the world trade,” he said. Xu’s unusually direct comments come at a time of heightened global trade tensions and just weeks ahead of Prime MinXu Feihong, Chinese envoy ister Narendra Modi’s visit to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit. The Chinese envoy framed the US-India tariff row as an opportunity for Beijing and New Delhi to close ranks, urging both Asian powers to move beyond competition and build “strategic mutual trust.” “India and China are not rivals, we are partners. We must manage our differences through dialogue and strengthen cooperation,” Xu said. Pointing to the global implications of their relationship, Xu added: “India and China are the double engines of economic growth in Asia. Our unity benefits not only Asia, but the world at large.” He also emphasised the need for both countries to play a leading role in shaping a more equitable global order. “As major developing countries, India and China have a responsibility to promote a multipolar world. Unity and cooperation are the only way forward,” he said. no rationale behind penalty levy: Jaishankar Other key decisions  The State Cabinet approved basic CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu chairing the Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Thursday | Express J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi In a pointed diplomatic signal amid escalating US pressure, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday, reinforcing India’s strategic ties with Moscow even as Washington doubles down on tariffs and warnings over New Delhi’s energy trade with Russia. The high-level meeting, part of a broader effort to finalise President Putin’s visit to India year-end came hours after Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The talks focused heavily on boosting bilateral trade and shielding their energy partnership from potential US penalty . At a joint press briefing with Lavrov, Jaishankar publicly questioned the rationale behind reS Jaishankar, foreign minister cent US tariffs and criticism targeting India’s oil purchases from Russia. “We are not the biggest purchasers of Russian oil; that is China. We are not the biggest purchasers of LNG; that is the European Union. We are not the country which has the biggest trade surge with Russia after 2022; I think there are some countries to the South,” he said. The US recently imposed a punitive 25% reciprocal tariff on Indian goods, along with an additional 25% duty specifically targeting India’s Russian oil purchases. “We have done everything asked of us in the past to stabilise the global energy market, including buying oil from Russia,” Jaishankar noted, pointing out that India also imports significant volumes of oil from the US. “We believe that relations between India and Russia have been among the steadiest of the major relationships in the world after the Second World War,” Jaishankar said. Control errant MLAs: Naidu to Ministers S V i s w a n at h @ Vijayawada Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is believed to have expressed displeasure over the attitude of some TDP MLAs. Following the Cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat on Thursday the Chief , Minister took strong exception to the erratic MLAs while discussing the latest political developments with the Ministers. He reportedly directed the district-in-charge Ministers to control those MLAs who were damaging the reputation of the government and the party . The Chief Minister also expressed concern that some Ministers were taking too much time to clear files and suggested that they expedite the process. Before the Cabinet meeting, Minister for HRD and IT Nara Lokesh, hosted a breakfast for the Ministers and discussed the controversies surrounding some MLAs.  P4 Cabinet approves landmark circular economy policy E x p r ess Ne w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada The State Cabinet meeting, held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat on Thursday gave , its nod to the AP Circular Economy Waste Recycling Policy (4.0) and approved various proposals from dif ferent departments. Minister for Information & Public Relations and Housing, Kolasu Parthasarathy, disclosed the decisions taken by the Cabinet to media persons. He said the Cabinet comprehensively reviewed the growing challenges of industrial waste, evolving sustainability needs, and economic opportunities emerging from circular economy models. After a detailed evaluation, the Cabinet officially approved the Andhra Pradesh Circular Economy and Waste Recycling Policy for 2025-2030. As part of the Swarna Andhra 2047 vision, this policy stands as India’s first comprehensive circular economy and waste recycling policy, focusing on waste-to-wealth creation. It features dual-tier infrastructure models, industrial symbiosis requirements, special task forces, and circular economy interactive dashboards. This policy will also create large-scale opportunities for establishing MSMEs focused on waste-to-wealth generation. The Cabinet approved the renaming of the Official Language Commission as the “Mandali Venkata Krishna Rao Official Language Commission” in recognition of Rao’s key role in establishing the commission and formulatP4 ing its objectives.  price fixation through the Tender Committee for assessed values of IMFL, beer, wine & foreign liquor brands  Approved to introduce a draft bill to amend the Andhra Pradesh Prevention of Begging Act, to remove discriminatory words/phrases towards persons with disabilities  Upgradation of Chintoor CHC to a 100-bedded Area Hospital with an estimated cost of `33.94 crore and creation of an additional 56 posts  Naravaripalli CHC upgraded to 50-bedded, creating 18 extra posts  International tennis player Saketh Sai Myneni appointed as Deputy Collector under sports quota  Lease extention of 2,954 square yards of municipal land in Guntur to TDP office from 33 years to 99 years  `904 cr approved for infrastructure development in 29 Amaravati villages  7.74 acres of government land in Bairuganipalle village, Kuppam mandal, Chittoor district transferred to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan for establishing Kendriya Vidyalaya school  Transfer of 12.96 acres of government land in Nadimpalem village, Prattipadu mandal, Guntur district to AYUSH Department, for establishing Central Research Institute for Yoga and Naturopathy (CRIYN) with central funds  Approval for IBM Quantum Computer installation at Amaravati Quantum Computing Centre (AQCC) based on Expression of Interest (EOI) Ministers’ panel supports NDA allies JD(U), TDP cagey on GST rejig plan but seeks bills to remove arrested ministers solution to revenue loss PR E E THA NAIR @ New Delhi P U S HPITA D E Y @ New Delhi The Group of Ministers (GoM) on rate rationalisation on Thursday accepted the Centre’s proposal to simplify the GST into a two-slab structure of 5% and 18%. However, it sought ways to make up for the revenue loss from the GST rejig. “When states lose revenue, that ultimately affects the common people,” said West Bengal’s finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who addressed the GoM, stressed the need for rationalisation to provide relief to the common man. The GoM is chaired by Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary and has members from UP Rajas- Nirmala , than, West Bengal, Karnataka, and Kerala. Sitharaman, FM Under the revamp plan, essential goods will attract 5% GST and most of the rest the standard 18% rate. “A 40% GST on luxury and sin goods has been proposed. But it’s too early to say anything about revenue loss,” said Suresh Kumar Khanna, finance minister of Uttar Pradesh. The next GST Council meeting, expected to be held in September, will take up the proposal for GST overhaul. The GoM on insurance that met on Wednesday proposed exempting health and life insurance premiums from GST. The National Democratic Alliance’s key allies Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Janata Dal (United) appears to be treading cautiously on the three bills that seek to remove prime minister, chief ministers, and ministers under arrest for 30 consecutive days on serious charges. The bills have been sent to a Joint Committee of Parliament (JPC) comprising 21 members from the Lok Sabha and 10 from the Rajya Sabha for further scrutiny . When asked about the party’s stand on the contentious bills, JD (U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha declined to state its position. “The party is yet to discuss the issue. I cannot give an official statement now,” he RS approves motion to send bills to JPC The Rajya Sabha on Thursday adopted a motion to concur with the Lok Sabha’s decision to send the three bills providing a legal framework for the removal of arrested ministers to a Joint Parliamentary Committee | P7 said. Another JD(U) leader said the party will discuss the issue as it has been referred to the JPC. While the Opposition parties allege that the bill is to keep allies Nitish Kumar and N Chandrababu Naidu in check, the TDP dismissed such claims. When asked about the bill, TDP leader and Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said the bill will be studied at the JPC and the concerns will be addressed, if there are any . During introduction of the bills in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday Congress member , K C Venugopal said the intent is to target allies. “When Vote Chori is on everyone’s minds, When RahulGandhi ji’s Yatra is getting unparalleled support, When Opposition Governments need to be targeted, When allies like Chandrababu Naidu garu and Nitish Kumar ji need to be threatened… The Home Minister brings this dangerous Bill that strikes at the heart of the Constitutional principles of federalism,” he posted on social media. Echoing the view, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said that the government is proposing the bill to oust NDA allies. G r o u n d w a te r r e c h a r gi n g Palnadu to fill 800 tanks and ponds with Floodwater B a n d h a v i A n n a m @ Guntur Palnadu district, situated 150 meters above sea level and prone to high temperatures and scant rainfall, continues to face challenges in maintaining adequate groundwater levels. According to official data, the district average in July 2025 stood at 10.12 meters below ground level. A closer look at the mandalwise statistics shows considerable variation. Yadlapadu recorded the lowest groundwater level at 13.65 meters, followed by Bollapalli at 13.44 meters and Veldurthi at 11.89 meters. Gurazala reported 11.41 meters, Rompicherla 11.24 meters, and Nuzendla 10.86 meters. Other mandals fared slightly better, with Durgi at 9.88 meters, Karempudi at 9.71 meters, Piduguralla at 9.63 meters, Savalyapuram at 9.44 meters, Machavaram at 9.23 meters, and Rentachintala at 9.09 meters. Pullalacheruvu registered 8.47 meters, Nadendla 8.22 me- ters, and Medikonduru 8.09 meters. The relatively healthier levels were in Nekarikallu at 7.82 meters, Edlapadu at 7.39 meters, and Chilakaluripet at 6.89 meters. Speaking to TNIE, Groundwater Department officer Rambalaji Reddy noted that while groundwater remains relative- ly accessible in neighboring districts like Guntur (4.8 meters) and Bapatla (3.7 meters), Palnadu’s 10.12-meter average reflects the impact of its geographical conditions. Yet, he expressed optimism that largescale interventions will soon show results. The district administration is banking on the construction We need close coordination among irrigation, groundwater, minor irrigation, agriculture, and revenue departments to ensure that surplus water is effectively harnessed for recharge rather than wasted Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of farm ponds, revival of tanks and ponds, and diversion of surplus floodwater from rivers such as the Krishna to replenish local resources. Over 800 tanks and ponds under the Sagar canal command areas of Guntur and Palnadu have already been identified for immediate filling to aid recharge. Collector P Arun Babu voiced . confidence that these farm ponds will significantly contribute to groundwater recharge in the coming year.  P4 B Sudershan Reddy files his nomination papers in Delhi on Wednesday as Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar look on | PTI Opposition V-P poll candidate Sudershan Reddy files papers harashtra Gover nor C P Radhakrishnan. THE battle lines for the upcomAfter filing his papers, the reing Vice Presidential election tired judge said if elected, he were drawn on Thursday when would discharge the role with the Opposition’s pick former impartiality, dignity, and a Supreme Court judge steadfast commitB Sudershan Reddy ment to dialogue and filed his nomination decorum. papers. Later in the In a show of evening, Aam Aadmi Justice Reddy’s strength, several top Party (AAP) national judicial career is Opposition leaders, convenor Arvind Keincluding Congress’ very inspiring... such jriwal called on Reda person will be Mallikarjun Kharge, helpful for the vice- dy at his Delhi resiSonia Gandhi and dence and said his president’s post, Rahul Gandhi, NCP party will support his and I request (SP) chief Sharad Pa- everyone to vote for candidature. him, keeping party war, SP leader RamThe electoral colaffiliations aside gopal Yadav, DMK’s lege for the vice presiTiruchi Siva, TMC’s —Arvind Kejriwal, AAP dential election comSatabdi Roy, Shiv prises members of Sena (UBT)’s Sanjay both Houses of ParRaut and CPI(M)’s John Brit- liament. Nominated members tas accompanied Reddy during of the Rajya Sabha can also the filing of nomination pa- cast their votes. pers. The elections will be held The effective strength of the on September 9, where Reddy electoral college is 781 and the will face NDA candidate Ma- majority mark is 391. PR E E THA NAIR @ New Delhi