THURSDAY 20 JUNE 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR RUSSIA, NORTH KOREA SIGN MUTUAL DEFENSE PACT PRUDENT PAUSE P6 SENSEX 77,337.5936.45 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Rain/Thundershower likely to occur in some areas. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 33 °C and 28 °C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY P5 ` vs $ 83.441 PAISE GOLD 72,220 Amid unrelenting heatwave conditions, Nadda directs to set up special heatwave units in hospitals Max: 34.4°C (+0.6) SUN RISES 04:53 hrs MOON RISES 15:59 hrs Min: 30.4°C (+3.4) SUN SETS 18:23 hrs MOON SETS 02:15 hrs Full Moon on 22 June THUMBNAILS Former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi meets Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama at his residence in Mcleodganj, Kangra, on Wednesday.  ANI Delhi court extends Kejriwal's judicial custody: A Delhi court on Wednesday extended Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's judicial custody in a money laundering case related to the alleged excise policy scam, till 3 July. Vacation Judge Nyay Bindu passed the order. While the judge continues to hear the arguments on his bail plea, the CM’s judicial custody has been extended. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja had recently dismissed Kejriwal’s interim bail plea, seeking seven days bail on medical grounds. India likely to get below normal rains in June as monsoon slows: IMD NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE s northern India continued to suffer under the grip of an unrelenting heatwave, Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday issued directions to set up special heatwave units in Central government hospitals. The Minister’s direction came during a meeting chaired by him to review the preparedness of the Central government hospitals to treat patients affected by heatwave. The national capital on Wednesday saw no respite from heat wave conditions with power and water demand peaking and hospitals reported an influx of patients with complaints of heat stroke. At least ten people have reportedly lost their lives in Delhi-NCR due to suspected heatstroke in the recent past. Mr Nadda, reviewing the heatwave situation and preparedness of Central government hospitals, directed officials to ensure that all hospitals are prepared for providing the A AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE A worker sprays water on another worker to beat the heat in New Delhi.  ANI Delhi on Wednesday saw no respite from heat wave conditions with power and water demand peaking and hospitals reported an influx of patients with complaints of heat stroke. The IMD said that heatwave to severe heatwave conditions are likely to continue over many parts of North India on Wednesday and gradually abate thereafter due to an approaching western disturbance towards northwest India. best healthcare to the affected and to set up special heatwave units, the Union health ministry said. Delhi’s Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on Wednesday reported five deaths due to suspected heatstroke while at least 12 people, mostly daily wage labour- ers, are in critical condition and on ventilator support. Earlier, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) confirmed that there have been at least 56 deaths from heatstroke in multiple states. In May alone, 46 people have died due to heatstroke. The average rainfall for the country as a whole is most likely to be below normal in June as the progress of the monsoon has slowed, according to an India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecast on Wednesday. While normal to above normal rainfall is expected in the southern states and northeast states, below normal rainfall is likely in June in the northern and central states, which have been reeling under a heat wave. Rainfall over the country as a whole for the month of June 2024 (till 18 June) was 64.5 mm which was 20 per cent less than its Long Period Average (LPA) of 80.6 mm, the IMD said. “The normal to above normal monthly rainfall is most likely over most areas of the south peninsula India and some areas of Northeast India. Below normal rainfall is most likely over many areas of Northwest & adjoining Central India and some areas of Northeast India,” according to an IMD statement. During this month, 11 sub-divisions received normal to large excess and 25 received deficient to large deficient rainfall. The onset of the monsoon over Kerala this year was two days ahead of the usual date and over northeast India, 6 days in advance. Amid NEET-UG row, Centre cancels UGC-NET exam after ‘integrity compromised’ NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE Amid a raging row over alleged irregularities committed in conducting the NEET-UG 2024 examination, the Union Ministry of Education on Wednesday cancelled the UGC-NET June 2024 examination held on Tuesday. The decision was taken after the University Grants Commission (UGC) received inputs indicating that the integrity of the examination India reminds world of Kanishka bombing as Canada honours Nijjar STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE As the Canadian Parliament marked the first anniversary of the killing of 'Khalistani' terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar by holding a moment of silence in the House of Commons, the Indian Consulate in Vancouver responded by reminding the world of the 39th anniversary of the “cowardly terrorist bombing” of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka). A total of 329 people, including 86 children, were killed in one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in the history of civil aviation. The Air India Boeing 747, flying from Montreal to New Delhi via London, was lost over the Atlantic may have been compromised. “To ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India has decided that the UGC-NET June 2024 Examination be cancelled," the ministry said in a press release. Now, a fresh examination will be held for UGC-NET 2024 and the dates shall be announced separately. The ministry said it has handed over the probe into the matter to the Central Bureau Union Cabinet approves MSP hike for 14 Kharif crops STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE Ocean on 23 June 1985 after a bomb planted on board blew up. There were no survivors. The bombing was mainly attributed to the ‘Khalistani’ terror group Babbar Khalsa. 'India in Vancouver', the official Twitter (X) account of the Consulate General of India in Vancouver, in a post on Wednesday said: “India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat.” of Investigation (CBI). The UGC-NET was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday across the country in two shifts. The development comes amid a massive row over the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first Cabinet meeting after assumption of office for his third term on Wednesday took major decisions for farm, ports, renewable energy, criminal justice and civil aviation sectors. The Cabinet chaired by the PM approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2024-25. Two lakh godowns will also be built. Briefing newspersons, Information and Broadcasting and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the finan- cial outgo for the MSP decision will be Rs 2 lakh crore, which will be Rs 35,000 crore more than the previous season. In all 14 crops will be covered. The decision will ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce. The highest absolute increase in MSP over the previous year has been recommended for oilseeds and pulses viz. nigerseed (Rs.983 per quintal) followed by sesamum (Rs.632 per quintal) and tur/arhar (Rs.550 per quintal). For paddy, the MSP will be Rs 2,300 and Rs 2,320 for two categories. Both are Rs 117 higher this year. The Cabinet also approved setting up a Major Port at Vadhavan near Dahanu in Maharastra. The total project cost will be Rs 76,220 crore, Mr Vaishnaw said. The project will be constructed by Vadhavan Port Project Limited, an SPV formed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Maharashtra Maritime Board with a shareholding of 74 per cent and 26 per cent, respectively. Nalanda’s revival will usher in India’s golden age: PM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 JUNE Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday inaugurated a modern campus of the Nalanda University in Rajgir, Bihar and said India’s ancient university proved that fires can burn books, but cannot destroy knowledge, and the revival of the university will mark the beginning of a golden age for the country. Addressing a distinguished gathering, including heads of missions from 17 countries attending the inauguration ceremony near the ruins of the ancient university, he said Nalanda is not just a name; it signifies an identity, recognition, values, a mantra, glory and a saga. Mr Modi said he saw his visit to the university in the first 10 days of taking oath as PM for his third term in office, as BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 82.710.16 India’s growth trajectory shifting from 7 to 8 pc: RBI AGENCIES MUMBAI, 19 JUNE Min. 72 % STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE P12 SILVER 91,000500 Surge in heatstroke cases; multiple deaths in Delhi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Max. 84 % TEMPERATURE P9 NIFTY 23,521.6036.30 ALL EYES ON KOHLI’S FORM AS INDIA FACE AFGHANISTAN RELOCATION OF STATUES: KHARGE WRITES TO RS CHAIRMAN, LS SPEAKER PM Narendra Modi inaugurates the new campus of Nalanda University in Bihar on Wednesday. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and others are also seen; (R) The new campus of Nalanda University. ANI a happy omen for India’s development journey. The Prime Minister said the restoration of Nalanda near its ancient ruins will introduce India's strength to the world. Nalanda will say that nations which stand on strong human values, know how to lay the foundation of a better future by reviving history, he said. Mr Modi said Nalanda is not just revival of India's past. The heritage of so many countries of the world is linked to it. The presence of so many countries at the inauguration of the university campus is unprecedented in itself, he said. “Our partner countries have also participated in the reconstruction of Nalanda University. On this occasion, I congratulate all friendly countries of India, all of you. I also congratulate the people of Bihar. The way Bihar is moving forward on the path of development to bring back its glory, this campus of Nalanda is an inspiration for that,” the Prime Minister said. “We all know that Nalanda was once a living centre of India's tradition and identity. Nalanda means- 'Na alam dadati iti Nalanda' i.e., where there is a continuous flow of education and donation of knowledge. This is what India thinks about education. Education is beyond boundaries, beyond the perspective of profit and loss. It is education that shapes us, gives us ideas, and gives us shape,” he said. When education develops, the roots of the economy and culture also get strengthened, Mr Modi said. “If we look at developed countries, we will find that they became economic and cultural leaders when they became education leaders,” he said. Today, students and bright minds from all over the world want to go to those countries and study there, he said. A similar situation used to exist in places like Nalanda and Vikramshila, he said. CMYK NEET-UG examination 2024. The NTA is facing intense heat over the NEET exam after several aspirants approached the Supreme Court over an alleged paper leak and other alleged irregularities in conducting the examination. There is an increasing evidence of a trend upshift taking shape, which is shifting India's growth trajectory from the 2003-19 average of 7 per cent to the 2021-24 average of 8 per cent or even more, powered by domestic drivers, according to the RBI's June bulletin released on Wednesday. More recent indicators suggest that private consumption is resuming its role as the main driver of demand and is getting broad-based to include rural consumers. The fast moving consumer goods sector is gearing up for a strong turnaround on expectations of pick-up in public welfare spending, the bulletin states. A drop in the walk-in clientele is being compensated for by e-commerce platforms, especially in heatwave conditions. Investment has maintained steady growth; some moderation in the more recent period could be on account of transitory uncertainty weighing on investment decisions but this too shall pass, it adds. The RBI bulletin also states that a strong revival in private investment has to become the most important factor driving growth in the years to come, especially as public finances consolidate. Government consumption spending picked up modestly towards the close of 2023-24, reflecting the sustained focus on capital expenditure which is a positive for the medium-term The RBI bulletin also states that a strong revival in private investment has to become the most important factor driving growth in the years to come, especially as public finances consolidate. prospects of the economy and investor sentiment. “In a pleasant surprise, net exports have improved their contribution to GDP , especially high-end manufacturing. The services sector is also witnessing a compositional change. GVC participation in services has shown a gradual maturing from low value-added business process outsourcing services to high value-added services such as those provided by global capability centres (GCCs) that have evolved from costsaving entities to hubs for innovation and high-value activities and are spreading to tier-II cities,”the bulletin observes. It also states that increasingly, the focus is likely to shift to export of services and the leveraging of skilled workforces. India's hospitality industry is seeking to expand the frontiers of tourism in the country.