10 MARCH 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 16 |` 5.00|LC INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Twitter.com/thestatesman Facebook.com/thestatesman KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Mainly clear sky very likely. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 31°C and 29°C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 86% TEMPERATURE Max: 31.0°C (-2) SUN RISES 05:51 hrs MOON RISES 05:6 hrs Min. 28% Min: 19.4°C (-2) SUN SETS 17:44 hrs MOON SETS 16:43 hrs New Moon on 10 March THUMBNAILS India Coast Guard (ICG) and US Coast Guard conducted Joint Exercise "Sea Defender 2024" off Port Blair, on Saturday. ANI Bank employees to get wage hike of 17 pc, all Saturdays as holidays: 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 revised working hours will be effective after notification by the government, according to a statement. CM to set the tone for TMC campaign Arun Goel resigns as Election Commissioner All in readiness for TMC’s Brigade show of strength 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 Commissioner Arun Goel has abruptly resigned. The post of the other EC is vacant. That leaves the Election Commission now with just 1 Chief Election Commissioner." He added: “Modi government has introduced a new law where Election Commissioners will now be appointedwithamajorityvote 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’sresignation.Thisisvery SNS very concerning." Modi dedicates strategic Sela Tunnel to nation NEW DELHI, 9 MARCH SNS & AGENCIES PM Modi in Siliguri: Speech leaves Gorkhas disappointed KOLKATA, 9 MARCH rinamul Congress chairperson and West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee is expected to set out her party’s campaign roadmap for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections at Sunday’s mega rally of the party, styled the Janagarjan Sabha (People’s Roar Assembly) to be held at the Brigade Parade Ground in the centre of the city. Apart from Miss Banerjee, the party’s national general secretary and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee will also address the rally, among others. “We expect the Chief Minister to outline a specific campaign roadmap on issues such as non-payment of Central dues to the state government under various Centrally-sponsored schemes, besides updating the people about the different welfare schemes introduced by her government. We are also expecting her to give specific guidelines to counter the negative propaganda of T TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee visits the Brigade Parade ground.  SNS the opposition on different issues,” a senior member of the state Cabinet told news agency IANS. The CM is also expected to reply to the different accusations made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the state government and the Trinamul Congress at the three successive rallies he held in the state, the last being in Siliguri on Saturday. Party insiders also expect light to be shed on the TMC’s possible candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. On Saturday afternoon, Abhishek Banerjee inspected the rally venue, where a mammoth gathering is expeted, to oversee the arrangements, even as supporters and leaders from the districts converged on the city. Elaborate preparations have been made at the venue, which boasts three stages – a large central one and two smaller ones on either side, connected with a 300-foot ramp. Five locations, including Eco Park in New Town, Geetanjali Stadium in Cossipore, Muktangan in Alipore, Netaji Indoor Stadium, and a venue in Howrah, have been prepared to accommodate supporters. On why the rally has been christened as 'Janagorjan Sabha', the state minister said the mega event will mark the beginning of public outcry against the 'misrule' of the BJP in the country. (More on Pg 3) CMYK STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SILIGURI, 9 MARCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi today left the Gorkha community in North Bengal a disappointed lot. Contrary to the hopes of the community about the PM announcing “something” for the Gorkhas, Mr Modi, addressing a huge rally at Kawakhali in Siliguri, just said that the BJP was still working on the issue and was near finding a solution. “The BJP is sensitive towards the problems and challenges faced by our Gorkha brothers and sisters. The BJP is working tirelessly to solve your problems. Presently, we are nearing the solution. The BJP is keeping up its efforts to fulfil your aspirations,” Mr Modi said. The Gorkhas, particularly those who have long been demanding a separate state of Gorkhaland, were hoping that Mr Modi would speak on the two major issues concerning the community—a ‘permanent political solution’ and inclusion of 11 Gorkha tribes into the Scheduled Tribe list, something the BJP has been promising for years. The BJP has won the Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat thrice consecutively, mostly with promises of fulfilling the Gorkha aspirations. As the PM’s address in Siliguri today drew mixed reactions from people and Hill leaders, Ajoy Edwards, the leader of Hamro Party in Darjeeling and a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasad, said: “PPS announcement by Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, for our region equals zero.” But the small tea growers are happy with Prime Minister’s announcement here today that they will 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 has been constructed using the new Austrian Tunnelling Method and incorporates safety features of the highest standards. come under Kishan Credit Card and PM Fasal Bima Yojona.