WEDNESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2025 www.thestatesman.com Pages 16 |` 5.00| LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ALL-PARTY MEET OVER LS DELIMITATION PROPOSAL ON 5 MAR TRUMP EXPRESSES HOPE RUSSIA’S WAR IN UKRAINE NEARING ENDGAME P12 SENSEX 74,602.12p147.71 WEATHER VERY LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE TOWARDS NIGHT. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 29 AND 15 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 95 % TEMPERATURE Min. 33 % Max: 29.1 °C (+3.0) SUN RISES 06:48 hrs MOON RISES 06:22 hrs Min: .11.7 °C (-0.8) SUN SETS 18:19 hrs MOON SETS 16:33 hrs THUMBNAILS Devotees take a dip at Har ki Pauri on the eve of 'Maha Shivratri', in Haridwar on Tuesday. n ANI Sajjan Kumar awarded life imprisonment in another 1984 anti-Sikh riots case: The Rouse Avenue court in Delhi awarded life imprisonment to former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case. He was convicted in the case related to the killing of a father-son duo in the Saraswati Vihar area of the national capital on 1 November 1984. The court, on 12 February this year, found the accused politician guilty under the provisions related to rioting, unlawful assembly, and murder. (P3) NIFTY P6 22,547.55q5.80 ` vs $ 87.23 PONTING PRAISES KOHLI FOR TON AGAINST PAKISTAN ‘GOVT BUILDING FUTURE-READY INFRA ECOSYSTEM’ P13 GOLD 89,295.00 SILVER 1,08,000 P16 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 74.32q0.46 ‘`2,000 crore loss to Delhi PM Modi at Advantage Assam 2.0: N-E to play key role in India's growth story govt due to liquor policy’ CAG report on 2021-22 excise policy tabled in Delhi assembly STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 25 FEBRUARY T he Comptroller and Auditor General of India’s (CAG) report on previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s 20212022 liquor policy which was tabled in the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday says that it led to a loss of over Rs 2,000 crore to the government exchequer. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta tabled the CAG report on the Delhi Excise Policy in the Assembly amid thumping of desks by BJP MLAs in the House. The controversy related to the now-scrapped excise policy was a key issue in the just-concluded Assembly elections. The Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India on Performance Audit on Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi said: “Actual implementation was sub-optimal and objectives behind the policy were not achieved. Vends in non-conforming wards could not be opened and equitable distribution of retail vends could not be achieved. Issue and management of zonal licences had major shortcomings.” According to the report tabled on Tuesday, the audit observed several discrepancies in the way the Excise Department monitored and regulated the supply of liquor in the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The report showed that the state government suffered cumulative losses of more than Rs 2,000 crore due to the 20212022 excise policy. The working of the Excise Department raises several questions about the way the Department is fulfilling its responsibility. Total financial implication of the audit findings is approximately Rs 2,026.91 crore, as per an overview of the report. This report contains the results of a Performance Audit conducted on “Regulation and Supply of Liquor in Delhi” covering a period of four years from 2017-18 to 2021-22 to examine Regulation and Supply of Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) and Foreign Liquor in Delhi. Audit findings for the period 2017-21 include violation in award of licenses, lack of transparency in pricing of IMFL, inadequate control of quality of liquor, weak Regulatory Functioning regarding timely identification and plugging of revenue leakages and (Turn to Page 2) ABHIJIT DEB GUWAHATI, 25 FEBRUARY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday highlighted North-East India's dominant role in India's development, asserting that the region is making rapid strides in various sectors and will significantly contribute to the country's vision for 2047. Speaking at the Advantage Assam 2.0 global summit, Mr Modi underscored Assam’s growing economic strength, noting that the state's economy has doubled from Rs 3 lakh crore in 2018 to Rs 6 lakh crore today. He credited this progress to the "double-engine government," referring to the BJP-led governments at both the Centre and in the Assam, emphasising the massive boost in infrastructure, connectivity, and investment climate. "In the past 70 years, Assam had only three bridges, but in the last 10 years, four more have been built. Rail and air connectivity have also expanded significantly, with 30 new flight routes operational in the region," Mr Modi stated. He added that peace accords and the resolution of border issue have improved the law-and-order situation, fostering an envi- ronment conducive to business and innovation. The Prime Minister also highlighted India's ambitious energy goals, projecting an additional 500 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. He stressed Assam’s advantage in this sector, alongside its growing contributions to manufacturing, electronics, semiconductors, and green energy. "Assam is emerging as a semiconductor hub, and the state's refining capacity has been enhanced. The region holds 50 per cent of India's onshore gas production share, making it a crucial player in energy security," he said. Mr Modi reiterated the government's commitment to making Assam a preferred investment destination, urging global investors to tap into the region's unlimited potential. He emphasised the role of youth in driving innovation and economic transformation, positioning Assam as the gateway to South East Asia. With a target of Rs 150 billion set for Assam’s economy, the state is poised for accelerated growth, particularly in logistics, agriculture, and tourism. "When India becomes a developed nation by 2047, the North East will have played a major role in shaping that future," Mr Modi asserted.
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