HYDERABAD l sunday l October 12, 2025 l `12.00 l PAGES 26 l LATE CITY EDITION Protecting girl child must be core Priority of digital governance: CJI B R Gavai on Saturday flagged the heightened vulnerability of the girl child in the digital age and said that protecting her must be the core priority ‘Today’s challenges more sophisticated’ Need better enforcement, education: gavai “From online harassment, cyberbullying, and digital stalking to the misuse of personal data and deepfake imagery, the challenges have grown both in scale and sophistication,” Gavai said. Despite constitutional and legal guarantees, many girls across India continue to be denied fundamental rights and even basic necessities, he added ■ ■ Gavai emphasised that laws addressing online sexual exploitation, digital trafficking, and cyber harassment must be complemented by effective enforcement, as well as robust education and awareness Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, Where the Mind is Without Fear, captures the very essence of what is sought for girls in India, CJI said CJI was speaking at an event organised by SC’s juvenile justice committee 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 Gor meets PM, EAM Celebrating power of change: Devi Awards return to Hyderabad amid efforts to reset ties E x press N e w s S er v i c e @ Hyderabad Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an interaction with farmers at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, in New Delhi on Saturday | PTI `35,440 cr push to boost farm yield, achieve self-reliance PM Modi launches two key agriculture schemes, urges farmers to tap global markets M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched two major agricultural schemes with a cumulative outlay of `35,440 crore, including a mission for self-reliance in pulses. Launching the schemes at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute campus here, Modi urged farmers to increase production to meet domestic and global demand. “On one hand, we have to be self-reliant. On the other, we also have to produce for the global market. Friends, we must knock on the doors of the world,” Modi said, asking farmers to focus on crops t h a t h ave g l o b a l demand. The two schemes—`24,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) and a `11,440 crore Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses—are aimed at “changing the fate of millions of farmers”, he said. PM-DDKY aims to transform 100 low-performing agricultural districts based on the Aspirational Districts Programme model. The scheme will focus on enhancing crop productivity and diversification, improving irrigation and storage facilities, and ensuring credit access in the selected districts. T-Square CM wants vibrant designs, work to begin by Nov E N S @ Hyderabad Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has instructed officials to begin work on the development of T-Square by November and to come up with vibrant designs for the project, making it an iconic structure and a happening place in Hyderabad. The government has taken up T-Square to create a digital canvas for Hyderabad, keeping in mind the needs of the social media age. Revanth held a review meeting along with IT Minister D Sridhar Babu on T-Square and the AI Hub at the Integrated Command and Control Centre on Saturday . He instructed officials to design T-Square as an intersection of entertainment, tourism, food, and business, attracting visitors round the clock. He also suggested making provisions to accommodate major global players like Apple within T-Square. The designs should take parking needs into consideration to ensure seamless vehicular movement, he added. continued on p4 Modi urged farmers to increase cultivation acreage by 35 lakh hectares by 2030 to boost production and achieve self-reliance, as it targets raising production from the current 252.38 lakh tonnes to 350 lakh tonnes by 2030-31, thereby reducing import dependency . The PM also inaugurated projects valued at over `5,450 crore in agriculture, animal husbandry, fisheries and food processing sectors, while laying the foundation stone for additional projects worth around `815 crore. These included Artificial Insemination Training Center at Bengaluru and in Jammu & Kashmir; Centre of Excellence at Amreli and Banas; Establishment of IVF Lab in Assam under Rashtriya Gokul Mission; Milk Powder Plants at Mehsana, Indore and Bhilwara; Fish Feed Plant under Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana at Tezpur, Assam; Infrastructure for Agroprocessing Clusters, Integrated Cold Chain, and Value Addition Infrastructure, among others. Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh and Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary were present during the event. WITH THIS ISSUE Life in the Time of Solitude Stories of courage, creativity and conviction take centrestage once again as The New Indian Express brings the Devi Awards back to Hyderabad after a nine-year gap. The city last hosted the event in 2016, and its return promises an evening of inspiration and recognition. From animal rights advocates to AI innovators, veteran artists to entrepreneurs, surgeons to scientists, this year’s edition celebrates women who are driving change across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The celebrations will unfold on Sunday at ITC Kakatiya, Begumpet, where these changemakers will be honoured for their jour neys and contributions. Instituted in 2014, the Devi Awards honour women who have gone beyond personal and professional boundaries to transform lives and challenge convention. Now in its 34th edition, the awards will once again recognise those who embody strength and purpose, with Justice V Ramasubramanian, chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission and former Supreme Court judge, presenting the honours. Among the 10 awardees this year are women who have built movements, broken barriers and bridged worlds. Saraswathi Malluvalasa, the force behind the Millets Sisters Network, has been empowering women and promoting sustainable livelihoods in Andhra Pradesh. Shreya Paropkari, a legal expert and one of the country’s leading voices in animal protection law, continues to advance the cause of animal rights. Anjani Reddy, a celebrated painter, has shaped the contours of contemporary Indian art, while Anu Acharya, a visionary entrepreneur, has placed Indian genomics on the global map. Dr Rashna Bhandari, a leading cellular biochemist, heads groundbreaking research at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, and Dr Palukuri Lakshmi, the first woman to head the Department of Burns, Cong to approach SC on GO 9 stay ens @ Hyderabad The ruling Congress has announced that the state government, led by the party will approach , the Supreme Court against the interim stay granted by the Telangana High Court on GOs 9, 41, and 42, which provide 42% reservations for Backward Classes (BCs) in local body elections. The party issued a statement to this effect on Saturday . While the high court gave the state the liberty to conduct the local body elections by treating the additional BC quota as general seats, the Congress government appears determined to hold the polls by implementing the 42% quota as promised in its BC Declaration. The state government plans to reiterate before the Supreme Court the arguments it presented during the recent high court hearing, asserting that it has complied with the “triple test” formula laid down by the apex court. It contends that it has fulfilled the requirement by conducting the Socio-Economic, Education, Employment, Political and Caste (SEEEPC) Survey and collecting empirical data through a dedicated commission. Additionally the government main, tains that courts cannot encroach upon the jurisdiction of the Election Commission once an election has been notified.  continued on p4 Hold local polls as per PR Act, 2018: HC to TG PLUS 12 P AGES The high court, which stayed 42% quota for BCs in local bodies, has directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to conduct local polls in accordance with the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018, and the Supreme Court’s rulings that cap total reservations at 50% | P4 H i g hest G r o sse r Kantara: Chapter 1 in `500 cr club A S H A R A D H A A @ Bengaluru Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: Chapter 1 has emerged as a box-office phenomenon, redefining the reach of Kannada cinema across India. Released on October 2, Kantara: Chapter 1 has already amassed over `500 crore globally in its opening weekend. Hombale Productions, which has backed the film, announced that the first week numbers (global box office) stand at `509.25 crore. In India, the Hindi and Kannada versions have amassed over `100 crore, with the Telugu, Tamil, and Malayalam versions contributing `64 crore, `31.5 crore, and `26.5 crore, respectively. Interestingly, the original Kantara (2022) concluded its lifetime run at `450 crore. “What truly matters is that audiences of all ages and backgrounds are coming to watch the film; we made this cinema Pic: Kevin Nashon for them, and if they enjoy it, that is the ultimate satisfaction for me as a technician and for the entire team,” says Rishab Shetty, who not only starred in the film but also directed the cultural phenomenon. Commenting on the success of Kantara: Chapter 1, noted Tamil Nadu distributor and theatre owner Tiruppur Subramaniam points out that the film will have an unrestricted run in Tamil Nadu till Diwali.  continued on p7 Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery at Osmania Medical College, has blazed a trail in her field. Elahe Hiptoola, film producer and cultural catalyst, continues to nurture Hyderabad’s creative energy, while Mrunalini Rao, a NIFT gold medallist, has redefined fashion through designs that are both contemporary and rooted. Talluri Pallavi, a young innovator, is harnessing artificial intelligence for real-world applications, and Rekha Lahoti, CEO of Kalakriti India and founder of the Krishnakriti Foundation and FrancoIndian Education Trust, continues to build cultural and educational bridges. Since its inception, the Devi Awards have recognised 405 women across 33 editions, each story a testament to purpose and perseverance. As the spotlight returns to Hyderabad, the spirit of Devi — fierce, fearless, and transformative — continues to inspire a more equitable future. J ayanth J a c o b @ New Delhi amiD tariff tensions rocking India-US ties, US Ambassadordesignate Sergio Gor on Saturday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. “Glad to receive Mr Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I’m confident his tenure will further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership,” PM Modi wrote on X. Gor said the US values its ties with India and “under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I’m optimistic about the days ahead for our nations”. He presented Modi with a signed and framed photograph from a joint press conference at the White House earlier this year, featuring Trump’s handwritten message: “Mr Prime Minister, you are great”. “I had an incredible meeting with Prime Minister Modi. We discussed bilateral issues, including defence, trade and technology,” Gor said, adding that the discussion also touched upon critical minerals—an increasingly strategic domain for both economies amid global supply chain realignments. The US Senate confirmed Gor US ambassador-designate Sergio Gor meets External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in New Delhi on Saturday | PTI as the country’s next ambassador to India on Wednesday . “Discussed the India–US relationship and its global significance. Wish him the best for his new responsibility Jaishankar ,” wrote on X. Gor’s visit marks a significant diplomatic step ahead of his formal assumption of office early next year. It comes at a sensitive time, as steep US tariffs have driven bilateral ties to their lowest point in decades. A close aide of Trump and key figure in diplomatic circles, Gor is on a six-day visit along with US Deputy Secretary for Management and Resources Michael J Rigas. A possible bilateral meeting between Modi and Trump on the sidelines of the ASEAN Summit in Malaysia later this month remains on the cards.