COIMBATORE l saturday l may 31, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l LATE city EDITION FSSAI bans use of ‘100%’ on food labels citing potential misuse Mandar pardikar all food businesses asked to fall in line The apex food regulator asked all Food Business Operators (FBOs) to refrain from using the term on food labels, packaging, and promotional content, owing to its ambiguity and potential for misinterpretation within the existing regulatory provisions. it said the terminology is not only undefined but also misleading and likely to create a false impression Food Safety and Standards Authority of India on Friday advised not to use the term ‘100%’ in food labelling, citing concerns over its misuse claims must be truthful, unambiguous ■ ■ As per the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018, the term “100%” is not defined or referenced in any manner under the FSS Act, 2006, or rules under the Act Sub-regulation 4(1) of the 2018 rule says the claims must be truthful, unambiguous and help consumers to comprehend the information 2006 food safety act is the basis of most regulations in india 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 Economy grew 7.4% FM hits pause on draft gold loan norms in Q4, beat estimates E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Chennai Full-year growth for FY25 pegged at 6.5%; manufacturing slips DIPA K MO N DA L @ New Delhi INDIA’s economy ended 2024-25 on a strong note, with real GDP growth accelerating to 7.4% in the fourth quarter (Q4) driven by robust performances in construction, public administration, and financial services, provisional estimates of GDP released on Friday showed. This is, however, lower than the 8.4% growth reported in Q4 of the previous financial year, but higher than 6.4% in the third quarter of FY25, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. The data surprised most analysts who had forecast the GDP growth to be below 7% in Q4. The real GDP growth for FY25 stood at 6.5%, in line with RBI’s projections. In FY24, the GDP had grown at 9.2%. The surge in the fourth quarter was led by construction (10.8% growth), public administration & defence (8.7%), and financial services (7.8%), signalling strong infrastructure and government-led activity. Agriculture (primary sector) rebounded to 5.0% growth in Q4, a sharp recovery from 0.8% in the same quarter last year. Manufacturing growth declined sharply year-on-year to 4.8% in the fourth quarter of FY25 compared with 11.3% in Real gdp growth 15 13.5% 2022-23 12 9.7% 7.6% 9.2% 6.5% 2023-24 9.3% 9.5% 6% 6.4% 9 6.5% 6 5.6% 3 Q1 Q2 the corresponding quarter previous year. For the full year, the manufacturing sector in real terms grew at 4.5% against 12.3% in the previous year. Private final consumption expenditure (PFCE) rose 7.2% in FY25, showing robust demand. However, PPCE moderated to 6% in Q4. Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran said contribution of private consumption to GDP rose to 61% (current prices) in FY25—the highest since FY04. Investment, or gross fixed capital formation, slowed down in FY25 to 7.1% against 8.8% in the previous year. However, investments picked up in Q4 of FY25 to 9.4%, the highest quarterly growth during the year. 2024-25 8.4% 7.4% 6.9% 4.8% Q3 Q4 The CEA said industrial growth picked pace in Q4, helped by the monetary policy —by lowering rates and easing liquidity, while the services sector maintained its pace. Nominal GDP rose 9.8% in FY25 to `331 lakh crore, or $3.92 trillion in dollar terms. Nominal GDP growth hit 10.8% in Q4, reflecting both real expansion and inflation. For FY26, CEA estimated the growth in the 6.3-6.8% range. “If we continue with the efforts to bring in FDI and private capex, and urban consumption picks up on the back of higher capital formation, and tax cuts, we can achieve the growth around 6.8%,” Nageswaran pointed out. Following concerns raised, mainly from Tamil Nadu, that the proposed norms for gold loans issued by the Reserve Bank of India will seriously affect small borrowers, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) functioning under the Union Ministry of Finance on Friday said that it has suggested to the RBI to ensure that the requirements of small gold loan borrowers are not adversely affected. Leaders of parties across the political spectrum in Tamil Nadu had expressed concerns over the draft norms. Chief Minister MK Stalin on Wednesday wrote a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, requesting her urgent TO end pact with Turkish Airlines DGCA on Friday asked IndiGo to terminate its leasing of two Boeing 777 aircraft from Turkish Airlines by August 31 People carry their children as they wade through a waterlogged road in Guwahati, Assam, on Friday| PTI IN a surprising order, the Supreme Court on Friday issued directions that the post-graduate medical entrance exam scheduled on June 15 be conducted in a single shift, saying holding it in two shifts “creates arbitrariness”. A three-judge vacation bench comprising justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Kumar and N K Anjaria rejected the decision of the National Board of Examination to hold NEET-PG 2025 in two shifts. “Holding the exam in two shifts leads to arbitrariness and cannot give a level playing field. The question papers in the two shifts can never be of the same difficulty level…The examining body ought to have considered making arrangements for holding the examination in one shift,” the bench said. The court was hearing petitions challenging the the two shifts. Counsel for NBE told the court that to hold the exam in one shift, 900 extra centres will have to be arranged, which is not possible before June 15. The counsel further said NBE has limited centres to hold the exam in one shift. After hearing NBE’s submissions, the court said, “We are not ready to accept that examining body could not find enough centres to hold the examination in one shift.” The bench, however, clarified that NBE can apply for extension of time if they fail to make the arrangements by June 15, the date of the exam. need time to be implemented at the field level and hence may be suitable for implementation only from January 1, 2026. It further said it “has suggested that small ticket borrowers below `2 lakh may be excluded from the requirements of these proposed directions to ensure timely and speedy disbursement of loans for such small borrowers”. election with 65% participation. There’s an elected governDays after the Cong ress ment in Kashmir today, and squir med after its leader therefore, for people to want to Shashi Tharoor aligned him- undo everything that has hapself with the government’s Op- pened, the prosperity that has eration Sindoor against Paki- come to Kashmir, it would not stan’s terror nests, another be advisable,” the Congress veteran leader Salman Khur- leader added. shid on Friday went completely The delegation led by Janata against the party line, Dal (United) MP Sanjay saying the abrogation Kumar Jha reached Jaof Article 370 in J&K in karta on Wednesday as 2019 ushered in prosperpart of India’s diplomatity and democratic ic outreach on Operation progress to the region. Sindoor. It engaged with Speaking to members various think tanks, inof Indonesian think cluding the Indonesian tanks and academia as Council of World Afpart of an all-party Infairs; Centre for Stratedian parliamentary delgic and International For people to egation, Khurshid acStudies; Foreign Policy want to undo knowledged that the everything that Community of Indonespecial status previous- has happened, sia; The Habibie Centre; ly granted to J&K had the prosperity Indo-Pacific Strategic Incontributed to a sense that has come telligence Centre for Into Kashmir, it of separation from the donesia Policy Studies, would not be rest of India. University of Indonesia, advisable “Kashmir had a maand the Indonesia Air jor problem for a long Power Studies Centre. time. Much of that was reflectThe BJP national spokespered in the thinking of the gov- son Shehzad Poonawalla used ernment in an Article called Khurshid’s comment to poke 370 of the Constitution, which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. somehow gave the impression “Hope Congress does not desigthat it was separate from the nate Salman Khurshid as “Surest of the country But Article . per Pravakta” after he has 370 was abrogated and it was busted their narrative on 370... finally put to an end,” Khur- Will Rahul Gandhi admit Art shid said. 370 was his family blunder?” he “Subsequently there was an wondered. , water world s u c h i t r a k a lya n m o h a nt y @ New Delhi intervention as the rules would disrupt access to credit, especially for farmers, and affect rural economy He objected in . particular to the rule to prohibit banks from accepting gold as security for agricultural loans of up to `2 lakh. A statement from DFS on Friday said the new guidelines — Draft Directions on Lending Against Gold Collateral — will Pa r v e z S u lta n @ New Delhi S K u m a r e s a n @ Chennai 2 shifts ‘arbitrary’, hold NEET-PG in 1, says sc 2 wks before exam A statement from Department of Financial Services (DFS) said the ‘Draft Directions on Lending Against Gold Collateral’ will need time to implement at the field level and hence may be suitable for implementation only from January 1, 2026 Look who’s seeing merit in Art 370’s INDIGO abrogation in J&K I am PMK’s chief, asserts Anbumani in fight with dad A day after the no-holds-barred attack by his father and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) founder Dr S Ramadoss, son and party president Dr Anbumani Ramadoss on Friday asserted that the party is under his control as he was duly elected as chief by the PMK’s general council. The party “does not belong to any one individual. It belongs to the cadres”, he said. Though Anbumani claimed that his “position as party president was recognised by the Election Commission of India”, conflicting statements over key party appointments issued by the father and the son all through the day sparked quite a bit of confusion among the cadres and raised concerns regarding the party’s stability . Even as Anbumani was holding a party’s district office-bearers’ meet in Sholinganallur, Ramadoss removed Anbumani party treasurer T hila g abama and Villupuram central district secretary and Mailam MLA C Sivakumar from their posts, appointing Syed Mansoor Hussain in Thilagabama’s place. However, Anbumani swiftly countered the decisions, saying that only the party’s general council has the authority to appoint or remove functionaries. Addressing the consultative meeting of functionaries from 11 districts, Anbumani said, “From the day I became PMK president, I haven’t been able to function independently. But from today, I will.” Anbumani also indirectly responded to the remarks made by his father at the press meet held on Thursday.  P7 May be Implemented from jan 1, 2026: DFS 53 :1 pu p i l-t eac h e r rat i o More seats in TN arts colleges, but only guest lecturers to tutor students B I N I TA J AISWA L @ Chennai Fulfilling its promise made in this year’s budget that 15,000 more seats will be created in government arts and science colleges, the Tamil Nadu government’s Higher Education (HE) department issued an order last week to introduce 252 new courses in 100 colleges across TN. However, the department has asked the Collegiate Education Commissioner (CEC) to engage only temporary guest lecturers (GLs) to cater to the increased number of courses and students. Moreover, it has sanctioned less than 50% of the number of GLs sought by the CEC. As per the order, the proposal sent by the CEC to the government said that 558 GLs will be required to teach these 252 203 sanction of faculty 421 L13.95 cr Funds sought L6.3 cr 10,396 2nd shift Funds sanctioned 137 2,950 2,008 173 (existing) 49 1st/2nd shift 203 (new) 49 (new) 57 43 29 Colleges Courses GLs sought Seats GLs sanctioned courses for the first-year students who join these courses in both first and second shifts in colleges. Consequently the CEC , has sought `13.95 crore for the 2025-26 academic year to pay salaries to these GLs at the rate of `25,000 per month. (GLs are not paid salaries during the twomonth vacation period). However, without explicitly mentioning any reason, the order sanctioned approval for engaging 252 GLs and allotted `6.3 crore for their salaries. “CEC had asked money for the total number of staff needed, but the department has allocated lesser funds because they want to manage gap with the available staff. This is unfair and it will affect the quality of teaching also,” said V Thangaraj, president, All Government UGC Qualified Guest Lecturers Association, which has been demanding to increase salary of GLs for long. Of the 15,354 seats added in total, 2,008 have been added by incremental increase of seats in 173 courses. P7 Welcoming the announcement, CM Stalin said protecting the interests of small borrowers, and ensuring timely and accessible credit to them have been his consistent demand. The CM also emphasised that such policies, having a significant impact on the poor, should be arrived at after prior consultation with states. CPM MP Su Venkatesan, who had requested Sitharaman in person to withdraw the RBI’s guidelines, said the minister’s response is a big victory for the people’s voice. He expressed hope that the RBI would withdraw all restrictions for availing of gold loans. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami urged the centre to remove all restrictions.  P7 3 convicted Ex-BJP neta’s son gets lifer in ’22 Ankita Bhandari case N AR E N DRA S E T HI @ Dehradun A court in Kotdwar on Friday sentenced three accused to life imprisonment in the 2022 Ankita Bhandari murder case. Additional district and sessions judge Reena Negi found Pulkit Arya, Saurabh Bhaskar, and Ankit Gupta guilty under sections 302, 201, 120B, and 354A of the IPC and the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act. “Justice has been served,” said those present in the courtroom as the verdict was delivered. Besides the life sentence, the court also slapped a fine of `50,000 each on all three convicts and directed a compensation of `4 lakh for Bhandari’s family . Bhandari (19), a receptionist at Vanantra Resort located in Yamkeshwar of Pauri district, was killed on September 18, 2022 by resort operator Pulkit Arya and his two employees Saurabh Bhaskar and Ankit Gupta. Police investigations revealed that Ankita was being pressured by resort owner Pulkit Arya and his associates, Ankit Gupta and Saurabh Bhaskar, to engage in immoral activities. According to the prosecution, Bhandari and Arya had a dispute after which the three pushed the woman into the Cheela canal in Rishikesh. After her body was found from the canal, police arrested all three. Pulkit Arya is the son of former BJP leader Vinod Arya. The party showed the door to Vinod Arya soon after the verdict was delivered on Friday . express read Won’t apologise if I am not wrong: Kamal Chennai: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan, who waded into a controversy by saying “Kannada was born out of Tamil”, refused to apologise again on Friday. “If I am wrong, I will apologise. If I am not, then I won’t,” he said | P4 Hand over Saeed and Azhar, Rajnath to Pak New Delhi: Pakistan should hand over terrorists Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar to India if it is serious about talks, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday during an interaction with naval warriors