THURSDAY 04 APRIL 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 LS POLLS: RAHUL FILES NOMINATION FROM WAYANAD CONSTITUENCY PAKISTAN’S DECLINE SINCE APRIL 1979 P4 PDP TO CONTEST ALL THREE LS SEATS IN KASHMIR: MEHBOOBA P7 P5 SENSEX 73,876.8227.09 WEATHER Hot and discomfort Weather very likely.Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 37 °C and 28 °C respectively. TEMPERATURE GOLD 69,870760 ` vs $ 83.39 Min. 30 % Max: 36.7°C (+2) Min: 28.5°C (+3) SUN RISES SUN SETS 05:27 hrs 17:53 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 01:19 hrs 12:9 hrs New Moon on 08 April THUMBNAILS A partially collapsed building is seen in Hualien, Taiwan on Wednesday. The strongest earthquake in a quarter-century rocked Taiwan, killing nine people. AP ECI directs CS, DGP of states to ensure peaceful elections:The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Wednesday directed the Chief Secretary (CS) and Director General of Police (DGP) of all States and Union Territories (UTs) besides heads of the central agencies to ensure peaceful and inducement free Lok Sabha (LS) elections. (Page 5) medicine prices up to 12 pc STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL hief Minister Mamata Banerjee has said that the Central government should induct representatives from West Bengal in central organisations functioning in the state. While speaking about the decision of Tea Board of India restricting the use of pesticides in tea cultivation, Miss Banerjee said: “Earlier the Central government used to include representatives from West Bengal but there are now no representatives from our state. The Centre should induct state representatives for Tea Board of India, Damodar Valley Corporation and Haldia Port”. Notably, a group of small tea growers today met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and requested her to resolve their problems after owners of Bought Leaf Factories, following the tea board’s restrictions on the use of pesticides, refused to buy green leaves from small tea growers. “I have asked the district administration The Union Health Ministry onWednesday said the reports claiming that medicine prices would witness a significant hike this month are false, misleading, and malicious. “Some media reports have highlighted that medicine prices will witness a significant hike by up to 12 per cent from April. These reports further claimed that more than 500 medicines will be affected by this increase in prices. Such reports are false, misleading and malicious,” the ministry said. As per the provisions of the Drug Price Control Orders (DPCO) 2013, drugs are categorised as scheduled and non-scheduled formulations. The formulations that are listed in Schedule-I of DPCO 2013 are scheduled formulations and the formulations that are not specified in Schedule-I of DPCO 2013 are non-schedule formulations, it said. “The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) under the Department of Pharmaceuticals annually revises the ceiling prices of scheduled medicines on the basis of Wholesale Price Index (WPI). The scheduled medicines included in the Schedule-I of the DPCO, 2013 are essential medicines,” it added. The Health Ministry informed that during the C NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL of tea growing districts in North Bengal to look into the matter. District officials will talk to Bought Leaf Factory owners so that small tea growers can continue their work,” Mamata Banerjee said, adding, “Nearly 10 lakh people associated with small tea gardens have been rendered jobless.” When asked to comment on lack of relief for the victims of Sunday’s nor’wester in Maynaguri area of Jalpaiguri district, the Chief Minister said: “In order to provide adequate relief to the victims of the storm-hit villages, the administration has applied to the Election Commission. No one will be deprived.” Notably, villagers blocked the road and gheraod the Block Development Officer at Dakshin Sukantanagar in Jalpaiguri in protest against inadequate relief for the victims of the nor’wester, which left at least five people dead and destroyed scores of homes. They also alleged that beneficiary list was not made properly. Several NGOs including Ramkrishna Mission, Jalpaiguri have been provid- including those involved in cross-border terrorism. He also raised the issue of the continued threat posed by various terror groups in the SCO region, including those designated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), including Al Qaeda and its affiliates, ISIS & its affiliates, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and Jaish-e-Muhammad. The Indian official stressed the need to counter the use of technology by terrorists, including drones for cross-border smuggling of weapons and drugs. He said that India supports the creation of effective mechanisms for countering terror financing and supports further strengthening of the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) SCO in this regard. Highlighting the ties between SCO nations and India, he stated that the relationship goes back several centuries and New Delhi is committed to further deepening it. He said that India is committed to enhancing transit trade and connectivity, which he stressed must be fully respectful of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of SCO member States. In a post on X, the Indian Embassy in Kazakhstan stated: "Shri Ajit Doval, NSA led delegation at 19th Meeting of Secretaries of Security Council of @sco_rblx in #Astana. NSA Ajit Doval also called on the President of Kazakhstan @TokayevKZ along with Representatives of other Member States." Mr Doval expressed deep concern about the security situation in Afghanistan, including the continued presence of terrorist networks. He stated that India, as a contiguous neighbour of Afghanistan, has legitimate security and economic interests in Afghanistan. He stated that SCO's immediate priorities in Afghanistan include providing humanitarian assistance, ensuring the formation of a truly inclusive and representative government, combating terrorism and drug trafficking, and preserving the rights of women, children and minorities. ing relief to the victims. Miss Banerjee today reached out to the people especially tea workers in Chalsa. A section of villagers also informed the chief minister about a drinking water crisis in their localities and bad condition of roads. Miss Banerjee, who is the Trinamul Congress will start election campaigning from tomorrow in north Bengal. She will address a public meeting at Mathabhanga in Cooch Behar and another at Malbazzar in Jalpaiguri tomorrow. 13 Maoists killed in Bijapur encounter: Police BIJAPUR, 3 APRIL A total of 13 Maoists were killed in an overnight encounter with the security agencies in Bijapur, police said. The fierce firefight that broke out on Tuesday ended on Wednesday, the security forces informed through an official release, adding that the toll on the Left Wing Extremists’ (LWE) side could mount further as many more are believed to be injured and are still not accounted for. “Chhattisgarh Police recorded one of its biggest successes in the history of anti-Naxal operations. We can now confirm that in the operation conducted by more than a thousand security forces in the Lendra and Korcholi areas of Gangalur in Bijapur district on the night of April 1 and 2 April, 13 Naxals were killed. Their bodies have been recovered,"Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range said AGENCIES on Wednesday. Centre plans to double Nehru wanted UNSC seat for China defence exports :MoD at India’s cost, alleges Jaishankar NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL The government is planning to double defence exports in the next five years, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said onWednesday. The ministry said that the defence exports will reach upto Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29. “This year the exports have already reached Rs 21,000 crore,” the ministry said. The Ministry of Defence has notified five positive indigenisation lists of the Services, comprising over 500 items, and four other lists, with over 4,600 items for DPSUs, to ensure that the soldiers use made-in-India weapons and platforms. Earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh referred to the decision to earmark 75 per cent of the capital acquisition budget for procurement from local companies. Rajnath Singh emphasised that radical changes have been made in the defence sector for long-term gains to make it completely self-reliant, and achieve the Prime Minister’s goal of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’. Mr Singh said that through initiatives like setting up defence BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 86.481.07 Mamata Banerjee will launch election campaign in north Bengal today STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE AGENCIES SILVER 81,0002,000 Central bodies should have False, misleading, malicious: state representatives: CM Centre on reports of hike in Shun double standards on terrorism: NSA India on Wednesday impressed upon the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) nations the need to shun double standards on terrorism and hold sponsors, financiers and facilitators of the menace accountable. Any act of terror committed by whomsoever, whenever and for whatever reasons is not justified, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval said in his address at the 19th Meeting of Secretaries of the Security Council of SCO in Astana. Apart from India, the SCO includes China, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Mr Doval asserted that perpetrators of terrorism should be effectively and expeditiously dealt with, P12 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SILIGURI, 3 APRIL RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 91 % NIFTY 22,434.6518.65 TITANS LOOK TO EXTEND HOME DOMINANCE The Ministry said that the defence exports will reach upto Rs 50,000 crore by 2028-29.“This year the exports have already reached Rs 21,000 crore,” the ministry said. industrial corridors in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, the government is making sure that modern military hardware is not only manufactured in India but also exported to friendly countries. He added that while the government is supporting huge companies, it is also inviting young ignited minds to the defence sector through startups, terming it another step taken for long-term gains. He voiced the government’s long-term vision of making India a major player in the field of technology, saying that a number of steps have been taken, including the launch of Innovations of Defence Technology (iDEX), Technology Development Fund scheme under DRDO and the setting up of National Research Foundation. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL Targeting Congress on its foreign policy, External Affairs Minister (MEA) S Jaishankar claimed that the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, wanted to make sure China got a place in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) ahead of India. “When it was offered to us, Nehru's position was ‘we deserve the seat but first China should get it,” the MEA said in his address at the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. He said that during Nehru’s discussion with deputy prime minister and home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel over a permanent seat at the UNSC in 1950, he wanted to make sure China got a place in the forum ahead of India. The EAM said Sardar Patel cautioned Jawaharlal Nehru against China. “Sardar Patel said that today, we are facing a situation on two fronts – Pakistan and China – which for India has never happened in our history before. He also said that what- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks during an interaction on Indian Foreign Policy, in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.  ANI ever the Chinese are saying, he feels that their intent is not good and therefore let us take precautions, let us build a policy around this. Nehru's position was...he was completely dissenting," Mr Jaishankar said. “Nehru told Patel that he was unduly skeptical about the Chinese,” Mr Jaishankar said, adding that the first prime minister of India thought it was impossible for anybody to attack India across the Himalayas. “A few years later, there was a debate about the UN, should India be given a UN seat at that time? So, Nehru's position at that time was he said, ‘we CMYK deserve a seat, but first we must ensure China gets a seat’.” The minister said: “Today we are talking of India first. There was a time when the PM of India talked about China first.” He reiterated the position of Sardar Patel of not taking the Kashmir issue to the United Nations. “The Centre, over the last decade, has been dealing with many issues inherited from the past,” the minister added. On Monday, Mr Jaishankar claimed that the Congress government led by Indira Gandhi gave away the Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in 1974 and kept this ''hidden''. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority in its meeting held on 20 March has approved the WPI increase @ (+) 0.00551 per cent for scheduled medicines, based on which there will be no change in the prevailing ceiling prices for 782 medicines. Fifty-four medicines will have a minuscule increase of Rs 0.01(one paisa). calendar year 2023 over the corresponding period in 2022, the annual change in WPI with base year 201112 was (+) 0.00551 per cent as per data published by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT). Accordingly, the Authority in its meeting held on 20 March has approved the WPI increase @ (+) 0.00551 per cent for the scheduled medicines. “The ceiling prices on 923 medicines are effective as on date. Based on the above-mentioned WPI factor of (+) 0.00551 per cent, there will be no change in the prevailing ceiling prices for 782 medicines and the existing ceiling prices will continue to prevail up to 31st March 2025,” it said. It further said: “Fifty-four medicines with ceiling price ranging from Rs 90 to Rs 261 will have a minuscule increase of Rs 0.01(one paisa).” “As the permissible price increase is minuscule, the companies may or may not avail this increase. Thus, in the year FY 2024- 25, there will be almost no change in the ceiling price of medicines based on WPI.” The ministry said the WPI increase is the maximum increase permissible as per the DPCO, 2013 and the manufacturers may or may not avail this increase, keeping in view the market dynamics. “The companies adjust their Maximum Retail Price (MRP) depending upon the ceiling price of their medicines, as MRP (excluding GST) can be any price which is less than the ceiling price. The revised prices will be applicable from 1st April 2024 and the details of the revised prices are available on NPPA’s website www.nppaindia.nic.in,” it said. In the case of nonscheduled formulation, a manufacturer is at liberty to fix the price. However, no manufacturer of nonscheduled formulation can increase the MRP by more than 10 per cent during the preceding 12 months under Para 20 of DPCO, 2013, it added. Forbes Billionaires list: Ambani top Indian with net worth of $116 billion HC reserves order on Kejriwal’s plea challenging his arrest by ED STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 3 APRIL: NEW DELHI , 3 APRIL Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani has emerged as the richest Indian in the list of ‘Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024’ that features 200 Indians, up from 169 last year. Mr Ambani is at the top of the list in India with a net worth of $116 billion, an increase of 39.76per cent to $83 billion last year, making him the first Asian to break into the $100 billion club. The business tycoon retained his position as both India's and Asia's richest person and as the ninth richest person in the world. Notably, the total wealth of these Indian billionaires listed in the Forbes list is a record $954 billion ~ up 41 per cent from $675 billion in 2023. Gautam Adani is the second richest Indian after Mukesh Ambani with a net worth of $84 billion. The richest woman in India is Savitri Jindal, now the fourth richest Indian, up from sixth a year ago. She has a net worth of $33.5 billion. Amid the ongoing crisis in edtech company Byju’s, Byju Raveendran and Rohiqa Mistry have dropped off the list this time. The Forbes 2024 list also has 25 Indian billionaires who made their debut. These include Naresh Trehan (managing director of Medanta), Ramesh Kunhikannan (managing director of Kaynes Technology), and Renuka Jagtiani (chief The business tycoon retained his position as both India's and Asia's richest person and as the ninth richest person in the world. executive officer of Landmark Group). India's top 10 richest people in Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024: The Top 200 are: Mukesh Ambani (net worth $116 billion), Gautam Adani (net worth $84 billion), Shiva Nadar (net worth $36.9 billion), Savitri Jindal (net worth $33.5 billion), Dilip Shanghvi (net worth $26.7 billion), Cyrus Poonawalla (net worth $21.3 billion), Kushal Pal Singh (net worth $20.9 billion), Kumar Birla (net worth $19.7 billion), Radhakishan Damani (net worth $17.6 billion), Lakshmi Mittal (net worth $16.4 billion). According to the "Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024: The Top 200", currently, there are more billionaires than ever at 2,781 in all, 141 more than last year and 26 more than the record set in 2021. They have a combined net worth of $14.2 trillion in aggregate, up by $2 trillion from 2023 and $1.1 trillion above the previous record set in 2021. The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved the order on plea moved Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by Enforcement Directorate in Excise Policy money laundering case. After hearing at length, the bench of Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma on Wednesday reserved the order on petition moved by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest and also ED remand granted by the trial court. Appearing for Kejriwal, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted that this case reeks of timing issue. The timing issue ensures that the petitioner doesn't participate in the democratic process and that his party is destroyed.The timing reeks of democracy issue, level playing field issue. You are clearly doing an arrest without any enquiry, statement etc. It's unique that there's no Sec 50 here. You are clearly doing an arrest without any enquiry, statement etc. It's unique that there's no Section 50 here. Necessity to arrest is an important facet of the statute. But, here, your necessity to arrest was with ulterior motive. The only object is to humiliate, insult and disable the petitioner. After one and a quarter year of investigation, they want to find the role of the Chief Minister, submitted Arvind Kejriwal lawyer Senior Adv Abhishek Manu Singhvi. AGENCIES