SCALE OF INEQUALITY Income Group Average Avg income (K) Wealth Share (%) 2,34,551 Average wealth (K) 1922 Share (%) 13,49,029 Bottom 50% 71,163 15.0 1,73,184 6.4 Middle 40% 1,65,273 27.3 9,63,560 28.6 Top 10% 13,52,985 57.7 87,70,132 65.0 Top 1% 53,00,549 22.6 54,141,525 40.1 *As of 2022-23 madurai l Thursday l march 21, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Source: World Inequality Lab DMK vows to scrap guv’s post, CAA; Kani, Baalu, Raja fielded for LS fight DMK names 21 candidates, drops 6 MPs; AIADMK names 16 in first list, allots 5 seats to DMDK E x p r e s s N e w s S e r v i c e @ Chennai The ruling DMK on Wednesday released the list of candidates for 21 seats for the April 19 Lok Sabha polls retaining 10 incumbents, including Kanimozhi, TR Baalu, and A Raja. Kanimozhi (Thoothukudi), Thamizhachi Thangapandian (Chennai South), and Rani Srikumar (Tenkasi SC seat) are the three women candidates fielded by the party . While Dayanidhi Maran, S Jagathrakshakan, Kalanidhi Veerasamy Kathir Anand, and , C N Annadurai were among the candidates retained by the part y, f o r m e r m i n i s t e r K Ponmudy’s son Gautham Sigamani, S S Palanimanickam, and S Senthilkumar of Dharmapuri were among the six press Intake Shobha booked: Madurai police have booked a case against Union minister Shobha Karandlaje for her comments on Tamils. The EC has asked K’taka poll officials to take action on DMK’s plaint | P4 Bail for ED officer: The Supreme Court on Wednesday gave bail to ED officer Ankit Tiwari in a bribery case booked by the DVAC. The SC also sought reply on plea to transfer the case to CBI | P5 Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin releases the party manifesto for the Lok Sabha election along with party seniors on Wednesday | P Jawahar MPs dropped from the fray The . DMK has allotted 18 seats in TN to Congress (9), CPI (2), CPM (2), VCK (2), MDMK (1), IUML (1), and KDMK (1). The party also released its poll manifesto promising to repeal the CAA, annulling of Article 361 that gives protection to governors from legal action, and making consultation with CMs mandatory in the appointment of governors. The AIADMK on Wednesday named the first set of 16 candidates, including former MP J Jayavardhan and ex-MLA Dr P Saravanan, for the poll. The opposition party, which is likely to contest in 32 seats, also final- ised a seat-sharing arrangement with the DMDK. Announcing the electoral pact, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said the DMDK would contest from Tiruvallur (SC), Central Chennai, Cuddalore, Thanjavur, and Virudhunagar. Calling the AIADMK a “natural ally”, DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakanth said a “big victory alliance” has ag ain been formed like the one in 2011. “The alliance will continue in 2026 Assembly polls,” she said. Meanwhile, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai said his party will release its candidates list on Thursday The party held . meetings on Wednesday to finalise the potential candidates. more reports: P4 13% of national income pocketed by the top 1% 1982 6.1% of national income went to the top 1% 2022 * 22.6% of national income with top 1% Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday used the o p p o r t u n i t y o f g re e t i n g Vladimir Putin on his re-election as Russian President by nudging him during their telephonic conversation to resolve the ongoing Ukraine war through dialogue and diplomacy. He had a similar message for Ukrainian President Vlodomyr Zelenskyy in his sepa- rate conversation with him. “I spoke with President Putin and congratulated him on his re-election and also agreed to work together to further deepen and expand India-Russia Special and Privileged Strategic Par tnership in the years ahead,” Modi said. “Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the consistent and dynamic development of mutually beneficial ties in trade, economy, energy, and Narendra Modi Vladimir Putin Vlodomyr Zelenskyy transport,” a Russian readout of the call said. “An exchange of views was also held on a number of issues on the international agenda, in particular ■ ‘Inequality today worse Petitions in SC than under British Raj’ as govt notifies D i pa k M o n d a l @ New Delhi India is more unequal now than it was under the British rule, says a paper released by Paris-based World Inequality Lab. The report, co-authored by Nitin Kumar Bharti, Lucas Chancel, Thomas Piketty, and Anmol Somanchi, also recommends a 2% super tax on the net wealth of the wealthiest families to generate resources for public investment. The report says top-end inequality peaked between 2014-15 and 2022-23, driven by wealth concentration. By 2022-23, India’s top 1% income and wealth shares (22.6% and 40.1%) were at their highest historical levels. For context, the US’s top 1% income share was 21%. The report cautions such high levels inequality could trigger concentration of income and wealth, which could in turn negatively influence the society and the government at large. To arrive at these conclusions, the inequality report has taken into consideration the national income accounts, wealth aggregates, tax tabulations, rich lists, and surveys on income, consumption, and wealth. The report calls for a restructuring of India’s tax system to account for both income and wealth. It also stresses on the need for generating resources for investments in health and education to enable the common man to benefit from the ongoing wave of globalisation. The government should tap India’s wealthiest families to generate resources for public investments, it says, adding that India’s 167 wealthiest families in 202223 would yield 0.5% of national income in revenues. Modi nudges Putin, Zelenskyy to resolve conflict through talks Y e s h i S e l i @ New Delhi 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 ■ in the context of the situation around Ukraine,” the Kremlin’s statement said. President Putin conveyed his wishes to Modi for the successful conduct of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Modi is one of the few world leaders who have congratulated Putin for his re-election. Speaking to Zelenskyy, Modi assured India will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, guided by its “people-centric” approach. The prime minister reiterated India’s consistent support for all efforts for peace and bringing an early end to the ongoing conflict. Zelenskyy thanked India for its support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, humanitarian aid, and active participation in Peace Formula meetings. The two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen the partnership in various spheres. fact check unit ahead of polls Rakesh ku mar & Parvez sultan @ New Delhi Ahead of the general elections, the gover nment on Wednesday notified the Fact Check Unit under the Press Information Bureau to monitor content on social media tied to the Centre. The unit was notified under the 2021 IT Rules. According to the new regulation, if a government information is misrepresented on any online platform, the fact-checking unit will flag it. Social media platforms and other online intermediaries will then decide on taking down the content. If they refuse to drop the content, they risk losing the protections granted under Section 79 of the IT Act. This section provides immunity to online platforms from content posted by users and third parties. The notification comes a week after the Bombay High Court rejected a petition filed by Editors Guild of India and others against the fact checker. They argued that the regulations could lead to censorship of free speech in the country . The Editors Guild has now filed a petition before the Supreme Court. “We remain opposed to it because I don’t think that in a democratic country like us, the government alone can’t decide what is fake information,” said Editors Guild general secretary Ruben Banerjee. Political satirist Kunal Kamra, too, has moved the SC.
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