YK MYK AMERICAN INVESTORS ARE UPBEAT IN INDIA ABOUT BIZ PROSPECTS DELKAR’S AUTOPSY CONFIRMS SUICIDE, BODY SENT TO SILVASSA OPINION NATION Morning India Rs. 5 RANCHI WEDNESDAY, 24 FEB, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—10, ISSUE—290 (RNI NO: JHAENG / 2012 / 44137) WEATHER TODAY State schools not to hold offline exams MAX 30 C MIN 16 C Sky will be clear. SANJAY SAHAY AT A GLANCE JAPAN PM APPOINTS ‘LONELINESS’ MINISTER TO CABINET TOKYO: Japan has appointed its first Minister for Loneliness this month after the country’s suicide rate increased for the first time in 11 years during the Covid-19 pandemic. According to The Japan Times, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga added a minister of loneliness to his Cabinet earlier this month, following the example of the UK, which in 2018 became the first country to create a similar role. ED ATTACHES ASSETS WORTH RS 1.2 CR IN COAL SCAM CASE NEW DELHI: The ED on Tuesday said it has attached assets worth over Rs 1.2 crore of a company in connection with its money laundering probe in an alleged coal scam case. The properties belong to Jharkhand Ispat Private Limited (JIPL) and they have been provisionally attached by the central agency under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED case against the firm is based on a CBI FIR and charge sheet. JIPL and its directors were convicted by a special CBI court in 2016, the ED said in a statement. DETAILS ON PG 3 CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 1,10,22,582 TOTAL DEATH: 156,553 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 112,368,412 TOTAL DEATH: 2,487,737 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Abhishek Banerjee’s daughter as she visits the residence of Abhishek Banerjee, in Kolkata on Tuesday. ANI ‘Being editor of Toolkit no offence’: Court grants Disha bail NEW DELHI: Creation of a WhatsApp group or being editor of an “innocuous Toolkit” is not an offence, a Delhi court said on Tuesday as it granted bail to 22-yearold climate activist Disha Ravi in the ‘Toolkit’ conspiracy case. Ravi faces charges of conspiracy and sedition in the ‘Toolkit’ conspiracy case related to the farmers’ agitation and was arrested from Bengaluru on February 13. The Delhi Police had contended that the Google document tweeted by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg to back the farmers’ protest and then deleted, was created by Ravi and two other activists -- lawyer Nikita Jacob and activist Shantanu Muluk. “In my considered opinion, creation of a WhatsApp group or being editor of an innocuous Toolkit is not an offence,” said Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana. It would be worthwhile to observe that there is nothing on record to suggest that the applicant accused subscribed Disha Ravi leaves from Patiala House Court after being granted bail in regards of toolkit case, in New Delhi on Tuesday. ANI to any secessionist idea, he added. “Except for a bare assertion, no evidence has been brought to my notice to support the contention that any violence took place at any of the Indian Embassies pursuant to the sinister designs of the accused and her coconspirators,” the judge said, allowing bail considering the “scanty and sketchy evidence on record”. “I do not find any palpable reasons to breach the general rule of bail against a 22-year-old young lady, with absolutely blemish free criminal antecedents and having firm roots in the society, and send her to jail.” Ravi is already reported to have been interrogated in police custody for almost about five days and placing any further restraint upon her liberty on the basis of general and omnibus accusation would be neither logical nor legal, the Additional Sessions Judge said. SC TO LAW STUDENT: DON’T ADDRESS JUDGES AS ‘YOUR HONOUR’ NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday took objection to submissions of a law student while addressing the judges as “Your Honour”. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian told the law student, who was appearing as partyin-person, “When you call us Your Honour, you either have the United States Supreme Court or the Magistrate in mind. We are neither.” The petitioner immediately apologised and submitted he had no intent to upset the judges. The petitioner said he will use “My Lords” while arguing his matter. The Chief Justice replied, “Whatever. we are not particular what you call us, but do not use incorrect terms.” RANCHI: The state government on Tuesday issued the standard operating procedures (SOP) for the opening of schools, coaching centres, parks, cinema halls and other places outside the containment zones with effect from March 1. All activities not specifically prohibited are permitted outside the containment zones. All processions shall remain prohibited. The guidelines stated that all schools are permitted to start offline classes for students of class VIII, IX and XI. The attendance of students will not be mandatory and shall be only with the consent of the parents. The government stated that schools are not permitted to hold offline examinations barring board examinations. The order assumes significance as several institutions are gearing up for offline examinations. According to the directives, schools shall continue to provide digital content. The schools shall follow the SOP on their premises. Colleges and higher institutions will be permitted to start offline classes in compliance with the SOP issued by the University Grants Commission. All universities are permitted to take necessary decisions in this regard while complying with the SOP. The government said all skill and entrepreneurship training institutes including Industrial Training Institutes are permitted to start offline classes. They shall comply with the SOP issued by the ministry of health and family welfare. All coaching institutes outside the containment zones are permitted to start offline classes. The coaching institutions have to follow INDIAN FIRMS PROJECTING 7.7% SALARY HIKE IN 2021 THE GUIDELINES STATED THAT ALL SCHOOLS ARE PERMITTED TO START OFFLINE CLASSES FOR STUDENTS OF CLASS VIII, IX AND XI. THE ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS WILL NOT BE MANDATORY AND SHALL BE ONLY WITH THE CONSENT OF THE PARENTS. the guidelines issued by the ministry of school education and literacy. In closed spaces congregation of a maximum of 50 percent is permitted while ensuring social distancing. In open space outside the containment zones, a maximum of 1000 people is allowed keeping in view the size of the ground. All cinema halls, multiplexes, theatres are permitted to open with a maximum of 50 percent of their hall capacity while following the guidelines of the ministry of information technology. All entertainment parks and similar places are permitted to open subject to compliance to the SOP. Sports activities with a ceiling of 1000 persons in open spaces and 50 percent of capacity in closed places are allowed. Training will be allowed for the sportspersons at the swimming pools. State government employees are permitted to ensure 100 percent attendance of their employees. The Anganwadi centres would open under the guidance of the ministry of women and child welfare. Fair and exhibition are allowed to open with a ceiling of 1000 persons in open spaces and 50 percent of the hall capacity in closed spaces. NEW DELHI: India Inc is likely to provide a salary hike of 7.7 per cent in 2021, indicating a strong economic recovery, said a survey on Tuesday. The study by global professional services firm Aon analysed data across 1,200 companies from more than 20 industries. About 88 percent of the surveyed companies reported that they intend to increase salaries in 2021, reflecting positive business sentiment. “We expect the increment dynamics for 2021 to play out over a longer period of time given the uncertainty and potential impact of forthcoming changes,” Nitin Sethi, Partner and CEO of Aon’s performance and rewards business in India, said in a statement. Despite a tough 2020 with stringent lockdowns, India continues to project the highest salary increases among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China,) nations, said the report. The highest-paying sectors in 2021 continue to be the ones from last year - information technology, information technology enabled services, life sciences, e-commerce and fast-moving consumer goods. ‘SPINNERS WILL COME INTO PLAY FOR SURE BUT PACERS CAN’T BE IGNORED EITHER IN PINK-BALL TEST’ SPORTS 2 highly mutated variants detected in Kerala, Maha, T’gana: Centre It’s a saffron surge in Gujarat’s six civic bodies NEW DELHI: The Centre on Tuesday informed that it has found two specific variants of SARS-CoV-2 -- N440K and E484K -- circulating in three states, Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana, which have been detected with high number of mutations. However, no causal link between these two variants and the outbreak in Kerala and Maharashtra have been established so far, it added. “The genome sequencing of positive patients have confirmed two variants which are detected with a larger number mutations than the one dominating the country. They are found circulating in GANDHINAGAR: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) achieved overwhelming support in the municipal corporation elections in six cities of Gujarat, polling for which was held last Sunday. BJP, an already ruling party in these six municipal corporations, got reelected with a larger number of seats this time. Out of the total 576 seats of the six municipal corporations, the BJP secured a whopping 485 seats. The opposition Congress was reduced to 45 seats. The Aam Admy Party (AAP), the debutant in the local body elections in Gujarat, secured 27, Maharashtra, Kerala and Telangana,” informed V.K. Paul, Member (health), NITI Aayog, and head of the National Task Force on Covid19. However, he clarified that the variants cannot be attributed to the upsurge in the number of infections a few states have been witnessing in the country. “There is no evidence for us to believe that these are responsible for the upsurge of the outbreak in some of the districts in Maharashtra and Kerala,” he said. Paul assured that the government is constantly monitoring the behaviour of the CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC mutations in the country. Meanwhile, Paul also informed that the count of people infected by the South African variant has risen to six, which the Union Health Ministry had reported to be four last week. Last week, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) found as many as 192 cases of Covid-19 affected by the new variants of mutated SARS-CoV-2 in the last two months, including four from the variant that emerged in South Africa and one from Brazil. The remaining 187 were found infected by the UK variant. However, the number of patients infected by the UK and Brazil variants has not changed in that duration. Big setback for Cong as AAP scores big while the All India Majlis-eIttehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM) led by Assaduddin Owaisi managed to win two wards in Ahmedabad. Similarly, the Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) man- aged to clinch three seats in the Jamnagar Municipal Corporation. The BJP won on 159 out of 192 seats in Ahmedabad, far more than the previous 143. The Congress won 24 seats while the AIMIM got 7 seats and there were two independent candidates who got elected. In Vadodara, the BJP captured 66 seats out of the total 76 seats of the VMC, the rest going to the opposition Congress. In Rajkot, the hometown of the Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, the BJP gained all 18 wards, except one, which went to the Congress. India takes giant step to counter Chinese influence in Indian Ocean NEW DELHI: India has swiftly taken a giant step in countering Chinese influence in the Indian Ocean, with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar signing two defence pacts with Maldives and Mauritius - each with a strong maritime dimension. Jaishankar’s pre-emptive strike follows Chinese inroads in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Hoping to lower its dependence on the Malacca Straits, which are dominated by the Americans, the Chinese have been making feverish efforts to secure the region’s ports. Besides, Beijing is trying to kill two birds with one stone. In trying to assert in the IOR, the Chinese simultaneously want to the undermine the regional influence of India, another rising power. The Chinese have already secured Kyuakphyu in Myanmar, Hamabantota in Sri Lanka, and Djibouti in the Horn of Africa, to achieve its twin aspirations. China’s forays add context to Jaishankar’s latest visit to the IOR. In the Maldives, a deal was inked in the EAM’s presence on Sunday, permitting India to develop a Maldives National Defence Force Coast Guard Harbour at Sifvaru --Uthuru Thilafalhu (UTF). In addition to the harbour and dockyard, India will also support the development of other infrastructure needed for the harbour, support the development of communications resources and radar services, and provide training. ‘Glad to sign with Defence External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar calls on Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. (ANI Photo) Minister @MariyaDidi the UTF Harbour Project agreement. Will strengthen Maldivian Coast Guard capability and facilitate regional HADR (Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief) efforts. Partners in development, partners in security,’ Jaishankar tweeted. In Mauritius Jaishankar announced a $100 million Defence Line of Credit. This would “enable the procurement of defence assets from India” according to the requirements of the country which was emerging as an important maritime entity in the Indo-Pacific region. “These initiatives underline once again that the security of Mauritius is the security of India; in the prosperity of Mauritius is our prosperity,” he said. Under the terms of the loan Mauritius would get a Dornier aircraft and an Advanced Light Helicopter Dhruv on lease, to bolster its maritime security capabilities. Ahead of Jaishankar’s visit India had deepened its soft-power bonds with both the IOR nations, which were invited to a Covid-19 conference New Delhi had hosted. During the meeting, India had proposed a regional health alliance which would help the neighbourhood countries to forge a collective response to pandemics. The consolidation of India’s footprint in the IOR includes the port of Sittwe in Myanmar, a muscular presence in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Duqm island in Oman and Assumption Island in Seychelles. The Assumption Island is located around 1,100 km southwest of the Seychelles’ capital of Mah�. Once the project is completed, it will help Seychelles’ Coast Guard to patrol the nation’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and counter piracy, illegal fishing and drugtrafficking. India’s naval footprint in the Indo-Pacific has also been boosted by a key logistics agreement with the United States and growing ties with France which has basing rights in Reunion island in the IOR. The Indian and French Navy for the first time conducted joint patrols from the Reunion Island which is an overseas region of France and an island east of Madagascar and 175 km southwest of Mauritius. MORE ON PAGE 9