MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER 2024 www.thestatesman.com INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 14 |` 5.00 |LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘MANY NATIONS NERVOUS ABOUT USA AFTER POLLS, INDIA NOT ONE OF THEM’ GLOBAL RESET P6 WEATHER Partly cloudy. Generally clear in the evening. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 31°C and 23°C respectively. KARNATAKA HALTS PROPERTY MUTATION TO WAQF BOARD P5 P4 Kharge releases MVA’s ‘Maharashtranama’ manifesto aimed at women, youth & farmers The ruling alliance's manifesto promises to create 25 lakh jobs Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday released the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) 'Maharashtranama' manifesto in Mumbai ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled for November 20. Mr Kharge outlined the MVA’s vision for Maharashtra, which is centred on five key areas, namely agriculture and rural development, industry and employment, urban growth, environmental protection, and public welfare. He highlighted that these areas are designed to drive progress and ensure sustainable development across the state. He stated that a health insurance scheme of Rs 25 lakh, which was originally implemented by Ashok Gehlot in Rajasthan, will also be implemented in Maharashtra, ensuring that every citizen has access to quality healthcare services. Free medicines will also be provided under the scheme and this has been mentioned in the MVA manifesto. It has included a promise to provide a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 to young job seekers. This stipend is intended to support youth while they search for employment, offering a financial cushion as they pursue career opportunities. BOBBY ANTHONY Max. 75% Min. 60% MUMBAI, 10 NOVEMBER Min: 23.5˚C SUN SETS 16:54 hrs MOON SETS 00:42 hrs S TEMPERATURE Full Moon on 16 November THUMBNAILS Brow-antlered deer inside their enclosure at Alipore Zoo in Kolkata on Sunday. n ANI Sharp shooter who killed Baba Siddique nabbed from Indo-Nepal border: In a major breakthrough, Uttar Pradesh STF with the assistance of Crime Branch, Mumbai has nabbed shooter Shiv Kumar, involved in the killing of NCP leader Baba Siddique in Mumbai on 12 October. ADG (STF) Amitabh Yash said on Sunday night that Shiv Kumar was arrested from Nanpara in Bahriach district on the Indo-Nepal border in the morning. (Pg 4) enior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the BJPbacked Mahayuti's manifesto called 'Sankalp Patra 2024' in Mumbai on Sunday for the Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled to be held on 20 November. The financial assistance component under the Mahayuti government's 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' for women will be increased from Rs 1,500 per month to Rs 2,100, according to the ruling alliance's manifesto. The manifesto promises an anti-conversion law to be enacted to provide for stringent action against forced and deceitful religious conversions. It also promises a skill census to find out the needs of the industry and upgrade skill training wherever necessary. The BJP has promised to make Maharashtra a USD 1 trillion economy by the year 2028 and to turn cities like Nagpur, Pune, and Nashik into aerospace hubs. The manifesto said 'Vision Maharashtra @2028' would be presented within 100 days of government formation with a goal to make the state a trillion-dollar economy. The manifesto says it aims to make Maharashtra the capital of fintech and artificial intelligence (AI). It promises to provide opportunities in robotics and AI training through Marathi and Atal Tinkering labs. It promises a Vivekananda Youth Health Card to enable annual health check-ups for the youth and mentions a policy for senior citizens with Aadharenabled services and dedicated outpatient India, Russia to hold intergovernmental commission meet to consolidate ties STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 NOVEMBER India and Russia will review the entire gamut of their bilateral relationship on Tuesday when they hold the 25th session of the IndiaRussia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation in New Delhi. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation at the meeting while the Russian side will be led by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov (photo). As part of his visit, the Russian leader will hold bilateral meetings with other Indian ministers and officials also to discuss how the two countries can further diversify the areas of cooperation between them. Mr Manturov will be in Mumbai on Monday to take part in the plenary session of the Russian-Indian Business Forum. The event is aimed at expanding ties between entrepreneurs of the two countries. The forum will include thematic sessions on current areas of interac- tion, including industrial cooperation, transport and logistics, finance, digital technologies, and interregional ties, the Russian Embassy here said on Sunday. The intergovernmental commission's meeting comes days after Russian President Vladimir Putin called for India's inclusion in the list of superpowers, citing its fast-growing economy, vast population and rich culture. Mr Putin has also praised from time to time the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and appreciated his views on ending the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine. The two leaders had a fruitful meeting last month at Kazan in Russia on the margins of the BRICS Summit. departments. The Mahayuri has promised reimbursement of tuition and examination fees to the students from marginalised sections, including Other Backward Castes, Special Backward Castes, Economically Weaker Sections, and nomadic tribes, and give up to Rs 10,000 stipend to them every month besides creating 25 lakh jobs. Interestfree loans of up to Rs 15 lakh have been promised to encourage entrepreneurship and establish a Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Aspiration Centre in every district. According to the manifesto, low-income families will be provided free food items every month through the Public Distribution System (PDS), under the Akshay Anna Yojana. The BJP has also planned to develop Maharashtra into an advanced robotic and Artificial Intelligence (AI) training hub with a promise to create 10 lakh new business leaders through Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Akanksha centres in each district. The other promise included in the manifesto is the creation of 50 lakh 'Lakhpati Didis' by 2027 for which one industrial cluster of 500 self-help groups will be formed and an initial corpus of Rs 1,000 crore will be provided. If returned to power, the Mahayuti promised to develop Nagpur, Pune, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Nashik, and Ahilyanagar as modern aeronautical and space manufacturing centres. The manifesto also promised that the SGST on the purchase of fertilisers would be returned to farmers as a grant, while the prices of essential commodities would be kept stable. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the INDIA alliance, saying those who opposed the creation of Jharkhand will never work for the development of the state. Stating that the BJP has one mantra that it has created Jharkhand and it will develop it, Mr Modi said that the wind blowing is in favour of the saffron party. Addressing a public rally in Jharkhand’s Bokaro, the prime minister said: “BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has only one mantra – we have created Jharkhand, we will develop Jharkhand. People who opposed creation of Jharkhand will never develop the state.” Accusing the previous Con- AGENCIES gress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the Centre of discrimination against the state, Mr Modi said: “From 2004 to 2014, the Congress government was there at the Centre. Madam Sonia (Gandhi) ji used to run the government, and Manmohan Singh ji was made the PM. At that time, the Central government in 10 years gave Rs 80,000 crore to Jharkhand. People of Jharkhand should remember this.” “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 11 November 2024,” a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice had said. NEW DELHI, 10 NOVEMBER 2024,” a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Law and Justice had said. Justice Sanjiv Khanna holds the post of Chairman, Supreme Court Legal Service Committee. He is presently the Executive Chairman of the National Legal Services Authority and a member of the Governing Counsel of the National Judicial Academy, Bhopal. Before his elevation to the Supreme Court, Justice Khanna served as a judge in the Delhi High Court till January 2019. As a judge of the Delhi HC, he held the position of Chairman/Judge- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE MUMBAI, 10 NOVEMBER The MVA manifesto has committed to conducting a caste census, which Congress believes is essential for addressing issues of social justice. Additionally, the manifesto vows to remove the 50% cap on reservations, in line with Tamil Nadu’s policy, to ensure more equitable access to opportunities for marginalised communities. “We have decided to conduct a caste census and we will remove the 50 per cent ceiling on reservation, in line with Tamil Nadu,” Mr Kharge said, as he unveiled the MVA manifesto. The Congress-backed MVA manifesto has mentioned five “guarantees”. Mr Kharge said that this would help uplift families who will get relief of around Rs 3.5 lakh in a year. Under the “Mahalakshmi Scheme,” the MVA plans to provide each family in Maharashtra with an annual aid of around Rs 3 lakh. This initiative is designed to provide economic support to house- Those opposed to creation of J’khand won’t develop it: PM’s jibe at Cong-JMM Justice Sanjiv Khanna to be sworn in as 51st CJI today President Droupadi Murmu will on Monday swear in Justice Sanjiv Khanna as the next Chief Justice of India (CJI). Justice Khanna will be the 51st CJI and will hold office for around 6 months. As a Supreme Court judge, he has been part of the landmark judgments on Article 370, decriminalisation of adultery, electoral bonds scheme, EVM-VVPAT tally etc. On 24 October, the Centre cleared the appointment of Justice Khanna to the highest judicial office of the country after incumbent CJI D.Y. Chandrachud recommended him as his successor last month. “In exercise of the powers conferred by clause (2) of Article 124 of the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Sanjiv Khanna, Judge of the Supreme Court, to be the Chief Justice of India with effect from 11 November P14 Shah unveils Mahayuti's 'Sankalp Patra 2024' RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max: 31.8˚C SUN RISES 05:46 hrs MOON RISES 13:37 hrs RIZWAN LEADS PAK TO HISTORIC ODI SERIES WIN IN AUSTRALIA in-charge, Delhi Judicial Academy, the Delhi International Arbitration Centre, and the District Court Mediation Centres. Born in May 1960, he obtained his law degree from the Campus Law Centre, Delhi University. He enrolled as an advocate in the Bar Council of Delhi in 1983 and primarily practised taxation, arbitration, commercial law, environmental law, medical negligence law, and company law in the Delhi High Court. He had a long tenure as the Senior Standing Counsel for the Income Tax Department. In 2004, he was appointed as the Standing Counsel (Civil) for the Delhi government. He had also appeared and argued in a number of criminal cases at the Delhi High Court as an Additional Public Prosecutor and as an amicus curie (friend of the court). He contrasted the UPA’s allocation with more than Rs 3 lakh crore given to Jharkhand by the BJP-led NDA government in the last 10 years. He said the BJP gave the state four times more money than the previous Congress government. “We gave more money because we have created Jharkhand,” he added. The PM accused the ruling JMM-Congress of creating paper-leak and recruitment mafias and vowed to send them to jail if the BJP came to power in the state. “We have buried both 'kharchi-parchi' in Haryana. We will do the same in Jharkhand. Here, the paper leak and recruitment mafia created by JMM-Congress will be targeted and sent to jail,” Mr Modi said. He said earlier in Haryana, people had to pay a huge sum of money and wait for a letter from leaders to get a job. After the saffron party formed the government in the state, it made the 'kharchiparchi' system disappear. “The wind is in favour of the BJP. Now, you have decided to form the BJP-NDA government. I promise you that after forming the government, we will ensure that these corrupt people get the harshest punishment. Your money will be spent on you only,” the Prime Minister said. Attacking Congress, the PM said the unity of SC, ST, OBC, tribal and Dalit communities has always been an “eyesore” for the grand old party. He alleged that Congress and the JMM were attempting to create a divide between SCs, STs, and OBCs stating it enjoyed power by creating divisions. Jefferies lowers FY25 earnings estimates for nearly 2/3rd of cos; steepest since 2020 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 10 NOVEMBER Coming as its steepest downgrade ratio since 2020, Jefferies India recently lowered FY25 earnings estimates for nearly two-third of the companies under its coverage that have come out with September quarter results so far. A Jefferies India note highlighted that the earnings downgrades have been a result of a cyclical slowdown in the economy, resulting in a cut of FY25 EPS estimates for 63 per centr of the 121 companies under the coverage that have reported results. Jefferies now projects earnings of Nifty 50 companies to grow at only 10 per cent for the fiscal. Further, Jefferies' updated India strategy takes a cautiously optimistic view on equities, observing that supply has started to match the strong domestic demand. In recent months, equity supply has increased to roughly $7 billion per month, totalling around $60 billion year-to-date (YTD). On a longer term, it remains bullish on India, and expected a $10 trillion equity market capitalisation by 2030. Recently, on the US election results, Jefferies said Donald Trump's winning the second term as the US president is the greatest political comeback in American history. holds, particularly low-income groups. The manifesto has promised to empower women financially through the Mahalakshmi Yojana. This would give all women in the state of Maharashtra Rs 3,000 per month through their bank accounts, in order to improve their financial independence and well-being. This MVA promise is believed to counter the BJP-backed Mahayuti's 'Ladki Bahin Scheme'. The MVA manifesto has promised to introduce a free bus service across Maharashtra exclusively for women, making transportation more accessible and affordable. The manifesto has promised Rs 50,000 to farmers who repay their loans on time. This initiative aims to support farmers and encourage timely repayment of agricultural loans. Speaking at the MVA manifesto release, Mr Kharge criticised the BJP and its Mahayuti alliance. "Mayahuti's double-engine government has derailed and MVA will restore the pride and dignity of Maharashtra." The Congress President also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for equating the Constitution of India with "urban Naxalism" and the "red book". He said that the PM gave a similar red-coloured copy of the Constitution to then-President Ram Nath Kovind in 2017. JCO killed, 3 soldiers injured in gunfight with terrorists The gunfight broke out in the Keshwan forest as the terrorists holed up in the area fired at the troops who had launched a search operation following the brutal killing of the two VDGs, Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir Ahmad. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 10 NOVEMBER A Junior Commissioned Officer of the Indian Army’s Para Special Forces was killed and three soldiers were injured, two of them critically, on Sunday in a gunfight with terrorists involved in the killing of two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) in the forest of Kishtwar in the Jammu division. In a post on X, the Nagrota-based White Knight Corps of the Indian Army announced the death of Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of 2 Para (SF), who was earlier critically injured in the encounter. “Naib Subedar Rakesh was part of a joint counter-terrorist operation launched in the general area of Bhart Ridge, Kishtwar. We stand with the bereaved family in this hour of grief,” the White Knight Corps said. The injured soldiers have been evacuated to a military hospital. The gunfight broke out in the Keshwan forest as the terrorists holed up in the area fired at the troops who had launched a search operation following the brutal killing of the two VDGs, Kuldeep Kumar and Nazir Ahmad. The encounter broke out around 11 a.m. when joint search parties of the Army, CRPF, and J&K Police intercepted the terrorists in the Keshwan forest, a few kilometres from the spot where the mutilated and bullet-riddled bodies of the VDGs were found.