hyderabad l friday l october 24, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 36 l late city EDITION Digital payments made up 99.7% transactions by volume in 2024 Digital payments accounted for 99.7% of total transactions by volume and 97.5% by value in 2024, the RBI said in a report on Thursday Trend continues in first half of 2025 UPI accounts for 85% of transactions There were 20,849 crore digital transactions in 2024, up from 3,248 crore in 2019, the RBI said in its half-yearly Payment System Report. In terms of value, `2,830 lakh crore was transacted through digital payment systems in 2024, up from `1,775 lakh crore in 2019. The transaction volume for the first half of 2025 stood at 12,549 crore, amounting to `1,572 lakh crore ■ ■ In terms of volume, UPI accounted for the largest share at 85% during the first half of 2025. Digital payments include NEFT, IMPS, RTGS, NACH, debit and credit cards, prepaid instruments and UPI Payments using debit cards have declined since 2019. In contrast, the value of credit card transactions have surged nearly 200% `143.3 lakh cr the value of all UPI transactions made in the first half of 2025 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 Call on BC quota, local polls after Nov 3 E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad Decision making The state Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday decided to take , up the issues of Backward Class (BC) reservations and local body elections after the High Court hearing on November 3. The Cabinet will meet again on November 7 to take final decisions on the reservation policy and the conduct of elections, subject to the court’s verdict. The meeting, which lasted nearly four hours, saw several  Final decision on BC reservations and local body polls to be taken after HC hearing on November 3  Two-child norm scrapped  Resumption of SLBC tunnel works; completion target set for June 2028. key decisions being taken. It is learnt that the Council of Ministers also met separately after  Orders to expedite completion of TIMS units at Warangal, LB Nagar, Sanathnagar, and Alwal.  In-principle approval for a 1,500 MW units battery storage project  62.5 MW RTS-B unit of the Ramagundam Thermal Station to be decommissioned the Cabinet meeting to discuss the Jubilee Hills byelection. Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy announced the Cabinet decisions at a press conference held at the Secretariat, along with Ministers Jupally Krishna Rao, Konda Surekha, Vakiti Srihari and Ponnam Prabhakar. As expected, the Cabinet approved the removal of the twochild norm for contesting local body elections and decided to delete Section 21(3) of the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act, 2018. Since the Assembly is prorogued, the amendment will be issued through an Ordinance with the Governor’s approval, Srinivasa Reddy said.  continued on P5 Tejashwi is INDIA bloc’s CM face, Sahani deputy Announcement after Gehlot-Lalu meet; no word yet on seat-sharing R A M A S H A N K A R @ Patna ASEAN-India Modi speaks to Malaysian PM, to virtually address meet J ayan t h J a c o b @ New Delhi India and Malaysia announced on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join the ASEAN-India summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26 virtually after a telephonic conversation between Modi and Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim. “I had a warm conversation with my dear friend, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia. Congratulated him on Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship and conveyed best wishes for the success of the upcoming Summits. Look forward to joining the ASEAN-India Summit virtually and to further deepening the ASEANIndia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Modi said on X. Ibrahim said he respected M o d i ’s d e c i sion, adding that Malaysia remained committed to advancing bilateral and Narendra Modi ASEAN-India cooperation for a “more peaceful and prosperous region”. While the Indian statement did not cite reasons for Modi’s decision to skip the regional gathering, it is learnt that the upcoming Bihar assembly elections and the absence of immediate breakthroughs in trade talks with the US influenced the move. US President Donald Trump is scheduled to visit Malaysia for the summit. This newspaper had reported that Modi was unlikely to attend the summit and would address the event virtually At the . summit, both sides will review progress in ASEAN-India relations and discuss new initiatives under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will represent India at the 20th East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27. WITH THIS ISSUE CHENNAI’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 36 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID) After weeks of hectic parleys, the opposition INDIA bloc on Thursday declared Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Bihar elections. Cong ress leader Ashok Gehlot announced the decision at a press meet in Patna, a day after he and party’s state incharge Krishna Allavaru met RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Tejashwi to end the stalemate over seat-sharing and ‘friendly fight’ in a few seats. However, in the press meet, there was no announcement of any seat-sharing deal. Gehlot, who has been camping in Patna since Wednesday, said Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahani will be the alliance’s deputy CM face. He said more deputy CMs would be appointed if INDIA bloc comes to power. Tejashwi, Sahani, CPI-ML (Liberation)’s Dipankar Bhattacharya, and state Congress president Rajesh Ram addressed the press meet along with Gehlot. “Tejashwi is a young and dynamic leader. We are also declaring Mukesh Sahani, an EBC lead- Vikassheel Insan Party chief Mukesh Sahani, CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav during a press conference in Patna on Thursday | PTI People won’t forget ‘jungle raj’ for 100 yrs: Modi Referring to the RJD rule in the past as ‘jungle raj’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said people won’t forget it for another 100 years. Modi said the opposition alliance is not a ‘gathbandhan’ but a ‘lathbandhan’ (coalition of criminals) as its leaders are out on bail er, who has struggled to rise to this position, as the deputy CM face. Sahani is a messiah of his (Mallah) community After we . win the elections, some people from other sections of society could also be made deputy CMs,” Gehlot said. Tejashwi thanked his father Lalu, Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge for reposing faith in him. “I alone will not become CM but everyone from Bihar will become Change Makers (CMs),” he remarked. He claimed if a government is formed un- der his leadership, he would do all the development works the NDA could not do in 20 years, in just 20 months. Taking a dig at the NDA for not announcing its CM face, Tejashwi said, “Why did the NDA not declare Nitish the CM face? We have been saying that the BJP will not make Nitish the CM. Ami Shah has also clearly said it the elected MLAs will take a decision on this… You (the BJP) have always declared a CM face. Why not this time?” Gehlot also targeted Shah, saying: “Your contention that Nitish will lead the NDA in the polls has no meaning.”  P10 KCR galvanises BRS cadre ahead of JH bypoll, says victory in the constituency is a certainty, calls upon party activists and leaders to focus on securing the seat held by the pink party with a huge majority | P4 How it works 1 First, calcium carbide goes into the hole ‘Cannon’ Bore Cannon Drum Igniter E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad In a major scientific breakthrough, researchers at the Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI), Mulugu, have successfully developed an improved ger mination technique for Givotia rottleriformis (Poniki Chetulu in Telugu), a rare tree species crucial to the famous Nirmal handicraft industry The innovation prom. ises to revive dwindling populations of the species and support the livelihoods of hundreds of artisan families. Givotia rottleriformis, locally known as Poniki, is renowned for its soft and lightweight wood, ideal for crafting toys, figurines, lacquered artefacts, and traditional art pieces that hold the Geographical Indication (GI) tag of Nirmal, Telangana. However, its natural populations have sharply declined due to poor regeneration, seed dormancy and , habitat degradation, making the species increasingly difficult to cultivate. Speaking about the achievement, the Dean of FCRI, V Krishna, IFS, stated, “This achievement reflects FCRI’s commitment to blending scientific innovation with cultural preservation for socio-economic development of forest-based industries and communities. Reviving Givotia rottleriformis is not just about protecting a native tree species; it is about sustaining the livelihoods of artisan communities and preserving Telangana’s unique heritage. We are proud that our young researchers are contributing solutions of national importance.” T he breakthrough was achieved by Maloth Mounika, a research scholar, under the guidance of Dr Reeja Sundaram, assistant professor, Department of Tree Breeding and Improvement at FCRI.  Continued on P2 3 Igniter burns gas, creates a big bang ‘Carbide gun’ partially blinds at least 14 in MP A n u r aa g S i n g h @ Bhopal A ‘desi firecracker gun’ landed as many as 122 Deepawali revelers in hospitals across Madhya Pradesh, at least 14 of whom have partially lost their eyesight. Better known as a ‘carbide gun’, the contraption got humongous traction on social media and became a must have ‘equipment’ for children and teenagers looking for a big bang. Priced at `150–200, they were sold as toys despite the possibility of misfire. By the time the state government banned it on October 18, they had already entered many homes. Vidisha, which neighbours Bhopal, is the worst-hit among all districts. The Vidisha district police have arrested six persons for the illegal sale of the guns. “I can’t see anything since the carbide gun we bought on Deepawali exploded. One of my eyes has burnt completely,” recounted 17year-old Neha, who is currently recuperating at the state government’s Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal. Of the 122 patients, 26 are under treatment at Hamidia Hospital. Some teenagers attempted to make them at home using plastic or tin pipes, filling them with gunpowder, matchstick heads and calcium carbide. One such teen Raj Vishwakarma said, “I attempted to make it at home. That was when it went off on my face, resulting in loss of sight in one of the eyes.” Damage to retina Its explosion results in emission of metal fragments and carbide vapour, both dangerous to the retina E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad US carrier Southwest Airlines will set up a Global Innovation Centre in Hyderabad, the company announced during a meeting with Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the Secretariat on Thursday. Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy was also present. The delegation comprised Chief Information Officer Lauren Woods, Chief Technology Officer Tom Merritt, Head (Legal Counsel) Jason Shying, and Sarthak Brahma from HEX Advisory Group. Revanth welcomed the move and said his government was committed to supporting investments that strengthen Hyderabad’s technology ecosystem. He outlined the state’s “Telangana Rising 2047” vision, which aims for a $1 trillion economy by 2034 and a $3 trillion economy by 2047. Special Chief Secretary (CMO) Jayesh Ranjan and Special Secretary to the Chief Minister B Ajith Reddy also attended the meeting. Express Read Patients have ruptured their pupils, in many cases leading to permanent blindness — Dr Manish Sharma, Bhopal district chief medical and health officer Air India faces 250 seat faults each month New Delhi: An average of 250 passenger seats on Air India flights develop faults every month, posing a persistent challenge for the Tata group as it works to modernise the ageing fleet of aircraft it acquired from the government in January 2022 | P10 Rizvi got bumper job offer, opted for VRS, says Jupally Surekha apologises to chief minister for daughter’s outburst Hyderabad: Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday tendered a public apology to Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for the remarks made by her daughter Sushmita. Surekha stated that her daughter had been “carried away” by the situation, which she attributed to the “unnecessary presence of police personnel” at her residence. “I apologise for her (Sushmita’s) statements,” the minister told the media. seeds of life FCRI tech to revive rare Poniki tree 2 Next, water added, produces acyteline gas Southwest Airlines to set up GIC in Hyd It’s a fight between Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s sonin-law and Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao’s son over a `500 crore hologram tender. Rizvi refused to carry out orders from Jupally Krishna Rao. The minister also wrote a letter to the government not to accept his resignation KT Rama Rao, BRS working president IAS officer SAM Rizvi’s VRS exposes how Telangana’s bureaucracy is being crushed between corrupt politics and blame game. If ministers can’t make an officer bend to their pressure, do they choose to sacrifice him instead? Is this how the Congress govt plans to run the administration — by harassing officers who refuse to serve their personal interests? Bandi Sanjay, Minister of State (Home) E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Hyderabad Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Thursday strongly condemned reports suggesting that he was the reason behind Principal Secretary (Commercial Taxes and Excise) Syed Ali Murtaza Rizvi opting for voluntary retirement. He alleged that Rizvi chose voluntary retirement after receiving an offer from a Hyderabadbased superspeciality hospital with a salary of `10 lakh per month. Addressing a press conference at the state Secretariat after a lengthy Cabinet meeting, Krishna Rao stated that he would initiate defamation proceedings against BRS working president KT Rama Rao and others. Notably the minister , admitted that he had written to the chief secretary requesting action against Rizvi for allegedly not fulfilling his duties. He emphasised that Rizvi opted for voluntary retirement solely for personal reasons. According to him, Rizvi had received two offers from Delhi and one from Hyderabad. Explaining what went wrong, Krishna Rao said that the chief minister is the executive head of the state, and ministers head the departments concerned as per the Constitution of India, and that secretaries must abide by the orders issued. He stated that the tender for adhesive labels on liquor bottles had been awarded to a company on August 21, 2013, and was valid until 2019. Even after the agreement expired, it was extended year by year for five years, he added. “After I took charge as minister, I ordered fresh tenders by studying the best technologies available globally constituting , a committee headed by Rizvi. I sent multiple reminders on August 13, 2024; September 24, 2024; September 27, 2024; October 17, 2024; and December 9, 2024. When Rizvi showed reluctance to chair the committee, I insisted that he head it,” he said. Stating that Rizvi had delayed the renewal of a distillery lease, Krishna Rao said that the delay cost the state exchequer `23 crore per month, amounting to `230 crore over the past ten months. He said that he had written to the chief secretary against Rizvi for causing loss to the state exchequer. He also noted that he wrote another letter on October 11, 2025, asking that Rizvi’s voluntary retirement not be accepted. “How on earth is it wrong to ask someone to perform their legitimate duties and question them when they fail to do so?” Krishna Rao asked. The minister denied BRS allegations of a scam, saying it was illogical to call it a `500 crore scam when tenders had not even been invited and the proposed tenders were worth only `40 crore a year.   Related reports on P4