AHMEDABAD l SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2020 l Pages 12 l 3.00 OUR EDITIONS: JAIPUR & AHMEDABAD 23°C - 36°C
JUSTICE ARUN MISHRA TO BE NCLAT CHAIRMAN
RNI NO. GUJENG/2019/16208 l Vol 1 l Issue No. 315
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Aditi Nagar
According to sources, Mishra is likely to be appointed as NCLAT Chairman in a day or two. Justice Mishra was also CJ of Rajasthan High Court at one point of time.
New Delhi: First India’s one-month-old prediction on the next assignment of retired SC Judge Arun Mishra comes true.
RBI Predicts -9.5% GDP For 2020-21, says the worst is over
Several high frequency indicators are pointing to the easing of contractions in various sectors: Shaktikanta Das
New Delhi: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das said on Friday that the country’s economy is likely to contract 9.5 per cent in the current financial year, “with risks tilted to the downside”, while maintaining a status quo on policy rates citing high inflation. The GDP may break out of the corona-induced contraction and turn positive by the fourth quarter of 2020, Governor Das said. The Monetary Policy Committee Turn to P6
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THINGS TO KNOW
The Monetary Policy Committee kept the repo rate - or the key interest rate at which it lends short-term funds to commercial lenders - at 4.0%. Consequently, the reverse repo rate - at which the RBI borrows from lenders - stood at 3.35%
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That was in line with economists’ expectations. All 66 respondents in a poll by news agency Reuters had predicted a status quo on the repo rate
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A large majority in that poll saw no cuts until the fourth quarter (Jan-Mar) of current financial year
“Relative to pre-COVID levels, several high frequency indicators are pointing to the easing of contractions in various sectors...and the emergence of impulses of growth... By all indications, the deep contractions of Q1 are behind us,” he said
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The central bank retained its “accomodative” stance on monetary policy to support the coronavirus-hit economy
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Das said that “a faster and stronger rebound is eminently feasible” if the current momentum of upturn gains ground
and fourth quarters of current financial year
He said inflation is likely to remain at elevated levels in September, and ease in the third
Das said the country is entering into a decisive phase in the fight against the pandemic.
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OH LORD! Priest burnt alive
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the ongoing 8 On coronavirus crisis, Das said “silver linings are visible in the flattening of the active caseload curve... Barring the incidence of a second wave, India stands poised to shrug off the deathly grip of the virus”
The RBI chief also said that food grain production was set for record highs, and factories as well as cities were coming back to life. “Against all odds, we shall strive and revive,” Mr Das said, in conclusion
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The RBI has already slashed the repo rate by 115 basis points (bps) since late March. The latest meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee - which has three new external members who voted in today’s decision - was originally due to conclude on October 1
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POLICY RATES UNCHANGED, VOTES MONETARY POLICY PANEL The monetary policy committee (MPC) of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) kept policy rates unchanged, and the governor assured that the worst was possibly over for the economy and it can now hope for steady recovery towards pre-pandemic growth rates. The newlyappointed six member MPC voted unanimously to keep the policy repo rate at 4 per cent, and said the real gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate in 2020-21 could be a negative 9.5 per cent, with “risks tilted to the downside.”
Hathras crime scene to be reconstructed, victim’s kin to be present
SHAH BIDS FINAL ADIEU TO PASWAN
by land grabbers
Main accused in the case held Manoj Jain Karauli: A temple priest died after he was set on fire by five persons over a land dispute in Rajasthan’s Karauli district, police said on Friday. Kailash Meena, the main accused in the case, was arrested while a search is underway for the remaining persons, officials added. In a press statement, Karauli police said that the priest, Babu Lal Vaishnav, had earlier complained to the cops that Meena and his family were trying to grab the 15 bigha land which belongs to Radha Gopal temple in Bukna village. Vaishnav and his family were engaged as priests here and would also till the land concerned, the release added. “According to the complainant, on Wednesday morning, Vaishnav had an argument with Meena Turn to P6
Union Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute to Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ramvilas Paswan, who passed away Thursday evening, at his Janpath residence in New Delhi. Full coverage on P5 —PHOTO BY PTI The five accused allegedly poured petrol on (inset) Babu Lal Vaishnav and set him on fire in Bukna village on Wednesday.
ASHOK GEHLOT @ASHOKGEHLOT51 The death of Babu Lal Vaishnav is unfortunate and condemnable. We do not have place for such acts here. The state government stands by the family of the deceased. The main accused has been arrested and a case is underway. The accused won’t be spared.
THE BONE OF CONTENTION The priest had about thirteen bighas (around 5.2 acres) of land which belonged to the Radha Krishna temple trust in a village in the district. But the land was given to the head priest to till as a source of income. Lands like these, which belong to temple trusts, are generally given to caretaker priests for their use in return for the fact that they perform the pujas and carry out rituals in village temples Such lands are called “Mandir Mafi “ and are a source of income for priests who are caretakers of village temples in Rajasthan. But this land became the source of a dispute.
World Food Prog clinches Nobel Peace Prize for combating hunger Stockholm: The Nobel Peace Prize 2020 on Friday was awarded to the World Food Programme (WFP) for its efforts to combat hunger and food insecurity around the globe. The announcement was made in Oslo by Berit ReissAndersen, the chair of the Nobel Committee. “With this year’s award, the (Committee) wishes to turn the eyes of the world to the millions of people who suffer from or face the threat of hunger,” said
Andersen. “The World Food Program plays a key role in multilateral cooperation in making food security an instrument of
peace. It contributes daily to advancing the fraternity of nations mentioned in Alfred Nobel’s will,” she said. Reacting to the announcement, a UN WFP spokesperson said that it was a “proud moment” and “nothing short of a feat”. The World Food Programme is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations and the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger Turn to P6
Fourth phase of panchayat polls today Polling in 897 gram panchayats of 32 panchayat committees in the fourth and final phase of Panchayati Raj elections will be held on Saturday from 7.30 am to 5.30 pm at 4,339 polling booths. Over 30 lakh voters will exercise their franchise in the last phase. Election Commission has appealed to all voters to wear masks and follow all corona protocols.
Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh police will recreate the crime scene in the Hathras gang-rape case to find the “missing links” amid contrasting statements from the family of the 19-year-old Dalit victim’s family and the versions offered by other villagers, said senior police officials privy to the investigation. The 19-year-old Dalit victim was injured in the brutal attack after she was allegedly gangraped by upper caste youths on September 14. She succumbed to her injuries at a Delhi hospital on September 29. A senior police official said the investigators are trying to collect all possible evidence related to the crime. He further said they (investigators) have decided to recreate the crime scene in different ways as the statements of the family and other witnesses are quite different. Turn to P6
TAKING NO CHANCES
Fearing nCoV surge, govt bans commercial garba, allows only aarti A SOP has been issued to ensure health protocol is followed by citizens and organizers First India Bureau Gandhinagar: In order to avoid rapid transmission of novel coronavirus, the state government has prohibited commercial or street garba this year. The government also issued a Standard Operating Proce-
dure (SOP) to be followed this festive season, with no provisions for lax sanitation arrangements. Firstly, an idol of Goddess Jagdamba may be installed and prayers may be conducted but only at a gathering of no more than 200 people at a time. No person will
be allowed to touch the idol, or receive any prasad (offerings) and the aarti (worship ritual) has to be concluded within an hour. Clearing the air about allowing garbi worship, the state government reiterated that permission has been granted for installing traditional garbi, and not for playing street garba. Furthermore, organizers of the aarti will have to make arrangements for a ther-
Permission for only the installation of traditional garbi has been granted by the government, which are also danced with during Navratri. —PHOTO BY HANIF SINDHI
mal scanner, sanitizers and oximeters at the venue. The stage, microphone and chairs, if any, will have to be sanitized. A minimum distance of six feet is to be maintained between two persons at all times through marked spaces on the floor. No worship rituals have been allowed to be conducted in containment areas. To ensure proper sanitary protocol is followed, all venues host-
ing such Navratri aartis need to be equipped with a hand washing basin and soap. A strict ban has also been imposed on spitting in public and chewing tobacco or pan masala at such events. An advisory has also been issued by the state government keeping in mind the health and welfare of the more vulnerable sections of the society. Senior citizens, children under the
age of 10 and pregnant women have been advised not to attend any Navratri events. It has further advised citizens to celebrate upcoming festivals such as Durga Puja, Dussehra, Diwali and the Gujarati New Year (Bestu Varsh) only with family members and avoid participation in public gatherings. A ban on Ramleela, Ravan Dahan, public fairs, Turn to P6