10 MARCH 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR PAGD, INDIA ALLIANCE ON BRINK IN J&K ASIF ALI ZARDARI ELECTED AS 14TH PAKISTAN PRESIDENT P9 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 28 AND 11 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 90 % TEMPERATURE Max: 23.6 °C (-4) SUN RISES 6:35 hrs MOON RISES 17:12 hrs Min. 25 % P4 THUMBNAILS India Coast Guard and US Coast Guard conducted Joint Exercise "Sea Defender 2024" off ANI Port Blair, on Saturday. Congress, DMK seal seat-sharing deal in Tamil s Nadu, Puducherry: With Lok Sabha election schedule likely to be announced soon, the the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, has sealed a seat sharing pact with the Congress (both allies of the INDIA bloc) which will contest on nine seats, setting aside 21 seats for the ruling DMK. DMK has so far finalised seat-sharing deals with allies CPI (M), CPI, IUML and KMDK, besides MDMK and VCK. MDMK, IUML and KMDK (DMK Symbol) each to get one seat while VCK, CPM, CPI get two seats each in the LS polls.The Congress will contest the lone seat in Puducherry. GUWAHATI, 9 MARCH B laming the erstwhile Congress government for neglecting the North-Eastern region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that infrastructure projects undertaken by his government created new possibilities as the development of the North-east is imperative for a Viksit Bharat. “The development of the North-east is necessary for fulfilling the resolution of Viksit Bharat... Congress laid the foundation stone of projects, got their pictures clicked, misled the people, and ran away. But Modi considers the entire North-east as his family..." Mr Modi said while addressing a public rally in Jorhat in Upper Assam. He mentioned that projects like the bridge on Saraighat, Dhola-Sadiya Bridge, Bogibeel Bridge, extension of railway broad gauge till Barak Valley, Multi-modal Logistics Park, Jogighopa, two new bridges on Brahmaputra river and 18 waterways in the North-east as com- pared to one in Assam in 2014. He said that these projects created new possibilities in the region. He also mentioned the UNNATI Scheme which was approved in the last Cabinet meeting in a new form with expanded scope. The Cabinet has also increased the MSP for jute which will benefit the jute farmers of the state. The Prime Minister, inaugurated, dedicated to the nation and laid the foundation stone for multiple development projects worth more than Rs 17,500 crore in Jorhat, Assam on Saturday. The development projects of today encompass the sectors of health, oil and gas, rail and housing. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister expressed gratitude for the huge crowd present on the occasion and also acknowledged two lakh people joining from 200 different places in the state. Talking about his visit to Kaziranga National Park, the Prime Minister called it a unique national park and tiger reserve and underlined the attraction of its biodiversity and Bank employees to get Rohit & Co steer India wage hike of 17 pc, all to massive victory over Saturdays as holidays England, win series 4-1 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH In a significant development for bank employees, the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and bank employee unions agreed on an annual wage hike of 17 per cent, and agreed to recognise all Saturdays as holidays, pending government notification. The revised working hours will be effective after notification by the government, according to a statement. The wage hike move will result in an additional yearly outgo of around Rs 8,284 crore for public sector banks. As many as 8 lakh bank employees are set to benefit from the wage hike, which will be effective from November 2022. IBA Chief Executive Officer Sunil Mehta highlighted the significance of the agreement, stating that it marks a As many as 8 lakh bank employees are set to benefit from the wage hike, which will be effective from November 2022 milestone for the banking industry. Retired employees are also set to benefit, with the agreement stipulating that a monthly ex-gratia amount will be paid in addition to the pension or family pension provided by Public Sector Banks, including SBI, for those eligible to draw pension on or before 31 October 2022. Under the new wage settlement, all women employees would be allowed to take one day sick leave per month without giving a medical certificate. Accumulated privilege leave may be encashed up to 255 days at the time of retirement/upon death of an employee while in service, the joint statement said. TRIDIB BAPARNASH NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH England’s hopes of restoring some pride before leaving the Indian shores ended in an anti-climax of sorts, as their tour ended in an avalanche of wickets in the foothills of the Himalayas, giving the home side a handsome innings and 64-run win, and a 4-1 series triumph. Moments after recording the convincing win inside three days of the fifth and final Test in Dharamsala, a proud Rohit Sharma credited his young side for responding to the challenges despite multiple setbacks during the series. The unavailability of star players like Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Mohammed Shami has in a way put the onus on the younger players to prove themselves on the big stage and in a way stake their claim in the side. (PG12) Rajnath emphasises Navy’s role in ensuring peace in Indian Ocean STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH Commending the brave and prompt response of the Indian Navy to recent incidents and developments in West Asia and adjoining seas, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday underscored the leadership role expected of the force in ensuring peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region. He was addressing the first edition of the four-day Biannual Naval Commanders’ Conference 2024 that concluded last evening. The conference is an institutional forum that enables deliberations on important maritime security issues at the militarystrategic level. The minister emphasised the importance of Tri-Services jointness and integration P4 P12 PM blames Congress for Modi dedicates strategic Sela neglecting NE’s growth Tunnel to nation Prime Minister vows to transform region's infrastructure ABHIJIT DEB Min: 09.0 °C (-4) SUN SETS 18:27 hrs MOON SETS 18:32 hrs BCCI ANNOUNCES INCENTIVES FOR TEST CRICKET TDP BJP JSP SEAL , , ANDHRA PRADESH SEAT-SHARING DEAL to favourably shape and influence the future battlespace. He exhorted the naval commanders to remain poised for operations across the spectrum of conflict. The inaugural session of the conference was held onboard the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya. Followon proceedings were conducted in New Delhi in hybrid format. Chief of the Defence Staff Anil Chauhan and other senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials and naval commanders were in attendance, the MoD said on Saturday. The proceedings in New Delhi included a review of major operational, materiel, infrastructure, Logistics and personnel related initiatives. Besides, the senior naval leadership reviewed existing and future plans, including capability enhancements in the island territories, to mitigate contemporary and future challenges in the maritime domain. Service chiefs of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force also engaged with the naval commanders, sharing their assessment of the operating environment, outlining readiness levels to defend national interests amidst prevailing and evolving security challenges; Numerous areas and domains to enhance Tri-Services synergy and cooperation. On the sidelines of the conference, naval commanders also interacted with various ‘Think Tanks’ during a ‘Sagar Manthan’ event. The forum provided an opportunity to engage with MSMEs, innovators and Academia to deliberate ways, means and novel avenues to further 'Aatmanirbharta' initiatives and enhance self-reliance in defence production. ecosystem of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. “70 per cent of the singlehorned rhinos are in Kaziranga,” he said. The Prime Minister pointed out how the rhino became endangered due to negligence and criminal collaboration and recalled the hunting of 27 rhinos in a single year in 2013. This number was brought down to zero in 2022 by the efforts of the government. The PM mentioned unveiling the magnificent statue of Veer Lachit Borphukan and said, “Veer Lachit Borphukan is the symbol of Assam’s valour and determination.” “Vikas bhi aur Virasat Bhi’ development as well as heritage has been the Mantra of our double engine government," said the Prime Minister. He said that Assam has made rapid strides in infrastructure, health and energy sectors. Health infrastructure like AIIMS, Tinsukia Medical College, Shiv Sagar Medical College and Cancer Hospital in Jorhat will make Assam a medical hub for the entire northeast. (PG10) Arun Goel resigns as Election Commissioner NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday virtually dedicated to the nation the strategic Sela Tunnel project during the “Viksit Bharat Viksit North East” programme in Itanagar. The tunnel has been constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) at an altitude of 13,000 feet on the road connecting Tezpur, Assam to Tawang in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh. Built at a total cost of Rs 825 crore, the tunnel will provide all-weather connectivity to Tawang across Sela Pass on the Balipara-ChariduarTawang Road, boosting the preparedness of the armed forces and augmenting the socio-economic development of the border region. The tunnel has been constructed using the new Austrian Tunnelling Method and incorporates safety features of the highest standards. The project will not only provide a faster and more efficient transport route in the region but is of strategic importance to the country. The foundation stone of the tunnel was laid by the PM on 9 February 2019, and the construction commenced on 1 April 2019. The tunnel has been completed in just five years, overcoming challenges of difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The BRO has always been at the forefront of the development of the border areas. In the last three years, the BRO has completed a record 330 infrastructure projects constructed at the cost of Rs 8,737 crores. In his address, the PM voiced the government’s unwavering commitment to the development of the Northeast region. Election Commissioner Arun Goel has resigned, leaving only Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar at the helm of the poll panel days before the Lok Sabha election dates were expected to be announced. President Droupadi Murmu has accepted Mr Goel’s resignation, according to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice. The reasons for Mr Goel’s resignation were not immediately known. Reacting to the development, TMC spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote on X: "In a sudden move, Election CommissionerArun Goelhasabruptly resigned. The post of the other ECisvacant.ThatleavestheElection Commission now with just 1 Chief Election Commissioner." He added: “Modi government has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be appointed with a majority vote of PM Modi & 1 Minister chosen by him. Ergo, before 2024 LS polls, Modi will now appoint 2 out of the 3 Election Commissioners after today’s resignation. This is very very concerning." SNS