vijayawada l saturday l august 30, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l late city EDITION 3-member panel formed to probe landslide on Vaishno devi route Committee to submit report within 2 weeks The probe panel will be headed by additional chief secretary, Department of Jal Shakti. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspector General of Police B S Tuti are the two other members. The threemember committee will submit its report within two weeks to Sinha, who is also the chairman of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday constituted a three-member panel to inquire into the reasons behind the landslide ■ 34 yatra stopped before cloudburst: Board ■ ■ The committee will examine the reasons behind the tragedy, point out lapses, and suggest appropriate preventive measures The probe comes amid protests against Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board for allegedly allowing the yatra despite weather warnings The Board said it stopped the pilgrimage ahead of the cloudburst Pilgrims were killed and 20 others injured in the landslide on aUGUST 26 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 Robust govt spending boosts Q1 growth India, Japan unveil 10-yr economic roadmap GDP grows 7.8%, beats estimates Di pak M on d al @ New Delhi AMID unprecedented global uncertainties precipitated by US President Donald Trump’s tariff war, India’s GDP grew to a 5-month high of 7.8% in the April-June quarter, beating all estimates and surprising many . Most analysts had expected India’s growth to come in below 7% during the period. Even the RBI projection for the first quarter was a moderate 6.5%, which showed the spectacular resilience of the Indian economy . The strong performance was driven by a buoyant services sector, which registered a substantial real GVA (gross value added) g rowth of 9.3%, and the manufacturing sector, which grew 7.7% during the quarter. Chief Economic Adviser V Anantha Nageswaran said the growth was broad-based. “Agriculture GVA rose 3.7%, which is usually expected to be modest in this quarter. Manufacturing expanded by 7.7%, while services also recorded strong growth, consistent with robust PMI services readings in recent months,” he said. Both manufacturing and construction sectors demonstrated robust growth, with 15 12 9 6 3 6.9% 6% 9.7% 9.3% 9.5% 4.8% Q2 After seeing the resilience of Q1 growth, we are retaining the growth rate projections for current fiscal at 6.3-6.8% V Anantha Nageswaran, Chief Economic Advisor 5.6% 8.4% Q3 Q4 Q1 2022-2023 Q2 Q3 2023-2024 Q4 7.8% 7.4% 6.4% 6.5% Q1 In absolute terms, the real GDP for Q1 of 2025-26 is estimated at `47.89 lakh crore, up from `44.42 lakh crore in the same quarter last year. The nominal GDP for the quarter stands at `86.05 lakh crore, up 8.8% Crests and troughs 13.5% Q1 Q2 E x p ress N e w s S er v ice @ Visakhapatnam Real GDP at `47.89 lakh crore GVA rates of 7.7% and 7.6%, respectively The agriculture . and allied sector also showed healthy improvement, rising to 3.7% from 1.5%. Private consumption grew 7%, lower than 8.3% a year ago but still strong. The CEA said rural consumption had held up well. “We would even argue that urban consumption hasn’t been as weak as some indicators suggest. Rural consumption has been supported by sharply rising real wages in agriculture,” he said. Gover nment spending provided a boost, with final consumption expenditure rising 7.4% during the quarter. Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF)— spending on infrastructure and asset creation—rose 7.8%, higher than 6.7% in Q1 FY25. Economists attribute the Q1 growth to front-loaded government spending and a surge in exports to the US, which grew 22% during the three-month period. The Q1 GDP numbers were for the period before Trump imposed tariffs on Indian goods. Analysts fear GDP data for the second quarter may take a hit with the impact of the US tariffs on Indian goods factored in. Q3 2024-2025 Q4 Q1 FY26 Prime ministers Narendra Modi and Shigeru Ishiba | PTI world counting on India, says Modi in Japan Jayanth Jaco b @ New Delhi Amid a shifting global trade landscape, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday used his first foreign visit since the US imposed sweeping 50% tariffs on key Indian imports to deliver a clear message from Tokyo: the world is counting on India. “The world is not just watching India. It is counting on India,” Modi said, addressing top business leaders at the India-Japan Economic Forum alongside his Japanese counterpart China ties to stabilise Shigeru Ishiba. India and Japan unveiled a economic 10-year economic roadmap order: PM aimed at long-term stability, Given the strategic cooperation, and mu- volatility in the tual resilience. Its centerpiece world economy, is to secure critical supply it is important chains, expand AI and digital for India and cooperation, and deepening China to work private sector investment. together to Japan committed to mobils- bring stability ing 10 trillion yen (approxi- to the world mately $68 billion) in private economic order, investment in India over the Modi said | P9 next decade — a move widely seen as a vote of confidence in India’s economic trajectory at a time of global realignment. “We have laid a strong foundation for a new and golden chapter in our Special Strategic and Global Partnership,” Modi said. “This roadmap aligns with the priorities of both nations and meets the challenges of a changing world.” The summit launched the India-Japan Economic Security Cooperation Initiative, aimed at a “whole-of-nation” approach to bolster strategic sectors like semiconductors, rare earths, P9 clean energy AI, telecom, and biotech.  , AP to be single-use plastic free by June 5, 2026 E x p ress N e w s S er v ice @ Vijayawada In a significant step towards environmental sustainability, the Andhra Pradesh government has launched an initiative to make the State free of single-use plastics by World Environment Day on June 5, 2026. As part of this ambitious goal, a complete ban on singleuse plastics has been implemented at the State Secretariat, effective from August 15, 2025. On Friday Chief Secretary K , Chief Secretary Vijayanand inaugurates an RO plant at Block 3 of the Secretariat in Velagapudi on Friday | Express Vijayanand inaugurated a state-of-the-art Reverse Osmosis (RO) plant at the Secretariat’s third building to provide safe drinking water in stainless steel and glass bottles, replacing plastic water bottles. The initiative includes the distribution of free stainless steel water bottles to all Secretariat employees, with strict measures to prevent plastic bottles and items from entering the premises. To ensure access to safe drinking water, the Secretariat now hosts eight RO plants, and 32 water dispensing units, capable of supplying 1,000 litres of purified water per hour. Speaking after the inaugura- Reliance to partner with Meta, Google to bring affordable AI solutions to Indians R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi Unveiling its mega plans for the artificial intelligence space, India’s largest conglomerate Reliance Industries on Friday announced a wholly owned subsidiary, Reliance Intelligence, to bring AI solutions for users in India and select international markets. RIL will also join hands with global tech giants Meta and Google to bring cutting-edge AI tools to India. Reliance Intelligence will build gigawatt-scale, AIready data centres, powered by green energy and engineered for training and inference at a national scale. Jio listing next year Jio Platforms, the entity that houses Reliance Industries’ telecom and digital businesses, is gearing up for an initial public offering and stock market listing in the first half of 2026 | P12 Also on the cards is a joint venture with US firm Meta to build and scale enterprise AI solutions for businesses, with an initial joint investment of `860 crore ($100 million), with Reliance holding a 70% stake and Meta holding 30%. Announcing the details on Friday, RIL’s chair- AP eyes `30k cr investments, 3 lakh jobs in food processing man and managing director Mukesh Ambani said partnering with Meta fulfils the firm’s vision of providing AI to every Indian and enterprise by combining Meta’s most widely adopted open source Llama models with our deep expertise across multiple industries. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals. RIL also announced expansion of its partnership with Google Cloud. Reliance will build a modern cloud data centre in Jamnagar, along with associated network infrastructure. The facility will meet Google Cloud’s global technical specifications and standards, making it capable of handling advanced AI workloads. tion, Vijayanand emphasised the phased implementation of the single use plastics ban across the State, with the Secretariat leading by example. “We have banned single-use plastics in the Secretariat, and this model will be extended Statewide to achieve a plasticfree Andhra Pradesh by next World Environment Day,” the Chief Secretary explained. Vijayanand also highlighted ongoing efforts to promote public awareness about the ecofriendly initiative of the State P4 government.  express read HC: Police must wear uniform during duty Vijayawada: The AP High Court has emphasised that police must wear uniform while discharging duty, questioning how citizens can identify plainclothes men as law enforcement authorities. It made this observation while hearing a quash petition filed by ex-MLA N Prasanna Kumar Reddy | P3 AI labs come up in 50 Vizag schools Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh government, in partnership with Cyient Foundation, has set up AI, STEM, and Robotics laboratories in 50 government schools across Visakhapatnam. The initiative, costing `8 crore, was part of Cyient’s CSR programme | P4 Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said the State has set a target to attract `30,000 crore investments, and create three lakh jobs in the food processing sector over the next five years. Speaking at the India Food Manufacturing Summit organised by the Trade Promotion Council of India (TPCI) in Visakhapatnam on Friday Naidu , said India is emerging as a global hub for food processing, and Andhra Pradesh already accounts for 9% of the country’s output, valued at $49 billion. AP contributes 15.6% of India’s fruit production, earning it the sobriquet of ‘Fruit Capital of India’. “Andhra Pradesh also accounts for nearly 32% of the country’s seafood exports, with aquaculture covering 2.26 lakh acres. The State currently has about 6,000 registered food industries,” he highlighted. Naidu further said Andhra Pradesh has a strong food processing ecosystem, with nine integrated food parks equipped with plug-and-play facilities, along with cold storage and warehousing infrastructure. The State is also a leading producer of rice, mango, banana, chilli, turmeric, fish, shrimp and eggs. Andhra Pradesh has 8.45 million hectares of cultivable land, and contributes 17.85% of In- Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu flags off the Hop-on Hop-off double-decker tourist bus at Beach Road in Visakhapatnam on Friday | Express dia’s egg production, and 10.41% of meat exports. “Our priority is to focus on value addition so that our products can compete in the global market,” he remarked. The Chief Minister highlighted the State’s Food Processing Policy 4.0, which offers investment and power subsidies, and other incentives. He assured investors of speedy approvals through a single-window clearance system. “Last year, Andhra Pradesh attracted `9,000 crore investments in the agro-food processing sector alone,” he mentioned. Union Ministry of Food Processing Industries Secretary Avinash Joshi commended Andhra Pradesh’s progress in the sector, and underlined the importance of reducing food wastage through value addition. TPCI Chairman Mohit Singla announced the opening of the council’s southern regional office in Amaravati, citing Andhra Pradesh’s leadership in food processing. State Industries Minister TG Bharath, Principal Secretary for Food Processing Chiranjeevi Chowdary, senior officials, and industry representatives were present. Plea to extend SIR by a week to be heard on Sept 8, says SC S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, Ministers K Durgesh and Nadendla Manohar inspect Rushikonda buildings in Visakhapatnam on Friday | Express Rushikonda buildings may be used as MICE hub, says Deputy CM that the erstwhile APTDC resorts at Rushikonda generated `7 crore revenue per annum, Deputy Chief Minister and while the new buildings, which Jana Sena Party chief K Pawan are not in use, consume over Kalyan said the State govern- `1.5 crore power. During his ment is considering a proposal visit, Pawan Kalyan noted to convert the Rushikonda structural issues such as peelbuildings into a Meetings, In- ing ceilings and water leakage, centives, Conferences and directed officials and Exhibitions to undertake repairs, GoM set up (MICE) hub, and a on resort use and safety audit. venue for destination He said the buildA Group of weddings. ings constructed at a Ministers (GoM) Speaking after inhuge cost were inhas been set up specting the Rushikontended to serve as a to recommend da buildings on Friresidence and office strategies for day he said proposals , for the then Chief in this regard would using Rushikonda Minister. He alleged Resort. K Durgesh that `39 crore was be submitted to Chief (Tourism), Minister N Chandrabspent on interior decP Keshav abu Naidu soon, and a oration alone. (Finance), and decision is expected The Deputy CM furD Veeranjaneya before the next Asther alleged that large Swamy (Social sembly session. He obs c a l e e x c av a t i o n Welfare) are its served that `453 crore works were carried members of public funds were out, with over 8.48 spent on the project. lakh cubic metres of “The original plan was to earth removed, leading to enviconstruct seven blocks at an es- ronmental damage. timated cost of `164 crore, but He noted that cases related to only four blocks were complet- these illegal activities are pended at nearly three times more ing before the NGT, while both than the projected expenditure the Supreme Court and the by the previous YSRCP re- High Court had issued direcgime,” the Deputy CM said. tions concerning construction Pawan Kalyan pointed out norms at the site. E x p ress N e w s S er v ice @ Visakhapatnam The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear on September 8 the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) plea seeking one more week for filing claims and objections on voter registration as part of the special intensive revision (SIR) in Bihar. Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the RJD, mentioned the matter before a three-judge bench of justices Surya Kant, Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, seeking a week’s extension to the September 1 deadline. Bhushan said the RJD and a few other parties have filed applications seeking the extension of the September 1 deadline. The SC in its order agreed to bunch it with other matters on September 8. Bhushan said ove r 1 , 7 5 , 0 0 0 claims and obj e c t i o n s we r e made before and after the August 22 court order. The August 22 order directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allow the 65 lakh excluded voters to submit their claims online besides physical submissions in poll-bound Bihar. The number of claims doubled from 84,305 on August 22 to 1,78,948 on August 27 in just five days, the RJD said. When the bench asked the petitioners why they hadn’t approached ECI for relief, Bhushan claimed the poll panel had not considered their request. “Unless extended, genuine electors whose names have been erroneously deleted by the EC will not be able to submit their claims and consequently will be barred from exercising their right to vote in the coming elections.”