Hamas accepts Gaza peace plan Hamas on Friday threw up a surprise, saying it will disarm and accept a deal announced by US President Donald Trump to end its war with Israel. Israel is yet to officially comment, but sources said there will be no withdrawal of Israeli forces from their current lines until the disarmament is genuine and total. “A lot needs to fall in place for this to work,” EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. hyderabad l saturday l august 01, 2026 l `9.00 l PAGES 16 l late city EDITION 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 Mega allocation for offshore oil & gas exploration Risky business Drilling in ultradeepwater areas could cost up to `2,400 crore per well. Plus, there is no certainty that the investment will result in a discovery or production increase Floating projects To boost India’s solar power generation, the govt approved the Pradhan Mantri Surya Sarovar Yojana, a `5,070-crore scheme to set up 5,000 MW (5GW) of floating solar power projects over the next five years RA K E S H K U MAR @ New Delhi IN a bid to increase domestic oil and gas production, the government on Friday approved the `84,000-crore Samudra Manthan scheme to accelerate deep-sea exploration. According to the petroleum ministry, the scheme will add 600 million tonnes of oil equivalent (MTOE) to India’s hydrocarbon reserves. It is projected to increase annual domestic oil and gas production by 10-15 MTOE, with the potential to reach 20 MTOE at peak production. The biggest share of the scheme—`43,200 crore—has been earmarked to support the drilling of 60 deepwater and ultra-deepwater exploration wells. The government will provide financial support to staterun ONGC and Oil India as well as private firms to encourage drilling in deepwater areas where exploration is expensive and highly risky . The support comes after the government opened nearly 99% of the offshore areas that were earlier classified as ‘no-go’ zones due to defence and space-related restrictions. Another `28,500 crore has been allocated for large-scale 2D and 3D offshore seismic surveys and advanced data processing using technologies such as artificial intelligence. The surveys will help create detailed maps of the seabed and identify promising locations for drilling. The scheme also provides `10,000 crore to build common offshore infrastructure for developing stranded discoveries in basins such as Mahanadi and Kutch, where high evacuation costs have made projects commercially unviable. Shared infrastructure is expected to reduce project costs and bring these discoveries into production. In addition, `2,000 crore has been allocated for setting up an Oil and Gas Manufacturing and Services Zone to promote domestic manufacturing of oilfield equipment and services. IMD forecasts deficient rains in August-September J IT E N DRA C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi Modi: Want to forgive Gen Z for abusing me RA J E S H K U MAR THA K U R @ New Delhi IN another late-night video message to Gen Z, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he wanted to forgive students who recently hurled expletives against him. After the Jantar Mantar showdown, “some naughty children hurled abuse at me and my late mother,” he said. Describing it as unpleasant and disturbing, he said that those who had resorted to such language required guidance rather than condemnation, as they were misguided. Modi said it was a “cultural shock” to witness such conduct from Gen Z. However, he added that he did not want them to become entangled in legal complications. Instead, he wanted to forgive them and help reform them so that they could change their mindset. “Mai maf karna chahata hun” (I want to forgive them), the PM said, adding it is everyone’s duty to show the right path to the misguided children. Modi also appealed for restraint and forgiveness following the abusive slogans directed at him during the protests. He urged society to guide, rather than punish, those who had gone astray and abused him. THE IMD on Friday forecast below-normal rains during the second half of the southwest monsoon season (August-September), raising concerns about the prospects of kharif crops, which heavily depend on rainfall. The first half of the monsoon season (June-July) recorded 13% deficit of the long-period average rainfall, leading to a 5% fall in kharif crop sowing. The IMD estimates that August and September will receive 422.8 mm of rainfall, which is considered below normal. However, parts of eastern Peninsular India, some areas of northwest and central India, and isolated regions in the east and northeast could receive normal rains. In its monthly forecast, the IMD said rainfall in the next two months is estimated to be less than 94% of the long period average (LPA). It cited the presence of El Niño in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which it said could strengthen in the second half of the monsoon season, leading to abovenormal daytime and night-time temperatures. No more fast lane to a licence: TG plans mandatory road safety course S i d d h a r d h a G at t i m i @ Hyderabad Getting a driving licence in Telangana may soon involve more than just mastering the clutch, accelerator and steering wheel. Before applicants are even allowed to book a driving test, they may have to sit through a 2.5hour online road safety course, watch more than 120 videos, clear an assessment and prove that they not someone else, com, pleted the programme. The Transport department is preparing to roll out the mandatory certification across the state within the next month after a pilot project in Kukatpally showed encouraging results. If the proposal is implemented, Telangana will become the first The proposed checklist n a learner’s licence Get n Complete six online modules (about 2.5 hours) Watch 120+ videos (no skipping, no fast-forwarding) n Facial recognition verifies the applicant n Score 15/20 in the assessment Only then can you book the driving test state in the country to make an online road safety course compulsory for all per manent driving licence applicants, officials said. The course begins after a learner’s licence is issued. Applicants will have six months to complete six online modules, each lasting about 25 minutes, before taking a 20-mark assessment. A minimum score of 15 is required to unlock the next step: booking a driving test. And there are no shortcuts. The system prevents users from skipping videos or watching them at faster speeds. Facial recognition technology verifies that the registered applicant remains in front of the screen throughout the course. Those who fail the assessment must start all over again. Transport Commissioner K Ilambarithi said the department spent nearly seven months developing the programme.  CONTINUED ON P5 E x p r e s s Re a d ECI extends deadline to submit EFs to August 10 Hyderabad: The ECI has revised the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision 2026 of electoral rolls in Telangana. The deadline for house-to-house enumeration, verification and submission of enumeration forms has been extended to August 10. The final electoral rolls will now be published on October 19 | P3 SC agrees to dissolve Omar, Payal marriage New Delhi: Putting a lid on a long legal chapter of a matrimonial dispute spanning over 16 years, the Supreme Court on Friday agreed to dissolve the marriage of J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Payal Abdullah after noting their joint position that they have “embraced freedom”. The couple had got married on September 1, 1994 | P8