kalaburagi l friday l october 24, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l city EDITION Digital payments made up 99.7% transactions by volume in 2024 Digital payments accounted for 99.7% of total transactions by volume and 97.5% by value in 2024, the RBI said in a report on Thursday Trend continues in first half of 2025 UPI accounts for 85% of transactions There were 20,849 crore digital transactions in 2024, up from 3,248 crore in 2019, the RBI said in its half-yearly Payment System Report. In terms of value, `2,830 lakh crore was transacted through digital payment systems in 2024, up from `1,775 lakh crore in 2019. The transaction volume for the first half of 2025 stood at 12,549 crore, amounting to `1,572 lakh crore ■ ■ In terms of volume, UPI accounted for the largest share at 85% during the first half of 2025. Digital payments include NEFT, IMPS, RTGS, NACH, debit and credit cards, prepaid instruments and UPI Payments using debit cards have declined since 2019. In contrast, the value of credit card transactions have surged nearly 200% `143.3 lakh cr the value of all UPI transactions made in the first half of 2025 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 power tussle Yathindra for Satish Jarkiholi as Siddu heir E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Belagavi Amid the intense power-sharing tussle within the Karnataka Congress, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s son Yathindra Siddaramaiah has set off a political tremor by openly hinting that PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi could succeed his father. At a public event in Raibag on Wednesday, Yathindra praised Jarkiholi, calling him a “capable and deserving successor” to CM Siddaramaiah. The remark, coming at a time when the Congress is battling inter nal friction, has triggered a storm of speculation within Yathindra party ranks, and reset the political narrative. The question of who will lead the Congress after Siddaramaiah has long divided the party. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, representing the Vokkalig a community, is seen as a leader with the potential to become the next chief minister.  P4 Tejashwi is INDIA bloc’s CM face, Sahani deputy Announcement after Gehlot-Lalu meet; no word yet on seat-sharing R A M A S H A N K A R @ Patna After weeks of hectic parleys, the opposition INDIA bloc on Thursday declared Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar elections. Cong ress leader Ashok Gehlot announced the decision at a press meet in Patna, a day after he and party’s state incharge Krishna Allavaru met RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi to end the stalemate over seat-sharing and ‘friendly fight’ in a few seats. However, in the press meet, there was no announcement of any seat-sharing deal. Gehlot, who has been camping in Patna since Wednesday, said Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani will be the alliance’s deputy CM face. He said more deputy CMs would be appointed if INDIA bloc comes to power. Tejashwi, Sahani, CPI-ML (Liberation)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, and state Congress president Rajesh Ram addressed the press meet along with Gehlot. “Tejashwi is a young and AN average of 250 passenger seats on Air India flights develop faults every month, posing persistent challenge for the Tata group as it works to modernise the ageing fleet it acquired from the government in January 2022. According to airline insiders, the main hurdle lies in the non-availability of spare parts for older aircraft, many of which are 15-20 years old. In several cases, even the original manufacturers of seat components have shut down. “Seat maintenance was never a priority earlier,” said a senior Air India source. “A seat includes not just the cushion but also trays, in-flight entertainment screens, and fittings. Sometimes, passengers themselves cause damage during travel, and immediate repairs aren’t possible if the aircraft is due for a quick turnaround.” While travellers have long voiced concerns over poor cabin conditions, a recent social media outcry by a business class passenger brought renewed scrutiny The passenger, . flying AI 187 from Delhi to Toronto laimed he was asked to sign a consent form acknowledging his seat’s broken tray @Kalaburagi Vikassheel Insan Party chief Mukesh Sahani, CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during a press conference in Patna on Thursday | PTI dynamic leader. We are also declaring Mukesh Sahani, an EBC leader, who has struggled to rise to this position, as the deputy CM face. Sahani is a messiah of his (Mallah) community. After we win the elections, some people from other sections of society could also be made deputy CMs,” Gehlot said. Tejashwi thanked his father Lalu, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge for reposing faith in him. “I alone will not become CM but everyone from Bihar will become Change Makers (CMs),” he remarked. He claimed if a gov- ernment is formed under his leadership, he would do all the development works the NDA could not do in 20 years, in just 20 months. Taking a dig at the NDA for not announcing its CM face, Tejashwi said, “Why did the NDA not declare Nitish the CM face? We have been saying that the BJP will not make Nitish the CM. Ami Shah has also clearly said it the elected MLAs will take a decision on this… You (the BJP) have always declared a CM face. Why not this time?” Gehlot also targeted Shah, saying: “Your contention that Nitish will lead the NDA in the polls has no meaning.” P10 before boarding. Air India sources admitted such incidents are “not isolated”, adding multiple solutions are offered to affected passengers. “At check-in, travellers are informed about seat issues and asked if they wish to continue with that seat. If not, they can opt for the next available flight,” the source explained. The airline, however, insists that a large-scale retrofit and modernisation plan is already in motion. All 26 A320 aircraft have been upgraded, featuring new seats and interiors. The first Boeing 787 is currently being retrofitted in the US. Once completed, work will begin on the Boeing 777 fleet. Retrofit work on Airline sources say complaints about broken and malfunctioning seats will stop once the retrofit project is complete. Till then, however, passengers may have to live with uncomfortable seats ASEAN-India With pregnant woman Modi speaks to Malaysian as decoy, officials bust PM, to virtually address meet sex determination racket J ayan t h J a c o b @ New Delhi K ar t h i k K K @ Mysuru India and Malaysia announced on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the ASEAN-India summit on October 26 virtually after a telephonic conversation between the two leaders. “I had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of the upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually and to further deepening the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Modi said on X. Ibrahim said he respected Modi’s decision and extended Deepavali greetings to him and the people of India and added that Malaysia remained committed to advancing bilateral and ASEAN-India cooperation for a “more peaceful and prosperous region”. While the Indian statement did not cite reasons for Modi’s decision to skip the regional gathering, it is learnt that the upcoming Bihar assembly In a meticulously planned operation using a decoy officials of the Mandya and Mysuru District , Health and Family Welfare Department busted a foetal sex determination and abortion racket being run from a bungalow on the outskirts of Mysuru, leading to the arrest of three people. The covert operation was led by Dr Mohan, District Health Officer (DHO) of Mandya, with the assistance of Mysuru DHO Dr C Kumaraswamy and other officials following specific intelligence about a middleman arranging illegal sex determination tests for pregnant women. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Dr Mohan revealed that the operation was launched after a pregnant woman reported late for her health checkup and registration at a primary health care centre in Nagamangala taluk of Mandya. “Her delay in obtaining the ‘taayi card’ raised suspicions among our staff in the PHC. On inquiry she revealed that she had previously , given birth to a girl and wanted a boy this time and said she had undergone a sex determination test in Mysuru.” Acting on this tip-off and obtaining a contact number she provided, the team devised a decoy operation with the help of another pregnant woman posing as a client. The decoy contacted a middleman named Swamy, explaining that she already had two daughters and was unwilling to have another girl child. Swamy reportedly agreed to help and demanded money, instructing her to be present near Teresian College in Mysuru, from where she would be taken to the location. P5 Narendra Modi elections and the absence of immediate breakthroughs in trade talks with the US were among the factors influencing the move. President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Malaysia for the summit on October 26. This newspaper had reported that Modi is unlikely to attend the summit and will address the event virtually . At the summit, both sides will review progress in ASEANIndia relations and discuss new initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27. The summit is expected to deliberate on regional security, Indo-Pacific challenges, and global developments. SIT questions four in connection with voters’ name deletion R amakr i shna Ba d s e sh i AI faces 250 seat faults a month S L al i t ha @ New Delhi Aland case In a significant step, the Special Investigation Team (SIT), for the first time, has detained four data center operators in connection with illegal deletion of names from voters’ list in Aland Assembly constituency in the run up to the elections in 2023. The SIT questioned the detainees in Bengaluru on Wednesday for reportedly making forged Form 7 applications to delete voters’ names. A week ago, the SIT had raided their houses and recovered seven laptops and 15 mobile phones. The SIT is probing allegations that data center operators were paid Rs.80 for each Form 7 application (for deleting the names of voters from the voters’ list). A total of 6,018 applications were made between December 2022 and February 2023, working to a total payment of Rs. 4.8 lakh. The state police had registered an FIR on deletion of voters’ names after BR Patil, Aland MLA, and deputy chair man of State Planning Commission, raised a complaint in 2023. The investigation was taken over by the Crime Investigation Department (CID) this September. The issue became a national furore after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi highlighted the alleged vote theft in Aland. Within a few days of the SIT taking over the investigation, a set of voters’ list was found burnt in a garbage yard in Aland. The SIT visited the spot and collected half- burnt voters’ list and sent them to Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalaburragi. Last week, the SIT had raided the houses of former Aland MLA, Subhash Guttedar, and his sons, Harshanand and Santosh Guttedar. P4 express read Nod to armed forces proposal worth `79Kcr New Delhi: The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) on Thursday gave the go-ahead to a number of proposals for the Army, Navy and Air Force, amounting to a total of about Rs 79,000 crore. The DAC met under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in South Block | P9 India-origin driver held after deadly crash in US Chandigarh: An India-origin truck driver, 21-year-old Jashanpreet Singh, has been arrested after a deadly collision in Ontario, California, left three people dead and four injured. According to the police, Singh was driving a speeding semi-truck and crashed into slow-moving traffic in San Bernardino County | P10