hyderabad l sunday l february 01, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late city EDITION Rybakina edges past Sabalenka to lift the Australian Open Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina raises a toast after her victory on Saturday | AFP Kazakh keeps her cool at arena The Kazakh, born in Moscow, is one of the hardest hitters in the game. Sabalenka, who had yet to drop a set this year, had started the final as a favourite, but very soon came under fire. Being played indoors because of rain, she recovered but the Kazakh won the first set. Sabalenka roared back to take the second but her opponent ultimately prevailed 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Elena Rybakina took out Aryna Sabalenka to win in three pulsating sets. This is the Kazakh’s second Slam and first since 2022 Wimbledon after women, over to men’s final ■ ■ Novak Djokovic, featuring in his first Slam final since 2023, has the chance to equal the record of most Majors. He has superior head to head against Carlos Alcaraz 5-4 Alcaraz, who survived a five-setter against Alexander Zverev, can become the youngest to win all four Slams 10 Djokovic has 10 Australian Open titles 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 Sunetra dy CM, Sharad Pawar sore Maha gets its first woman deputy CM; Sharad Pawar says NCP merger may hit a roadblock S u d h i r S u r ya w a n s h i @ Mumbai SUNETRA Ajit Pawar was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on Saturday at the Governor’s House in Mumbai, becoming the first woman to occupy the position in the state. She was allotted excise, sports, minority development and Aukaf (Waqf) departments, but not finance and planning which her late husband Ajit Pawar held. The brief swearing-in ceremony at the Lok Bhavan took place three days after deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar died in an air crash in Baramati on January 28. A commerce graduate, Sunetra, 62, resigned from her Rajya Sabha membership, and is expected to contest the byelection to the Baramati assembly Shah slams TMC, vows jail for corrupt SUBHENDU M AITI @ Kolkata Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday attacked the Trinamool Congress in pollbound West Bengal, alleging that no other administration in the country was as corrupt as the Mamata Banerjee-led regime and asserting that BJP would jail corrupt leaders if voted to power. Addressing BJP workers at meetings in Barrackpore and Siliguri, Shah said the party would form the government with an absolute majority. He said BJP aimed to secure over 50 per cent vote share, compared to 38 per cent in the 2021 Assembly polls and 39 per cent in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where it won 77 Assembly seats. He accused the state government of giving corruption an institutional shape and shielding tainted leaders. Targeting Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, Shah alleged corruption exceeding Rs 1,000 crore and questioned whether jailed Trinamool leaders would be renominated to prevent disclosures. Shah referred to alleged scams including Saradha, Narada, coal and cattle smuggling, school recruitment and the public distribution system, and said corruption continued despite arrests. He accused the state of blocking border fencing by denying land to the Border Security Force and alleged infiltrators were being protected for electoral gains, adding a BJP government would secure the border within 45 days. Referring to the factory fire that killed 25 workers, Shah alleged corruption and administrative failure and asked why the owners had not been arrested. Immediate challenges before Sunetra Pawar From left, CM Devendra Fadnavis, Governor Acharya Devvrat, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar after her swearing-in in Mumbai | PTI MUMBAI: Sunetra Pawar’s first challenge is to win the Baramati by-election since her miffed father-in-law, Sharad Pawar will not cede control over their bastion easily. Sunetra had lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election to Supriya Sule from Baramati. Both Sharad Pawar and Sule were invited to her swearing-in ceremony, but refused. She also needs to develop her panMaharashtra foothold. constituency represented by her late husband. After Ajit Pawar’s demise, the 85-year-old Sharad Pawar had called a meeting of the Pawar family on Friday night to discuss the merger of both factions of the NCP. But Sunetra and her two sons, Parth and with Ajit for the merger of NCP . It was his wish that both factions should come together... it appears the process may hit a roadblock following the accident,” Sharad Pawar said. Parth then rushed back to Baramati to mollify his grandfather as well as Supriya Sule.  P8 Jay skipped it and left for Mum, bai for the NCP’s legislative party meeting and oath-taking ceremony An apparently miffed . Pawar told the media in Baramati a day later that he had no idea that Sunetra was going to be sworn in as deputy CM. “We had several meetings KCR to be at home for SIT queries Ir e d d y Sr i n i v a s R e d d y @ Hyderabad Making it clear that the SIT could not legally compel his presence in Hyderabad for examination in the alleged phonetapping case, former chief minister and BRS supremo K Chandrasekhar Rao told investigators that he would be present at his Nandinagar residence on Sunday at 3 pm for recording of his statement, as he was a responsible citizen. In his reply to the notice issued by Jubilee Hills ACP P Venkatagiri under Section 160 of the CrPC in connection with Crime No. 243/2024, KCR stated: “Notwithstanding the legal position, I, being a former chief minister of Telangana and present Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, and also as a responsible citizen of this country, in order to assist the department in the investigation of the subject crime, would be As a responsible citizen, in order to assist the department in the investigation of the subject crime, I would be available for my examination at 3 pm on February 1, 2026, at my Nandinagar residence K Chandrasekhar Rao, former CM available for my examination at 3 pm on February 1, 2026, at my Nandinagar residence, as you are keen to record my statement there.” Objecting to the issuance of notices to the Nandinagar residence instead of Erravelli, KCR stated: “As per Section 160(1) of the CrPC, you neither have the jurisdiction nor the power to issue a notice to me for recording my statement in connection with the phone-tapping case, as I am not residing within the limits of Jubilee Hills police station or any of the adjoining police stations. Therefore, the notice issued is without jurisdiction, illegal and ultra vires the provisions of Section 160 of the CrPC and is not binding on me.” He added that he had been residing at Erravelli for the last several years and that the police were duty-bound to record his statement there. Responding to the SIT’s claim that it was considering his address based on his election affidavit, the BRS supremo said: “In the case of our legislator T Harish Rao .... the notice was served at Hyderabad even though the election affidavit shows his place of residence as Siddipet town.”  Continued on P4 General Budget today TDP hopes for G Ram G spend compensation Pr e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Under G RAM G, rural projects are linked to the PM Gati Shakti national master plan. I believe this will largely reduce repetition (in MGNREGA), as the scheme focuses on specific priority areas. It will also create lasting assets for communities and villages Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu Flaws in NREGA Pointing out flaws in MGNREGA, Devarayalu said the scheme often involved the same work being repeated year after year. G Ram G will address it. On tech hassle, he added, “4G is widespread. We will ensure offices are in place in areas with poor connectivity so no one is left out.” Ahead of Sunday’s Union Budget, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), a key ally of the NDA, said while the recently enacted Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Bill, 2025 (G RAM G) is expected to add an estimated `2,500 crore burden to Andhra Pradesh’s state budget, it is confident that the Centre will step in with financial support to bridge the gap. In an interview with this newspaper, TDP parliamentary party leader Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu said the party has already taken up the matter with the Centre. “We have sought the Centre’s support for implementing G RAM G, and we have received a lot of confidence from them. We expect to receive a substantial allocation for the Purvodaya scheme to meet the additional cost for G RAM G,” he said. The state is also expecting allocation of funds for river interlinking projects and the development of horticulture across at least 40 lakh acres in Rayalaseema and other backward districts in the Union Budget, added Devarayalu. Under the G RAM G Act, the guarantee of work has been increased from 100 days to 125 days per financial year, and states are required to cover 40% of the expenditure for the rural job scheme. Under this revised funding formula, Andhra Pradesh is expected to shoulder an additional Rs 2,500 crore. To meet the additional cost, the state is exploring two potential sources, the Purvodaya scheme and the Rayalaseema drought mitigation scheme, said Devarayalu. “We are hoping to secure as much funding as possible for both in the Union Budget,” he said. The Purvodaya scheme is aimed at the sustainable development of Eastern India, specifically Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, and Andhra Pradesh. A recent report by research group Libitech said that Andhra Pradesh is already burdened with nearly `10 lakh crore in debt. In 2024–25, Andhra Pradesh spent around `7,800 crore under MGNREGA, with the state contributing about `780 crore. Under the new Act, the state’s share is projected to rise sharply to nearly `3,120 crore. “We have a strategy in place, and going forward, the funds will be augmented. We will ensure that the scheme is fully implemented,” he said. Kerala trader shot during daylight robbery in Hyd C h i t h a l u r i R e v a n t h @ Hyderabad A 26-year-old clothes trader from Kerala sustained a bullet injury after two armed men shot him in the right leg during a robbery near an SBI ATM at Bank Street, Koti, on Saturday morning. The assailants fled with `6 lakh in cash and a motorcycle. Police said the victim, Rinshad PV had arrived in , Hyderabad on January 7, 2026, carrying `6 lakh to purchase wholesale stock at Dewan Devdi. As the purchase did not materialise, his cousin Mishban advised him to deposit the cash in his bank account. Accordingly, at around 7 am on Saturday, Rinshad reached the SBI Main Branch ATM at Bank Street, Koti, on a twowheeler belonging to his friend Ameer. While he was depositing the cash, two unidentified persons approached him from behind and threatened him by pressing a firear m against his abdomen. The robbers fired two rounds, one of which hit Rinshad’s right leg, causing a bleeding injury, and snatched the cash bag. They also took the bike keys and fled the spot.  Continued on P5 return to the forest Tribal priests carry Goddess Saralamma from her gadde (altar) for vana pravesham, marking the culmination of the biennial Sammakka-Saralamma Jatara at Medaram in Mulugu district on Saturday | Sri Loganathan Velmurugan | p5 In final meeting, GHMC Council passes `11,460 cr budget for expanded city To t a l Budget Money matters `11,460 crore Break up n  Erstwhile GHMC: `9,200 crore n  merged ULBs: `2,260 crore 27 Expenditure n  Revenue expenditure: `4,057 cr n  Capital expenditure: `7,403 cr S B a c h a n J e e t S i n g h @ Hyderabad Capital expenditure – key heads n  Roads, bridges, H-CITI: `1,720 crore n  merged areas: `1,400 crore Newly n  servicing: `1,825 crore Debt n  Waste Management: `746 crore Solid n  budget: `590 crore Green n  / SNDP: `550 crore Nalas Revenue income – major sources Property tax: `2,245 crore Town planning fees: `1,200 crore Income from merged ULBs: `1,860 crore The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) Council on Friday approved a `11,460 crore budget for the 2026–27 financial year, in what was the last meeting of the present elected body, whose term ends on February 10, 2026. The budget covers the erstwhile GHMC and 27 newly merged urban local bodies (ULBs), with priority given to roads, flyovers, nala modernisation and other capital works. Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi, who chaired the meeting, cleared the draft after brief discussions. The Council saw exchanges between Congress and BRS corporators, with Congress members alleging poor development and mounting debt during the previous BRS government. BRS corporators objected to the charges, prompting sloganeering before the Mayor intervened to restore order. Making an emotional reference to her tenure, the Mayor said it was her last Council meeting and reiterated that she would not contest future elections. MIM MLA Majid Hussain said Hyderabad, after the expansion of GHMC limits, required a budget of at least `20,000 crore. He questioned whether the budget would remain valid if GHMC was reorganised into multiple municipal corporations after the Council’s term ends. BJP corporator V Sravan questioned the rationale of presenting a single-corporation budget amid reports of division the GHMC. Earlier, the Council paid tributes to Champapet corporator Vanga Madhusudan Reddy, who died last week. WITH THIS ISSUE The Disaster Diary PLUS 12 P AGES 2 yr deputation at Centre must for IPS officers of SP/DIG rank M UKESH R ANJAN @ New Delhi FACING an acute shortage of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers at the Centre, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has amended promotion guidelines to make central deputation mandatory for empanelment to senior ranks. In an order, the MHA has revised its norms stating that IPS officers would now be required to complete a minimum of two years of central deputation at the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) and Deputy Inspector General (DIG), or an equivalent level, to be eligible for empanelment as Inspector General (IG) or its equivalent cadre. The decision follows repeated reminders from the MHA to state governments to nominate an adequate number of IPS officers for central deputation in line with the Central Deputation Reserve (CDR). These reminders have come even from the level of Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, highlighting persistent gaps in staffing at the Centre, particularly at the SP and DIG levels. According to the order, the revised guidelines will apply to IPS officers of the 2011 batch onwards. A senior MHA official said younger IPS officers have shown reluctance for central deputation due to the appeal of field postings in districts where they lead police forces and exercise direct command. As a result, many officers prefer to remain in their respective state cadres during the early and middle stages of their careers. Officers become more inclined to serve at the Centre only after reaching the IG level or above. This imbalance prompted the rule tweak. Another official, however, emphasised that the intent is to ensure that officers gain adequate experience at the Central level before being considered for senior leadership positions in the Union government.