CMYK SATURDAY www.thestatesman.com 07 JANUARY 2023 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P5 WEATHER Mainly clear sky. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 23 °C and 11 °C respectively. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 92 % TEMPERATURE P7 Max: 22.7 °C (-3) Min: 10.9 °C (-3) SUN RISES SUN SETS 06:18 hrs 17:7 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 16:32 hrs 05:47 hrs Full Moon on 07 January THUMBNAILS Pilgrims at Gangasagar Mela on Friday.  SNS Indian economy to grow at 7pc in FY23, 6pc in FY24 : The Indian economy is likely to grow at a rate of 7 per cent in the current fiscal, against the 8.7 per cent growth in 2021-22, the National Statistical Office (NSO) said. Responding to NSO's forecast, economists are of the view that the GDP growth to moderate to PG8 6 - 6.1 per cent in FY24. SC transfers to itself petition seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage: The s Supreme court on Friday transferred to itself a number of petitions seeking legal recognition for same-sex marriage that were various High Courts including Delhi, Kerala and Gujarat high courts.Seeking the Centre’s response on the petitions seeking legal sanction for same sex marriage, the court ordered the listing of PG5 the matters on March 13 for hearing. Sonia Gandhi stable , recovering :UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who has been admitted to Sir Gangaram Hospital for a respiratory tract infection,is stable and recovering.“Mrs Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson UPA, who is admitted at Sir Gangaram Hospital for a viral respiratory infection is stable and is making a gradual recovery,”said Dr Ajay Swaroop, Chairman, Board of Management, at the hospital on Friday. Judges' appointment: SC reminds Govt of timeline STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI,6 JANUARY ven as the Central government on Friday assured that it will adhere to the timelines for the appointment of judges to the higher judiciary, the Supreme Court said that it was incumbent on the government to act on the collegium recommendation, without keeping them on hold and resorting to pick and choose. “It cannot be kept on hold, without sending it back with comments”, the court said that the “Delay in returning a recommendation (not finding favour with the government) with comments and not making appointment of reiterated E Delay in returning a recommendation (not finding favour with the government) with comments and not making appointment of reiterated names is a matter of grave concern.... SUPREME COURT names is a matter of grave concern.” The strong observation from the top court came as Attorney General R. Venkataramani told the court that out of 104 recommendations for the appointment of judges to the high courts and the Supreme Court pending with the government as of now, 44 will be processed by Saturday itself. Telling that government that appointment of the judges to the higher judiciary on the rec- NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY As part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision to boost career opportunities for India’s youth under the Skill India Mission, the government is organising the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela (PMNAM) on Monday across 242 districts in 28 states and Union Territories. Several local businesses and organisations have been invited to be a part of this apprenticeship mela to provide local youth with relevant opportunities to shape their careers through apprenticeship training, according to the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE). ommendation of the top court collegium is the law and it has to be adhered to, a bench comprising Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice Abhay S. Oka further said that if the government wants to bring a better system for the appointment of judges, parliament can enact a law. Justice Kaul said, “We are not saying that for the appointment of judges this (collegium) is a perfect system, but the one you will bring too will not be perfect.”Having pulled up the government for sitting over the recommendation of the top court collegium and not processing them, Justice Kaul in poser asked, “Are we creating an atmosphere where some of the meritorious lawyers are hesitant to give their consent to be a judge.” They (meritorious lawyers) have conveyed their concerns over the long delays by the government in processing the collegium recommendations marring them professionally. Justice Kaul referred to two instances of the meritorious lawyers expressing their reluctance in switching over to the bench citing delays adversely impacting them professionally. Referring to the con- No Delhi Mayor for now, AAP-BJP clash stalls election STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY High drama, chaos and clashes between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP councillors on the first day of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) proceedings eventually led to the adjournment of the House for the day on Friday without electing the mayor and deputy mayor for the House. A huge ruckus was witnessed at the Civic Centre before the commencement of voting for the Delhi mayor elections, over the swearingin of nominated councillors. Shortly after the proceedings began on Friday to choose mayor and deputy mayor and the oath taking cere- BJP and AAP councillors clash with each other at the Civic Centre ahead of the MCD Mayor elections, in New Delhi on Friday. ANI mony of new councillors, the House was adjourned amid the chaos and clashes between AAP and BJP councillors. The chaos started after the AAP objected to the oath-taking of nominated councillors. After the presiding officer asked aldermen to take the oath, the AAP councillors started creating a ruckus claiming that it was not the custom for Pradhan Mantri apprenticeship mela in 242 districts on Monday STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE P10 It cannot be kept on hold, without sending it back with comments : Apex court Min. 48 % the aldermen to take oath before the elected councillors.As the proceedings in the House began, AAP’s leader of the House, Mukesh Goyal raised the issue of oathtaking of the nominated corporators. Goyal said that in the last 25 years, it has never happened that nominated councillors were taking oath before the elected members. The BJP and AAP councillors clashed with each other and raised slogans.After the proceedings of the House started, BJP councillor Satya Sharma was administered the oath as the presiding officer. New Delhi District Magistrate Santosh Kumar Rai administered the oath to Sharma. High drama ensued in the House for over an hour as Delhi was all set to elect its first single mayor in 10 years after the MCD was unified last year. High pitched ruckus was heard in the MCD House as the presiding officer invited aldermen Manoj Kumar to take oath first. The presiding officer, MCD commissioner and other officials left the House after the ruckus. tributions of a distinguished judge, Justice V.R. Krishana Iyer to the Indian judiciary and who was a minister in the government of the Communist Party of India headed by Chief Minister E.M.S. Namboodiripad, Justice Kaul said that all shades of opinion should be reflected in the Supreme Court and it cannot be on pick and choose based on the assessment of judgments whether they are aligned with the government or not.Giving four weeks’ time to Attorney General Venkataramani to interact with the government to get all the pending recommendations processed and cleared, the court posted the matter for further hearing on February 3. CM to inaugurate G-20 summit KOLKATA 6 JANUARY Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to inaugurate the first meeting of the G-20 summit that will be held from 9 to 11 January at Biswa Bangla Convention Centre.Union minister Arjun Munda and several foreign delegates are likely to be present at the meeting.The sessions scheduled on 10 and 11 January will be held at a private hotel in Rajarhat. The meetings will mainly be held on the global economy and the discussions will revolve around the banking system. Finance officials from 120 countries would attend the meeting. This apart, representatives from Asian Development Bank, World Bank, Nabard, IMF and others would be present at the meeting. SNS PG3 ID (Aadhaar card/driving license etc) and three passportsize photographs to the respective venues. Those who have already enrolled have been requested to reach the venue with all the relevant documents. Through this fair, the candidates will also earn National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET)recognized certifications, improving their employability rate after the training sessions.Expressing his views on the Pradhan Mantri National Apprenticeship Mela, Atul Kumar Tiwari, MSDE Secretary said that skills and knowledge are the driving forces of economic growth and social development for a country. P12 Modi attends second National Conference of Chief Secretaries Prime Minister Narendra Modi chairs the national conference of Chief Secretaries, in New Delhi on Friday.  ANI STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi today attended the conference of Chief Secretaries here, terming it as a wonderful forum to exchange views on important policy-related subjects and to strengthen team spirit to take India to newer heights. The three-day meeting, in which secretaries in the ministries at the Centre are also participating, is mainly focused on ensuring how districts can be developed as proponents of growth and development to achieve the target of making India a $5 trillion economy by 202627. Many young district collectors and magistrates from states and Union Territories are also attending the meeting to brainstorm on various issues. Modi will mainly be chairing the deliberations on Friday and Saturday, according to sources. He will also address the chief secretaries and the secretaries in the central ministries. The meeting will also focus on achieving rapid and sustained economic growth in partnership with the states. This is the second edition of the conference, which was first held last year in Dharamshala at the initiative of the PM. The idea behind this conference is that Cooperative Federalism, through Central Ministries and Departments working together with States in seamless coordination, is an essential pillar for the development and progress of New India. Sources said this was not an isolated example when PM Modi has tried to leverage Cooperative Federalism to usher in efficiency and synergy in order to respond to many of India’s intractable challenges. In the last 8 years, he has worked to make the process of policy-making and implementation more collaborative and consultative, thus making India more federally governed.A discussion on the Aspirational Districts’ Programme (ADP), a government flagship programme anchored by Niti Aayog, was on the agenda of the meeting today. Launched by the PM in January 2018, the Aspirational Districts Programme aims to quickly and effectively transform the 112 most under-developed districts across the country in five thematic areas – health and nutrition; agriculture and water resources; education; financial inclusion and skill development; and basic infrastructure. Most of the identified districts have crossed the state averages in various fields but have Blocks which continue to lag behind. The 2022-2023 Union Budget had provided to focus on these Blocks. Under the programme, selected districts are encouraged to first catch up with the best district in their States and subsequently aspire to become one of the best in the country by competing with, and learning from others in the spirit of competitive and cooperative federalism. Niti Aayog is working closely with respective subject ministries and various development partners to fast-track progress at the district level. Rajnath reviews defence Big blow to Azad, 17 leaders preparedness at Andaman of J&K quit DPA; rejoin Cong STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE SNS & AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY The event will witness the participation from many companies representing various sectors. The participating organisations will have the chance to meet potential apprentices on a single platform and choose applicants on the spot, providing them with an opportunity to strengthen their livelihood and learn new skills. The candidates who are Class 5 to Class 12 pass-outs and have skill training certificates, or ITI Diploma holders or graduates can apply for this apprenticeship mela. The candidates must carry three copies of their resume, three copies of all the mark sheets and certificates, photo AXAR’S BATTING GOING UP BY LEAPS AND BOUNDS: DRAVID VIOLENCE HITS MEXICO CARTEL STRONGHOLD AS ‘CHAPO’ SON NABBED 'NEW VARIANT WON'T BE SEVERE' PM TRANSFORMED CONG’ 'LOOK EAST POLICY' INTO 'ACT EAST POLICY' : HM NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY Defence minister Rajnath Singh today took stock of the country's defence preparedness on the final day of his two-day trip to Andaman & Nicobar Islands (in photo). Visiting Indira Point, the southernmost tip of the country, Rajnath encouraged troops to continue protecting the national interests in the region. Indira Point is along the Great Channel, popularly referred to as the ‘Six Degree Channel’, which is a major shipping lane for international traffic. A strong presence of the armed forces equips India to better discharge its responsibility of being a net security provider in the region. En route, Rajnath halted at the Car Nicobar Island and Campbell Bay where he was apprised of the ground conditions. He also interacted with the joint services troops of Andaman and Nicobar Command there, lauding them for serving the country with unmatched bravery and commitment. Rajnath was familiarised with the terrain of the Southern Group of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He also paid a visit to INS Baaz and interacted with troops. After a brief association with Ghulam Nabi Azad's DPA, 17 leaders, including former Deputy chief minister Tara Chand resigned from the party and returned to the Congress on Friday. After rejoining the Congress, Tara Chand said, "I had an emotional relationship with Ghulam Nabi Azad and decided to quit the party to go with him, and now when emotions are down I decided to come back to our party which has given so much to us.”When asked about Azad, Tara Chand said that "only he can tell why he had left the party”.Chand along with Peerzada Mohd. Sayeed, for- mer PCC President; Thakur Balwan Singh (former MLA & ex-General Secretary DAP); Mohd. Muzaffar Parray, former MLC and Senior Advocate Supreme Court; Mohinder Bhardwaj (Sr Advocate Jammu &Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, three-time President BAR Association Jammu, former member Working Committee, DPA) and other leaders rejoined the Congress.All these leaders had joined the Democratic Azad Party (DPA) of Ghulam Nabi Azad when he had launched it. Announcing the induction K.C. Venugopal said, “The leaders are back because of Bharat Jodo Yatra and now will walk with Rahul Gandhi to fight the divisive forces.” On December 30, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad rejected the reports about his rejoining the Congress as “completely baseless” and alleged this was to demoralise his party workers. Expressing “shock” at the reports in a section of media in this regard, Azad, in a tweet, said: “... Unfortunately such stories are being planted by a section of leaders in the congress party right now and are doing this just to demoralise my leaders and supporters. Private trainer aircraft crashes in Rewa, pilot dead; co-pilot injured ‘AI crew brought offender before me against my wishes , wanted him arrested’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BHOPAL, 6 JANUARY NEW DELHI, 6 JANUARY An instructor pilot was killed while his trainee pilot sustained severe injuries when a small training aircraft of an aviation academy crashed at Rewa in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday night.According to the police, the mishap occurred in Umari village at around 11.45 pm when the plane of the private Falcon Aviation Training Academy hit a mango tree and then the dome of a temple, resulting in the crash. Initial investigations suggested that the crash occured due to poor visibility because of dense fog. In the crash, instructor Captain Vimal Kumar (54) of Patna district in Bihar was killed on the spot. Trainee pilot Sonu Yadav (22) of Jaipur district in Rajasthan sustained serious injuries.The aircraft broke into pieces after falling on the ground and both pilots were stuck under the rubble. Villagers extracted the two from the debris while the rescue teams arrived.Both were rushed to a hospital where the doctors declared Vimal Kumar brought dead and Sonu Yadav was admitted in the ICU.MP home minister Narottam Mishra expressed sadness at the crash and ordered an inquiry into the incident. SNS & AGENCIES The elderly female passenger on whom a man urinated in an Air India flight had told the crew to get him arrested by the airport police and not to bring him near her. “I told them (crew members) that I wanted the man arrested immediately by the airport police. They asked me if I would like to talk to the ground staff and I told them that I most certainly would,” the co-passenger on whom the man, Shankar Mishra urinated in Air India flight from New York to Delhi, said in the FIR. The incident occurred on November 26, 2022 and the FIR  Shankar Mishra urinated in Air India flight from New York to Delhi, is the vice president of the India Chapter of an American multinational  The incident occurred on 26 financial services November, 2022 and the FIR was company, Wells lodged at the Indira Gandhi Airport Fargo, headquartered in California police station on January 4 was lodged at the Indira Gandhi Airport police station on January 4. Mishra, is the vice president of the India Chapter of an American multinational financial services company, Wells Fargo, headquartered in California.“My clothes, shoes and bag were soaked in urine. The bag contained my passport, travel documents and currency. The flight staff refused to touch them, sprayed my bag and shoes with disinfectant, and took me to the bathroom and gave me a set of airline pyjamas and socks," CMYK the victim stated in the FIR, while recalling the entire incident. “The crew members also had discussions with the offender, who was sobering up by this time, and they came and told me that he wanted to apologise. I stated clearly that I did not want to interact with him or see his face, and that all I wanted was for him to be arrested on arrival. However, the crew brought the offender before me against my wishes, and we were made to sit opposite each other in the crew seats,” she said. “I was stunned when he started crying and profusely apologising to me, begging me not to lodge a complaint against him...I told him that his actions were inexcusable, but in the face of his pleading and begging in front of me, and my own shock and trauma, I found it difficult to insist on his arrest or to press charges against him,” she said in the FIR.Meanwhile, multiple teams were looking for Mishra, a resident of Mumbai and a native of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru. DGCA recommends ‘Handcuff-like device' to control unruly passengers: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) advisory recommends keeping restraining devices inside Aircraft to control unruly passengers. A senior DGCA official said that they recommend devices kept in aircraft cabins used to restrain unruly passengers of level 3 type i.e abusive physically violent category. The device looks like a handcuff. Equipment for the help of cabin crew. Some airlines in India like Air Asia are keeping it in the aircraft cabin. He further said that Applying restraining devices should be used when all conciliatory approaches have been exhausted. Civil Aviation Rule (CAR) makes cabin crew responsible for informing the passenger of the repercussion and consequences of such unruly behaviour.