FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Sensex settles 281 pts lower amid negative global cues Page 10 Tuesday, 18 August 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | Iran working to finalise Strait of Hormuz plan with Oman Jadeja, Suthar shine as India take 178-run lead NATION Rahul, Jairam Ramesh target NTA over faulty papers Page 5 Page 9 Page 12 CM vows industrial push to curb labour migration STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Purulia, 17 August W est Bengal Chief M i n i s t e r S u v e n d u Adhikari on Monday announced that the state government’s primary focus is to ensure rapid industrialisation for generating rob ust lo cal employment and halting the outward migration of labourers. Speaking at the foundation stone -laying ceremony of a Rs.4,000-crore integrated greenfield steel plant in Raghunathpur of Purulia district, the Chief Minister highlighted that the 148-acre project will create approximately 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, and will be set up within 1000 days. "The Amit Metaliks factory will be fully operational within1000 days, but I request them to make it within 800 days and focus on local unskilled employments," Adhikari stated during the Nine killed as fire engulfs Tarapith hotel, 22 rescued STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Tarapith, 17 August At least nine pilgrims were killed and four others were injured after a fire broke out at a hotel near the Tarapith temple in Birbhum district on Monday morning. “We have information that nine people were killed and four others were injured in the fire that broke out in a hotel in Tarapith. The injured have been shifted to the hospital and their condition is stable. So far 22 people have been rescued, The rescue operation is still going on,” SP of Birbhum Vidit Raj Bhundesh said. The victims had reportedly travelled to Tarapith for worship during the holy month of Shravan. The fire broke out at Hotel Bideshini, a five-storey building located near a pond and within a short distance of Tarapith police station, around 4.30am. A preliminary investigation suggests that the fire may have been caused by a short circuit. According to hotel owner Kalyan Pal, the fire started after the NCB (electrical circuit breaker) suddenly burst. The fire and thick smoke spread rapidly through the building while most of the residents were asleep. Several people, including children, were trapped inside their rooms. Panic gripped residents who struggled to find a way out. Police from Tarapith and Rampurhat reached the hotel soon after being alerted, while fire brigade personnel also rushed to the spot and brought the flames under control. However, a large portion of the lower floor was gutted. According to eyewitnesses, the residents tried to escape through the reception area as they could not locate the rear exit in the darkness. Several residents suffered burn injuries, while others ‘Govt thwarted ISI-backed attack plans ahead of I-Day’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 August Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday stated that the country's security agencies had carried out a major, multi-state crackdown against the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) and busted its entire terror syndicate. He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had dismantled the terror group ahead of Independence Day and thwarted its plans for subversive attacks with the arrests of more than 200 operatives. Lauding the country's security agencies and forces, Shah said they had ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations at different locations across 14 states, setting a brilliant example of India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Substantial recoveries were made from the ISI-funded group, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras allegedly used for espionage, Shah stated, adding that the network was involved in several terrorist activities. According to officials, around 253 people were detained across 14 states, while more than 80 FIRs were registered and over 200 arrests were made against SBN as part of the government's 'zero tolerance' policy towards cross-border terrorism. The SBN, a Pakistan-based and ISI-backed terror syndicate, is linked to grenade, IED and petrol-bomb attacks, as well as targeted killings across the country. It has also been paying local conduits to conduct reconnaissance of police, defence and religious sites and install CCTV cameras for espionage, officials added. In a bid to counter SBN-linked disruptions that were allegedly plannedaroundtheIndependence Day celebrations, a coordinated multi-state operation was carried out on August 12, during which a real-time intelligence-sharing system was put to use with state police forces. fell ill after inhaling smoke. State Fire and emergency services minister Koushik Chowdhury has announced a nine-member committee headed by SDM of Rampurhat, which also includes SDPO of Rampurhat, two members of Tarapith Ramp urhat Development Authority (TRDA) and fire service department for fire and electric safety audit of all the hotels in Tarapith before the upcoming Koushiki Amavassya. Earlier, the Chief Minister wrote on X handle: "I am deeply pained by the horrific tragedy in Tarapith, Birbhum district, where eight pilgrims lost their lives in a devastating hotel fire. These individuals had gathered in the holy temple town to offer prayers on the final Monday of the sacred month of Shravan. Words cannot fully express my grief for the families enduring this unimaginable loss." Nitin Nabin unveils new team with eight general secretaries, focus on UP polls VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 17 August Putting an end to a long wait and speculation, BJP president Nitin Nabin on Monday unveiled his new national team, appointing 13 vice-presidents and eight general secretaries, combining experienced leaders with younger faces ahead of a crucial round of Assembly elections. The team, which reflects the BJP’s focus on poll-bound states, will work towards the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur next year, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, before the big one-the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Among the prominent appointments is former Union minister Smriti Irani, who returns to an active organisational role as one of the eight national general secretaries in the team that maintains caste and regional balance. Nabin has also replaced Amit Malviya as head of the party’s IT cell with relatively low-profile Chhattisgarh leader Deepak Mhaskey. programme at Durmut village, To lay greater stress on employment generation, the state government will now link investor incentives directly to local job creation metrics, rather than total capital expenditure alone, he said. Referring to the r e c e n t ly initiated Rs.15,000-crore Shyam Steel Project in Mejia, which will also employ 10,000 people, the chief minister said these two industrial ventures will reshape the future of the state's youth. "Workers will no longer need to migrate to other states for work, as these new facilities will provide ample employment opp or tunities for lo cal, unskilled labourers." The Chief Minister pointed to a broader wave of industrial expansion across the state, i n c l u d i n g t h e re c e n t f o u n d a t i o n l ay i n g o f a Rs.600 - crore expansion project by Lux, and the development of the country's largest curd manufacturing plant by Amul in Howrah. He added that a c o m p re h e n s ive new investment and land policy will be unveiled shortly to drastically improve the state's economic landscape. He directed the District Magistrates to clamp down on skyrocketing sand prices and ensure that all sand mining ghats operate strictly within legal frameworks. Tourism is also slated for a major boost, with upcoming projects in Purulia expected to transform the local economy. Looking ahead to May 9, 2027, which marks the first anniversar y of his administration, Adhikari urged citizens to evaluate his government's performance. "If the p ublic rates our performance lower than a 9 out of 10, I will tender a public apology with folded hands," he stated. J’khand CM Hemant Soren cancels JSSC CGL, all exams conducted on behalf of TDPL STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Ranchi, 17 August Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations celebrated at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium here on Monday after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination. The announcement came after a special Cabinet meeting convened amid the students' prolonged agitation. As news of the cancellation reached the protest site, students raised slogans and celebrated what they described as a major victory for their movement. Soren also announced the cancellation of all examinations conducted by TDPL, along with the results and selections arising from them. The Chief Minister said all examinations conducted in Jharkhand since 2014 would be investigated to identify any irregularities. • See Page 5
The Statesman is one of India's oldest English newspapers. It was founded in Kolkata in 1875 and is directly descended from The Friend of India (founded 1818). The Englishman (founded 1821) was merged with The Statesman in 1934. The Delhi edition of The Statesman began publication in 1931. The Statesman Weekly is a compendium of news and views from the Kolkata and Delhi editions. Printed on airmail paper, it is popular with readers outside India. The Statesman (average weekday circulation approximately 180,000) is a leading English newspaper in West Bengal. The Sunday Statesman has a circulation of 230,000.
