THURSDAY 15 FEBRUARY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Partly cloudy sky with mist/fog in the morning. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 28 °C and 18 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94 % TEMPERATURE Max: 28.3°C (-1) SUN RISES 06:10 hrs MOON RISES 09:12 hrs Min. 48 % Min: 18.5°C (+1) SUN SETS 17:32 hrs MOON SETS 22:14 hrs Full Moon on 24 February THUMBNAILS Students of Saraswati Sisu Temple offer prayers to Goddess Saraswati on the occasion of Basant Panchami festival, in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.  ANI ED issues sixth summons to Delhi CM: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a sixth summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case asking him to join the investigation on 19 February.The fresh summons to the CM were issued after he skipped the fifth summons on 2 February. Mamata likely to visit Minimum govt, maximum governance: PM Modi on Punjab on 21 February his mantra at Dubai Summit The CM has always expressed solidarity with the agitating farmers STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 14 FEBRUARY hief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to go to Punjab on 21 February after disbursing money to the workers engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) scheme whose dues have not been paid by the Centre. Miss Banerjee had announced that they would be paid their dues on 21 February. A sum of Rs 3,700 crores would be required to clear their dues, and budgetary provisions have been kept in the state Budget for 2024–25. Miss Banerjee had staged a dharna demanding payment of their dues in November 2023. Again, she took a delegation of MPs to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to press her demand. However, despite assurances given by the Prime Minister, nothing has been done so far in the matter. C Miss Banerjee is likely to meet the Chief Ministers of Delhi and Punjab. Her expected meetings with Mr Kejriwal and Mr Mann are seen as significant in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha election. Miss Banerjee has also announced the state would fund the construction of houses for over 11 lakh rural poor in phases if the Centre does not clear the Prime Minister Awas Yojna (PMAY) dues within a month. It was learnt that Miss Banerjee will offer prayer at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. She is likely to meet the Chief Minister of Punjab, Mr Bhagwant Mann. Miss Banerjee has very cordial relations with the Punjabi community in Bengal. She always visits the meeting to celebrate the birthday of Guru Govind Singji at Maidan. Miss Banerjee, who is an integral part of the INDIA alliance, has decided to go it alone in Bengal in the Lok Sabha elections. Similarly, the AAP has decided to go it alone in Punjab. Miss Banerjee is likely to meet Mr Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi. Political observers see Miss Banerjee’s meeting with Mr Mann and Mr Kejriwal as important in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. It was learnt that she would discuss how the farmers’ movement can be intensified at the border of Delhi and Punjab. Miss Banerjee has always expressed solidarity with the agitating farmers and extended her support by uploading a post on her X handle. Earlier, she had sent her teams to meet the farmers two years ago and had talked to the farmer leaders over the telephone to extend her support. Munda urges farmer organisations Indian Navy, Air Force showing interest in to find solution through dialogue indigenous Tapas drones STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 14 FEBRUARY As the farmers' protest entered its second day, Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda on Wednesday urged all the leaders from different farmers' organisations to cooperate and communicate so that the common people do not suffer. Speaking on the ongoing farmers' protest, Munda, who is also negotiating with farmer leaders, said, "The way things are being said by (farmer) organisations and the way they are said, instead of solving the problems, they are trying to add to those problems, creating difficulties for the people." He requested all the farmer organisations to take initiatives that can strengthen the way to solve the problem and to find a solution through dialogue, adding that the government was completely ready for it. "I would like to urge all the leaders from different farmers' organisations to cooperate and communicate so that the common people should AGENCIES NEW DELHI,14 FEBRUARY Tear gas is being used to disperse the farmers who are continuing their second day of the 'Delhi Chalo' protest march from the Haryana-Punjab Shambhu border on Wednesday.ANI not have to suffer, government is determined in this regard. We have assured them that all the works of administrative nature will be fast-tracked. But in the formulation of new laws, there are so many things to consider.” “In the coming days, we want to discuss with the farmers' organisations and to look for any possible solutions," the Minister said. Earlier in the day, Munda said that efforts were on to engage in constructive dialogue with the farmers' unions. The Minister also expressed readiness to hold discussions considering all viewpoints and appealed for a conducive environment for a dialogue. "I had already said that our efforts to hold positive discussions with the farmers' union will continue. Farmers' organisations must understand that the decision on the law that is being talked about cannot be taken in such a way that people criticise the situation without thinking and understanding in the coming days. Rather, we should try to keep in mind all the aspects of it and discuss it," he said. The Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force have shown interest in the indigenously designed and developed Tapas medium altitude long endurance drone. The Indian Navy and Air Force have held discussions and communicated with the Defence Research and Development Organisation regarding the capabilities of the drone and the roles it can perform in the services, defence officials told news agency. The Tapas drone capabilities were discussed in detail during a DRDO interaction with the forces. The Indian Air Force has also written to the DRDO in this regard, they said. The DRDO is also likely to hand over the two Tapas drones in its inventory to the Indian Navy for trials and testing in the Andaman and Nicobar Island territory, the officials said. If the trials are successful and meet the roles for which the force wants them, there is a possibility of the Indian Navy placing orders for around 10-12 drones. The Indian Air Force would also look at the performance of the drones along with other issues before it decides further on the issue, they said. The DRDO recently rubbished reports about shelving of the Tapas drone project and announced that it is continuing with it to further develop the Tapas drones. The Tapas drones being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory have not been able to fully meet the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements of flying at 30,000 feet for over 24 hours at a stretch and have been excluded from the category of mission mode projects. PM inaugurates first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 14 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi onWednesday inaugurated the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) Mandir, the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, Dubai. He was welcomed at the majestic BAPS temple by BAPS' Ishwarcharandas Swami and garlanded by a group of priests upon his arrival. He performed Aarti and offered prayers at the temple. People gathered for the occasion also raised "Modi, Modi" slogans and he waved towards them. The 'BAPS Mandir', the first traditional Hindu temple in the United Arab Emirates, sits on 27 acres of land that was generously gifted by the UAE The BAPS Mandir, the first traditional Hindu temple in the UAE, sits on 27 acres of land that was generously gifted by the UAE leadership. leadership. The significance of the cultural milestone lies not only in its architectural grandeur but also in the message it conveys -- a testament to the harmonious relationship between Bharat and the Gulf region. The BAPS Hindu Mandir is the Middle East's first tra- ditional Hindu stone temple. Situated in the Abu Mureikhah area, the majestic structure embodies the spirit of cultural peace and collaboration and is also a reflection of the enduring friendship between India and the UAE. The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, donated 13.5 acres of land in 2015 for the construction of the mandir. The UAE Government, during its Year of Tolerance, allocated a further 13.5 acres of land in January 2019 ~making a total of 27 acres of land gifted for the Mandir, a temple release said earlier. India's Ambassador to UAE Sunjay Sudhir visited the BAPS Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi last month to see the progress of its construction. In December, Swami Ishwarcharandas of the BAPS called on the Prime Minister at his residential office and extended him an invitation to inaugurate the BAPS Mandir in Abu Dhabi on 14 February. The Prime Minister had on Tuesday thanked UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his personal support and graciousness in granting land for the construction of the BAPS Temple in Abu Dhabi The two countries have noted that the BAPS Temple is a celebration of UAE-India friendship, deep-rooted cultural bonds and an embodiment of the UAE’s global commitment to harmony, tolerance and peaceful coexistence. CMYK STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 14 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that he believed there should be neither a lack of governance nor pressure of a government and it is a government’s responsibility to ensure minimal interference in the lives of people. Mr Modi was delivering a special keynote address on “Shaping the Future Governments” at the World Governments Summit 2024 in Dubai. The Summit was attended by 20 world leaders, including 10 presidents and 10 prime ministers, along with delegates from over 120 countries. Mr. Modi said he had been in government for 23 years and his focus was on minimum government, maximum governance. The PM said the international system was in bad shape, and there was a need for reforms in global governance institutions, as each country tried to grapple with its chal- The Summit was attended by 20 world leaders, including 10 presidents and 10 prime ministers, along with delegates from over 120 countries. lenges. The world may be getting modern in the 21st century, but it is not free from problems of the last century which are getting more severe, he said. Mr. Modi said there was a need to promote concerns of the developing world, and Global South should see par- ticipation in global decisionmaking. Considering the challenges, the world needs governments that are inclusive and take everyone along, he said. There is a need for governments which are smart, make technology the medium for major changes, and are clean and free of corruption, he said. Internationally, it was noted that people’s faith in their governments had fallen during the Covid crisis, he said. The Indian experience was just the opposite. People in India have total faith in the intent and commitment of their government. This was so because the government was sensitive to people’s needs and helped them realise their dreams, he said. The PM said his Government followed a policy of saturation to ensure that no deserving person was left out of benefit from welfare schemes. India’s governance model had taken 25 crore people of poverty, he said. SC to deliver verdict on validity of electoral bonds scheme today AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 14 FEBRUARY The Supreme Court will deliver on Thursday its verdict on pleas challenging the validity of the electoral bonds scheme. In November last year, a 5-judge Constitution Bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai, JB Pardiwala, and Manoj Misra had reserved its verdict in the matter after hearing the arguments for three days in a row. The petitioners before the apex court had argued that the Electoral Bond scheme violates the citizen's fundamental right to information under Article 19 (1) and it enables backdoor lobbying and promotes corruption and eliminates level playing field for political parties in Opposition. Responding to the challenge, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta ~ the second highest law officer of the Centre ~ had contended that the scheme is intended to reduce cash in the electoral process. Mr Mehta asserted that the Union government cannot know the details of donations made through Electoral Bonds.