BHUBANESWAR  THURSDAY  SEPTEMBER 12, 2024  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION KAMALA PUTS TRUMP ON THE DEFENSIVE IN THEIR FIRST DEBATE Kamala Harris and Donald Trump engaged in a fiery debate on Tuesday, their first and the only direct face-off before the US elections DON RATTLED BY SHARP ATTACKS FROM V-P VOTERS FEEL HARRIS BESTED TRUMP Harris went on the offensive right from the start of the ABC News debate, attacking Trump on various issues. One of their most intense exchanges was on abortion. She slammed Trump’s push to end the federal right to abortion. Trump tried to defend saying the states should determine abortion policy. He tore into Harris as too liberal and a continuation of the current administration ■ ■ Harris promised tax cuts for the middle class while Trump said his proposed tariffs would help the US stop being cheated by allies A CNN snap poll conducted soon after the debate had 63% of registered voters saying Harris did better than Trump. Conservative Fox News too agreed, calling Harris “a clear winner” of the debate | P9 Nov 5 WHEN THE U.S. WILL HOLD THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION 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 to drive global semicon industry: PM It’s Rahul’s turn to get N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India is poised to play a significant role in driving the global semiconductor industry forward. He was speaking after inaugurating SEMICON India — 2024, a three-day exhibition, at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The prime minister said his government will do everything to make India a semiconductor powerhouse, adding that it is a dream to have an Indian-made chip in every device in the world. He said India is building a robust semiconductor workforce comprising 85,000 technicians, engineers, and research and development experts. The country, he added, must prepare its students and professionals to contribute to the growth of the sector. India has attracted investments exceeding `1.5 lakh crore for its semiconductor sector in a short span of time, Modi said adding that the country possessed a “three-dimensional power” — a reformist government, a rapidly expanding manufacturing base and a large, aspirational market appreciating and embracing technology — that can propel the growth of the chip industry . Drawing an analogy between the semiconductor industry and a diode, where energy flows in only one direction, Modi said India’s semiconductor sector was unique, featuring special “diodes” where energy flew in both directions. He explained that while industries invested and generated value, the government reciprocated by offering stable policies and promoting the ‘Ease of Doing Business.’ Modi said the goal is to have India make not just the chips but the finished products too. The prime minister stressed the need to have supply chains that are resilient from shock events like Covid-19. “Resilience of the supply chain is very important,” he said. “Whether it is mobile manufacturing, electronics, or semiconductors, our focus is clear — we want to build a world that doesn’t stop or pause in times of crisis but keeps moving forward,” the prime minister said, adding that, “When the chips are down, you can bet on India.” Modi said India is one of the largest consumers of semiconductors, which enabled the creation of world-class digital public infrastructure. This small chip, played a crucial role in ensuring last-mile delivery across the country, he said. into the quota firing line Semicon 2.0 soon The second phase of the Centre’s chip policy, Semicon 2.0 is expected to be in place in 3-4 months, Union Information and Broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said HM Amit Shah, Mayawati and Eknath Shinde criticise statement on abolishing it ‘when India is a fair place’ 6 million jobs With India’s electronics sector now valued at over $150 billion, the Prime Minister outlined a goal to grow the country’s electronics sector to $500 billion and create as many as 6 million jobs by the end of this decade comment that the reservation policy could do with a ‘social review’ kicked up UNION home minister and the BJP’s a huge controversy forcing him to clar, principal election strategist Amit Shah ify that he did not mean to say practice on Wednesday made a blistering attack should end. on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for On Wednesday, BSP chief Mayawati his comment that the Congress will and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde think of scrapping reservaalso hit out at Gandhi for tion when India is a fair his remark. place. Rahul, who is cur“Rahul Gandhi’s views rently on a trip to the US, reflect his petty mentality ... had made the remark on It has been Congress’s habit Tuesday while answering a to do politics in the name of question posed by students religion and caste,” Shinde of the Georgetown Universaid. sity in Washington DC. Mayawati said that when ‘NOT AGAINST “By speaking about abolnot in power, the Congress RESERVATION’ ishing reservations in the talks about SC, ST and OBC; country, Rahul Gandhi has Claiming that his but when in power, it works once again brought the Con- statement was against their interests, addgress’s anti-reservation face “misrepresented”, ing, “People should be caut o t h e fo re f ro n t . T h e Rahul Gandhi said on tious of this conspiracy .” thoughts that were in his Wednesday that he is Shah also accused the mind eventually found their not against reservation Congress leader of making way out as words,” Shah and will try to take it statements aimed at hurtposted on X, adding that no- beyond the 50% cap ing the country’s image and body will be able to scrap meeting people who work reservation as long as the BJP is against India’s interests. around. On Tuesday Rahul had met some US , Reservation is a touchy subject and lawmakers, including Ilhan Omar, a several leaders have come under attack known India-critic who made a controin the past for expressing their opinion versial trip to Pakistan-occupied Kashon it. In 2015, weeks before the Bihar mir in April 2022—an act India considelections, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s ers as a violation of its sovereignty . R A J E S H K U M A R T H A K U R @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects an exhibit during the inauguration of SEMICON India 2024, in Greater Noida | PTI It is our dream to have an Indianmade chip in every device in the world. We will do everything that is needed to make India a semiconductor powerhouse Narendra Modi EXPRESS READ Scrub Typhus claims 3 lives in Bargarh Bargarh: With three fatalities reported in the last three days, Scrub Typhus has resurfaced in Bargarh district, sparking widespread panic among the locals. The sudden reappearance of the disease has put health authorities on their toes. The three were from Ambabhona and Padampur blocks in the district | P4