MADURAI l thursday l september 12, 2024 l `9.00 l PAGES 14 l LATE city EDITION Kamala puts trump on the DEFENSIVE in their first debate Kamala Harris and Donald Trump engaged in a fiery debate on Tuesday, their first and the only direct face-off before the US elections Don rattled by Sharp attacks from V-P voters feel harris bested Trump Harris went on the offensive right from the start of the ABC News debate, attacking Trump on various issues. One of their most intense exchanges was on abortion. She slammed Trump’s push to end the federal right to abortion. Trump tried to defend saying the states should determine abortion policy. He tore into Harris as too liberal and a continuation of the current administration ■ ■ Harris promised tax cuts for the middle class while Trump said his proposed tariffs would help the US stop being cheated by allies A CNN snap poll conducted soon after the debate had 63% of registered voters saying Harris did better than Trump. Conservative Fox News too agreed, calling Harris “a clear winner” of the debate | P11 Nov 5 when the U.S. will hold the presidential election CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI India to drive global semicon industry: PM It’s Rahul’s turn N a m i ta B a j pa i @ Lucknow Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India is poised to play a significant role in driving the global semiconductor industry forward. He was speaking after inaugurating SEMICON India — 2024, a three-day exhibition, at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The prime minister said his government will do everything to make India a semiconductor powerhouse, adding that it is a dream to have an Indian-made chip in every device in the world. He said India is building a robust semiconductor workforce comprising 85,000 technicians, engineers, and research and development experts. The country, he added, must prepare its students and professionals to contribute to the growth of the sector. India has attracted investments exceeding `1.5 trillion for its semiconductor sector in a short span of time, Modi said adding that the country possessed a “three-dimensional power” — a reformist government, a rapidly expanding manufacturing base and a large, aspirational market appreciating and embracing technology — that can propel the growth of the chip industry . cabinet call Nod for free health cover for all over 70 Drawing an analogy between the semiconductor industry and a diode, where energy flows in only one direction, Modi said India’s semiconductor sector was unique, featuring special “diodes” where energy flew in both directions. He explained that while industries invested and generated value, the government reciprocated by offering stable policies and promoting the ‘Ease of Doing Business.’ Modi said the goal is to have India make not just the chips but the finished products too. The prime minister stressed the need to have supply chains that are resilient from shock events like Covid-19. “Resilience of the supply chain is very important,” he said. “Whether it is mobile manufacturing, electronics, or semiconductors, our focus is clear — we want to build a world that doesn’t stop or pause in times of crisis but keeps moving forward,” the prime minister said, adding that, “When the chips are down, you can bet on India.” Modi said India is one of the largest consumers of semiconductors, which enabled the creation of world-class digital public infrastructure. This small chip, played a crucial role in ensuring last-mile delivery across the country, he said. The second phase of the Centre’s chip policy, Semicon 2.0 is expected to be in place in 3-4 months, Union Information and Broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said Shah, Mayawati, Shinde criticise statement on abolishing it ‘when India is a fair place’ @ New Delhi 6 million jobs With India’s electronics sector now valued at over $150 billion, the Prime Minister outlined a goal to grow the country’s electronics sector to $500 billion and create as many as 6 million jobs by the end of this decade Prime Minister Narendra Modi inspects an exhibit during the inauguration of SEMICON India 2024, in Greater Noida | PTI It is our dream to have an Indian-made chip in every device in the world. We will do everything that is needed to make India a semiconductor powerhouse Narendra Modi live telecast of the meeting, immediate arrest of other accused in the rape-murder The standoff between the case, resignation of Kolkata protesting junior doctors and Police Commissioner Vinit the West Bengal government Goyel, suspension of the Dicontinued on Wednesday with rector of Medical Education the latter rejected the deas well as the Director of mands for Chief MinisHealth Services, and ter Mamata Banerjee’s disciplinary action presence and a live against Sandip broadcast as pre-conGhosh, former prinditions for talks to recipal. They also desolve their monthmanded extra seculong agitation. rity and stopping Thousands of junthe ‘threat culture’ ior doctors from in all state-run medacross the state con- No meeting can be ical colleges. tinued their sit-in Finance minister held with so many conditions. protest — more than Chandrima BhattaThey did not take 28 hours since Sepcharya claimed that tember 10 — outside any proactive steps it is difficult to talk to resolve the the Swasthya Bhato the students as situation van (the state health they have placed department head- Chandrima Bhattacharya conditions. “We quarters) against the urge the students to horrific rape-murder of a meet the chief minister and trainee doctor at RG Kar Med- not to get provoked by unnecical College and Hospital on essary politics,” she said. August 9, with students from The junior doctors said, several Kolkata colleges join- “We are non-political from ing them on Wednesday . day 1. We will continue our After the chief secretary movement demanding justice sent them a mail for a meeting for the victims.” The Supreme at the state secretariat at 6.30 Court had on Monday ordered pm, the doctors responded the junior doctors to join duty with a five-point demand — by 5 pm on Tuesday . E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ Kolkata Junior doctors during their dharna, in Kolkata on Wednesday | PTI RG Kar hearing of 51 doctors put off Authorities at RG Kar on Wednesday deferred the hearing of the 51 doctors who were issued notice for allegedly promoting a culture of intimidation, endangering the democratic atmosphere of the institution Bhagwat’s comment that the reservation policy could do with a ‘social review’ kicked up , UNION home minister and the a huge controversy forcing him BJP’s principal election strate- to clarify that he did not mean gist Amit Shah on Wednesday to say practice should end. On Wednesday, BSP chief made a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Mayawati and Maharashtra for his comment that the Con- CM Eknath Shinde also hit out gress will think of scrapping at Gandhi for his remark. “Rahul Gandhi’s views rereservation when India is a fair ... place. Rahul, who is currently flect his petty mentality It has been Cong ress’s on a trip to the US, habit to do politics had made the rein the name of relimark on Tuesday gion and caste,” while answering a Shinde said. question posed by Mayawati said students of the that when not in Georgetown Unipower, the Conversity in Washinggress talks about ton DC. ‘Not against SC, ST and OBC; “By speaking reservation’ but when in power, about abolishing it works against reservations in the Claiming that his their interests, addc o u n t r y, R a h u l statement was ing, “People should Gandhi has once “misrepresented”, be cautious of this again brought the Rahul Gandhi said on conspiracy .” Congress’s anti- Wednesday that he is Shah also acreservation face to not against reservation cused the Congress the forefront. The and will try to take it leader of making thoughts that were beyond the 50% cap statements aimed in his mind eventually found their way out as at hurting the country’s image words,” Shah posted on X, add- and meeting people who work ing that nobody will be able to against India’s interests. On Tuesday, Rahul had met scrap reservation as long as the some US lawmakers, including BJP is around. Reservation is a touchy sub- Ilhan Omar, a known India-critject and several leaders have ic who made a controversial come under attack in the past trip to Pakistan-occupied Kashfor expressing their opinion on mir in April 2022—an act India it. In 2015, weeks before the Bi- considers as a violation of its . har elections, RSS chief Mohan sovereignty R AJ E S H K U MA R T H A K U R Bengal govt rejects terms set by junior docs for talks M U K E S H R A N JA N @ New Delhi The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved `5 lakh free health coverage for all senior citizens aged 70 years and above under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY), irrespective of their income. The free health cover will benefit approximately six crore senior citizens in 4.5 crore families at an annual cost of `3,437 crore. “With this approval, all senior citizens of 70 years and above irrespective of their socio-economic status would be eligible to avail the benefits under the scheme. Eligible senior citizens would be issued a new distinct card,” Union Information and Broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. Senior citizens from families already covered under the scheme will get an additional top-up cover up to `5 lakh per year for themselves, which they do not have to share with the other members of the family, the minister said. Senior citizens, who are already availing benefits of other public health insurance schemes such as the Central Government Health Scheme, ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme, and Ayushman Central Armed Police Force may either stick to their existing scheme or can opt for the AB PM-JAY. Those who are covered by private health insurance policies or the Employees’ State Insurance scheme will be eligible to avail benefits under the scheme. The Ayushman Bharat Yojana is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, which provides health cover for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to 55 crore people from 12.34 crore families. In another decision, the Union Cabinet approved budgetary support to build enabling infrastructure for hydro electric projects with a total outlay of `12,461 crore. to get into the quota firing line Semicon 2.0 soon 2in J&K encounter; operation ongoing terrorists killed Two terrorists affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad were killed in an operation in upper reaches of Basantgarh in Jammu & Kashmir’s Udhampur on Wednesday | P10 2 teachers face Pocso case for harassing boys E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ Tirunelveli The Tirunelveli city police have arrested two male teachers of a government-aided school under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act on Wednesday for allegedly sexually harassing at least three Class VII boys. The accused teachers were identified by the police as A Robert (48) and Nelson (55). “The accused were handling classes for Class VII students in the school. A few days ago, the students informed their parents that both the teachers were often sexually harassing them. Based on this, the parents of the victims filed an oral complaint with the school administration and also approached the city police. Based on the instruction of the Tirunelveli City Police Commissioner, Rupesh Kumar Meena, the police personnel conducted an inquiry with the victims, parents and the accused persons,” sources said. Continued on p7 3-year-old steps out to relieve herself due to lack of toilet in anganwadi, run over by van E x p ress N e w s S er v i c e @ Krishnagiri A three-year-old girl, who stepped out of an anganwadi at Vanamangalam village near Thalli in Krishnagiri district allegedly to relieve herself, was hit by a tempo van and died on the way to hospital on Tuesday . According to sources, a woman staffer who was manning the centre at the time had left for her home for lunch leaving the children on their own. Anganwadi centres typically have children who are less than five years old. At least 25 children are enrolled at the Vanamangalam anganwadi. The anganwadi toilet was in disrepair for some time, sources said. On Tuesday afternoon, M Sasikala (3) of Vanamangalam village had stepped out of the centre along with three other children. A load vehicle driven by B Munikrishnan (30) of Denkanikottai, which was crossing the spot, mowed down the child. Onlookers rushed her to a private hospital in Hosur, but Sasikala was declared dead on arrival. Sasikala’s father N Madhu (30) is a dailywage labourer, and she was the only child of her parents. Krishnagiri Collector Sarayu suspended anganwadi supervisor Parimalam and worker Varalakshmi on Tuesday. Enraged over the death, over 50 villagers of Vanamangalam staged a protest in front of the Hosur sub-collector office on Wednesday  . P7 Wayanad spells disaster express read TN flower farmers smell loss as Kerala mutes Onam fiesta Junking of predicate FIR won’t kill PMLA case: HC Ar a v i nd R a j @ Coimbatore The Wayanad disaster that killed more than 400 people in Kerala seems to have had a deleterious effect on neighbouring Tamil Nadu too as hundreds of flower farmers and traders in Coimbatore have been hit by the steep slump in price and quantum of flowers sent to Kerala for Onam festival this year. The Kerala government had announced that there won’t be any Onam festival celebrations on Sunday this year due to the Wayanad disaster and urged people to help those affected in the landslides. The festival widely celebrated in Kerala is the busiest season of the year for the farmers here. According to farmers, over 110 tonnes of flowers were sent to Kerala last year during Onam, but it has dropped to just 15 tonnes this year. One kg of marigold flower was sold for `50 last year, but a 30kg flower bag gets just `150 to `200 this year, they said. The Thondamuthur block in Coimbatore district is popular for its flower cultivation. Various flower varieties are grown in villages, including Molapalayam, Vadivelampalayam, Kalimangalam, Narasipuram Tonnes of flowers were left to rot on the field due to low demand | S Senbagapandiyan and Veraliyur, in the block. The flowers grown here are sent to various parts of the country, including Kerala, and to cities across Tamil Nadu. The Kerala government’s de- cision has affected the livelihood of a lot of people who are part of the floral trade, including farmers, traders, flower pickers, truck drivers, commission agents, and dealers in Coimbatore, sources said. M Senthil Kumar, chairman, Perur Jai Hind Vegetable Farmers & Producers Organisation (FPO), told TNIE, “Over 300 farmers are part of our FPO and around 150 of them are flower farmers. Overall, there are about 400 floral farmers in the region. Different varieties of flowers are cultivated on about 300 acres of land.” Continued on p7 Chennai: In a significant judgment, the Madras HC has ruled that mere quashing of the predicate offence FIR on technical or procedural grounds cannot make the money laundering case, Enforcement Case Information Report, liable to be quashed | P2 CM: Ford must restart ops at Chennai plant Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin, in a meeting in the US, has urged the Ford Motor Company to revive its three-decade partnership with Tamil Nadu by restarting its operations at the Marimalai Nagar plant in Chennai | P4