SATURDAY 19 APRIL 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR P8 SENSEX 78,553.20 PARTLY CLOUDY SKY BECOMING GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY TOWARDS EVENING. VERY LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 38 AND 26 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: Nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 68 % TEMPERATURE P7 NIFTY 23,851.65 WEATHER USA WILL DROP UKRAINE, RUSSIA PEACE EFFORTS IF THERE’S NO PROGRESS ‘ASSEMBLY NOT FOR POSTURING’ ‘NEITHER AMIT SHAH NOR ANY SHAH CAN EVER RULE TAMIL NADU’ P9 ` vs $ 85.39 GOLD `97,790.00 THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL Over 67 pc children between six to 59 months in India are anaemic: More than 67 per cent of children between six to 59 months are anaemic in India, according to data released by the Union Health Ministry on Friday. The National Health Survey-5 (2019-2021) data on the status of anaemia in India puts the rate of anemia among women between 15-49 years at 57 per cent, pregnant women in the same age group at 52.2 per cent, and at 59.1 per cent among adolescent girls between 15-9 years. SILVER `1,00,000 P rime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that he spoke with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and discussed the ‘immense potential’ for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation. He wrote in a post on X: “Spoke to @elonmusk and talked about various issues, including the topics we covered during our meeting in Washington DC earlier this year. We discussed the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of technology and innovation. India remains committed to advancing our partnerships with the US in these domains.” The interaction between PM Modi and Mr Musk took place against the backdrop of the negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement between India and the USA. The two nations have signed the terms of reference for the initial phase of a bilateral trade agreement, an Indian trade official announced on Tuesday. The two countries had, in February, agreed to begin work on the first stage of the deal, aiming to finalise it by the end of the year as part of a broader goal to boost bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030. In another significant development, India is said to be open to slashing tariffs on over half of the USD 23 billion worth of US imports in this first phase, potentially the biggest tariff cut in years. It signals a major policy shift as India seeks to strengthen ties with Washington amid global trade realignments. The prime minister had met Zmr Musk, who is also Tesla CEO and US President Donald Trump’s close aide, in Washington during his visit to the USA in February this year. They discussed various issues, including space, mobility, technology, and innovation. PM Modi had shared glimpses of his candid moments with Elon Musk's children, captioning it: “It was also a delight to meet Mr. Elon Musk’s family and to talk about a wide range of subjects!” Mr Modi’s conversation with the world's richest man came at a time when Tesla is reportedly poised to enter the Indian market. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal had also held a meeting with top executives of Elon Musk’s Starlink in Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the company’s investment plans for India. The meeting came in the wake of domestic telecom majors such as Airtel tieing up with Starlink for the possible launch of satellite telecom services in India. Vodafone Idea has also said that it is in talks with Starlink to provide satellite communication services in India. Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia has stated that India needs satellite internet, especially in its rural areas. Starlink, a satellite internet service that aims to provide high-speed internet access to users worldwide, is owned by SpaceX, a company founded by Elon Musk. SpaceX is the first private company to have delivered astronauts to and from the International Space Station. Mr Musk has also been tasked with leading US President Trump's new Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) for cutting US government jobs and other spending. AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL The country is all set to create history once again in its space journey as an Indian astronaut will fly to the International Space Station (ISS) next month as part of an international space mission, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, said on Friday. Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force will be part of the upcoming Axiom Space mission, Ax-4, scheduled for May 2025. This marks the first time an Indian national will travel to the ISS, and the first human spaceflight by an Indian in over four decades since Rakesh Sharma's legendary mission in 1984. After a high-level review meeting with top officials from ISRO and the Department of Space, Minister Singh said this will be a defining moment for India’s space ambitions. “The mission reflects the country’s growing stature in global space collaborations and showcases India’s readiness for human spaceflight,” he said. “Such missions are not just scientific achievements but are aligned with the larger vision of a selfreliant and developed India,” Mr Singh added. ISRO Chairman V. JNU student union polls put on Cong alarmed over visa revocation of Indian students, seeks govt’s reply hold after allegations of vandalism SHAHID K ABBAS NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL The Congress on Friday expressed serious concern over the American Immigration Lawyers Association's claim that out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students in the United States collected by it so far, 50 per cent are Indians. “AILA (American Immigration Lawyers Association) collected 327 reports of visa revocations and SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) terminations from attorneys, students, and university employees. … 50 per cent of these students were from India, followed by 14 per cent from China. Other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh,” the Association said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday. AILA is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, voluntary bar association that provides continuing legal education, professional services, information, and expertise to attorneys who practice and teach immigration law in the United States. No GST on UPI transactions over `2,000: Government AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL The claims that the government is considering levying Goods and Services Tax (GST) on UPI transactions over Rs 2,000 are completely false, misleading, and without any basis, said the Ministry of Finance in a statement on Friday. Currently, there is no such proposal before the government, the Finance Ministry clarified. GST is levied on charges, such as the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR), relating to payments made using certain instruments. Effective January 2020, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) removed the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Person-to-Merchant (P2M) UPI transactions through a Gazette BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 67.85 The interaction took place against backdrop of talks on an India-US trade pact Min: 25.6 °C (+4.0) SUN SETS 18:49 hrs MOON SETS 09:55 hrs Devotees take part in a mass prayer on the occasion of Good Friday to commemorate the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ, at St Francis Xavier's Cathedral in Bengaluru on Friday. n ANI P12 PM Modi, Musk discuss Indian astronaut to fly to ISS next month tech & innovation ties Min. 32 % Max: 41.0 °C (+4.2) SUN RISES 05:51 hrs MOON RISES 00:43 hrs TITANS AIM TO BOUNCE BACK AGAINST CAPITALS Notification dated 30 December 2019. Since currently no MDR is charged on UPI transactions, there is consequently no GST applicable to these transactions. The government remains committed to promoting digital payments via UPI, the Finance Ministry said. To support and sustain the growth of UPI, an Incentive Scheme has been operational from 2021-22. This scheme specifically targets low-value UPI (P2M) transactions, benefiting small merchants by alleviating transaction costs and promoting wider participation and innovation in digital payments. The total incentive payouts under this scheme over the years reflect the government's sustained commitment to promoting UPI-based digital payments, the ministry said. “Out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students collected by the organisation so far, 50 per cent are Indians. The reasons for revocation are random and unclear. There is growing fear and apprehension,” said Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh in a press statement shared on the social media handle X on Friday. Seeking to know as to what the government is doing for students’ safeguard, Mr Ramesh said that “the reasons for revocation are random and unclear. There is growing fear and apprehension. Will the External Affairs Minister take note and raise the concern with his US counterpart?” During his second term, the Trump administration has revoked hundreds of student visas across the country as part of a vast immigration crackdown. Reports suggest that more than 1,000 international students and recent graduates at more than 130 schools in the USA have had their visas or statuses revoked in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System this year. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL The Election Committee of Jawaharlal Nehru University has put the entire election process on hold till further order following allegations of vandalism. “The recent incidents of violence and vandalism at EC officer and on EC members on April 17, 18 have seriously disrupted the election process. In view of this, it has been decided to put the entire election process on hold. Till further notice, the final list of candidates has also put on hold,” stated an official communication from the JNUSU Election Committee. The committee will resume the electoral process after an assurance from the administration as well as student organisations regarding the safety of committee members, it added. Reacting to this, ABVP termed the move as an artificial crisis, alleging the Election Committee was working under pressure from the Left United grouping. “The JNU Election Committee is working under the pressure of Left United. It not only disrupted the election process but also carried out unexpected and unconstitutional actions such as revisions and withdrawal of the candidate list even after the final date for nominations had passed,” it said in a statement. This is a well-orchestrated conspiracy against the very spirit of democracy, aimed at suppressing the rising popularity of ABVP and the growing trust of students in the organisation. Fearful of the students’ mandate, left groups and their patron organizations have attempted to derail the electoral process by creating an atmosphere of instability and fear, it added. The Left-affiliated organisations have levelled allegations against ABVP of resorting to violence against the EC members, where they took them hostage and intimidated them after it re-opened the withdrawal of nominations for 30 minutes. Centre effects jumbo bureaucratic reshuffle STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL The government on Friday effected a major top-level bureaucratic reshuffle, appointing, among others, Arvind Shrivastava as revenue secretary and Vumlunmang Vualnam as expenditure secretary. The Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet that met today, cleared the promotions of several top IAS officers to fill key secretarylevel posts which have or are going to fall vacant due to the superannuation of incumbents. Mr Shrivastava, a 1994 batch of the Indian Administrative Service from the Karnataka cadre was until now serving as the Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s office while Mr Vualnam, an 1992 batch IAS officer from the Manipur cadre, was serving as the Civil Aviation Secretary. Mr Vualnam succeeds Manoj Govil who has been reassigned as Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat. Samir Kumar Sinha, a 1994 batch IAS officer of AssamMeghalaya cadre has been named Civil Aviation Secretary. Vivek Aggarwal, a 1994 batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre has been named as Secretary in the Ministry of Culture. Mr Aggarwal was serving as Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit. Also, the appointment panel appointed Santosh Kumar Sarangi, a 1994 batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre, as Secretary in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Meeta R. Lochan, a 1990 batch IAS officer of Maharashtra cadre has been appointed as Secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes in the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. K Moses Chalai, a 1990 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre is the new Secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises in the Ministry of Finance. Vandana Gurnani, 1991 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Employment. Ranjit Punhani, a 1991 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. Ashish Srivastava, a 1992 batch IAS officer of MP cadre has been named the Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs. Nikunja Bihari Dhal, 1993batch IAS officer from the Odisha cadre was appointed as Secretary in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs. Rakesh Kumar Verma, a 1993 batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre has been named as Director General, India International Institute of Democracy and Election Management. Anuradha Thakur, a 1994 batch IAS officer of HP cadre was named Officer on Special Duty, Department of Economic Affairs in the Ministry of Finance. Rajesh Agarwal, a 1994 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre, was elevated as Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce & Industry. Pallavi Jain Govil, a 1994 batch IAS officer of MP cadre, has been named as Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Nidhi Chhibber, a 1994 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, was appointed OSD, Ministry of Food Processing Industries. Hari Ranjan Rao, a 1994 batch IAS officer of MP cadre, has been appointed as OSD, Department of Sports, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. Narayanan said Group Captain Shukla is fully prepared for the mission, which is expected to provide valuable hands-on experience for India’s future crewed missions, including the Gaganyaan project. Group Captain Shukla, a decorated test pilot, was among those shortlisted under ISRO’s Human Spaceflight Programme. His training and journey to the ISS will help India build deeper expertise in spaceflight operations, microgravity adaptation, and safety procedures. Unlike the symbolic first spaceflight in 1984, this mission is focused on operational readiness and international collaboration. The minister said that India’s partnership with international agencies and private players shows its commitment to becoming a global leader in space. The minister was also briefed on several key developments by ISRO since January 2025. These include the release of data from the Aditya L1 solar mission, successful tests of docking and undocking technologies, and the firing of India’s most powerful liquid engine yet. ISRO also marked its 100th launch from Sriharikota earlier this year and supported national events like the Kumbh Mela using satellite-based monitoring. India rejects Bangladesh’s remarks over Murshidabad violence STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 APRIL Amid growing rift with Dhaka over a plethora of issues, India on Friday rejected remarks made by Bangladesh on the recent violence in Murshidabad in Bengal over the Waqf Act, saying the neighbouring country should focus on protecting the rights of its own minorities instead of making unwarranted comments and indulging in virtue signaling. ''We reject the remarks made by the Bangladesh side with regard to the incidents in West Bengal. This is a barely disguised and disingenuous attempt to draw a parallel with India’s concerns over the ongoing persecution of minorities in Bangladesh, where the criminal perpetrators of such acts continue to roam free,'' Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in response to questions. New Delhi's statement came after Bangladesh Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam “strongly protested” India’s attempt to link Bangladesh with the violence over the Waqf Act in Murshidabad. He also asked India to take steps to ”protect the minority Muslim population”.