YK MYK NZ PASSES BEREAVEMENT LEAVE LAW FOR MISCARRIAGES, STILLBIRTHS WORLD KOLKATA FRIDAY, 26 MARCH, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—7, ISSUE—309 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) MAX 37 C ‘BJP-backed’ party to eat into minority votes: Mamata MIN 24 C Sky will be clear. AT A GLANCE SEBI EASES NORMS TO ENCOURAGE LISTING OF START-UPS NEW DELHI: To encourage listing of start-ups, markets watchdog Sebi on Thursday approved a slew of relaxations to norms, including reducing holding period for pre-issue capital. Besides, the regulator approved revamping of delisting rules and rationalising the existing framework related to reclassification of promoter and promoter group entities. At the meeting of Sebi board on Thursday, it was also decided to introduce new requirements for sustainability reporting by listed entities. This new report will be called the Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR) and will replace the existing Business Responsibility Report (BRR). GOVT RECALLS LIQUOR DECISION RANCHI: The Jharkhand government has taken back one of its decisions taken in haste, and that relates to closure of sale of liquor in the state in view of upcoming elections in neighboring state of West Bengal. In consideration with the revenue loss to the state, this decision was reinstated within 24 hours. According to the new directives, only adjoining areas of West Bengal have been instructed to stop the sale of liquor for 48 hours before the election. This is happening for the first time that liquor traders would have to shut down their shutters due to election. CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 1,17,91,417 TOTAL DEATH: 1,60,746 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 125,591,429 TOTAL DEATH: 2,759,323 SCREEN & CINEMA Morning India Rs. 3 WEATHER TODAY JESSICA ALBA REVEALS WHY SHE STEPPED AWAY FROM ACTING MI NEWS SERVICE PATHARPRATIMA: In an apparent reference to the Indian Secular Front, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the BJP of backing a new political party to eat into minority votes during the upcoming Assembly polls. Without naming any party or any person, Banerjee also claimed at an election rally in South 24-Parganas district that the founder of that outfit receives money from the BJP. "A new political outfit has been launched in the State at the behest of the BJP to grab a share of the minority votes and help the saffron party. Please don't vote for its candidates," she said. Abbas Siddiqui, a Muslim cleric, had recently launched the ISF and it is supporting the LeftCongress alliance in the Assembly elections, the first phase of which is slated for Saturday. Siddiqui had also created a flutter by meeting All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi, whose party is likely to contest in the polls. At the rally in Patharpratima, Banerjee said the CPI(M) and Congress have an understanding with the BJP. Only the Trinamool Congress can prevent implementation of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Population Register in the State, and ensure amity among different communities, she said. Responding to repeated allegations by the BJP against her and the TMC, Banerjee said, "Am I being called a thief and murderer because I love people, and always rush to be on their side whenever required?" The Trinamool Congress supremo also dubbed Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah as "the lords of thieves", demanding an explanation on "provident fund dues of lakhs of employees", and sale of PSU stakes. On Cyclone Amphan and relief measures in its aftermath, she said: "Out of the Rs 1 lakh crore of damages, he (Modi) had promised only a small fraction (Rs 1,000 crore) as help. But, whose money is this? This is State's money. The Centre did not do Bengal any favour. "From cyclone Bulbul to Amphan, we have always come to the rescue of people. We monitored the situation risking our lives, and not sit in the comfort of home. The State Government had managed to evacuate 19 lakh people from disaster zones during Amphan." Around 30 lakh damaged houses are being rebuilt, the CM said. "There can be one or two exceptions...," she said in reference to Opposition parties' allegations of graft in execution of rehabilitation work. "However, if anyone has not received the relief amount, the person can get the same by writing to the administration after the elections." Banerjee also slammed Shah for asking in public meetings what the TMC had done for West Bengal. "Let me ask him, have you undertaken schemes like 'Kanyashree', 'Sabujsathi' and 'Khadyasathi'? Have you heard about 'Duare Sarkar' and its success? Are you giving ration free? "If the TMC returns to power, it will unveil more such historic social welfare projects covering every section of society," she asserted. Banerjee alleged that Shah had "instructed" few media houses to project a higher number of seats for the BJP in surveys, but "first let it cross the 75seat mark, which the saffron party will not be able to". At another rally in Sagar in South 24 Parganas district, she gave the call for "Unnatataro TMC sarkar" (a TMC Government with increased focus on development-centric activities). SC directs Army to Mithun leads mega roadshows in poll-bound Bengal consider granting PC to women officers MI NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court directed on Thursday directed the Army to consider the grant of the permanent commission for women officers within a month and allow the permanent commission within 2 months after following the due process. A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Dr DY Chandrachud passed the judgment on hearing a batch of petitions filed by many women officers for permanent Commission in the Indian Army, seeking a direction that contempt proceedings be initiated against those who had allegedly failed in their duty to comply with the earlier judgments of the apex court. While delving into many issues, including medical criteria, Justice Chandrachud said that the fundamental postulate in submissions of Additional Solicitor General (ASG) is that evaluation of competitive merit is necessary. Benchmarking in submissions became necessary to place them on par with males, the Bench pointed out. The Supreme Court said that the fundamental fallacy in this submission is that the clear intent of the policy letter is that issue of applying competitive merit applies to 250 officers fulfil this criterion. "If it is less than 250 then there is no need to meet this criterion," the apex court said. While pronouncing the judgment, Justice Chandrachud, said: "It is a long judgment spanning of A bench of the Apex Court, headed by Justice Dr DY Chandrachud passed the judgment on hearing a batch of petitions filed by many women officers for permanent Commission in the Indian Army. hundred's pages. We have dealt with the issue of ACR evaluation and then with the medical criteria." Justice Chandrachud said that the qualification and achievement of women officers after the 5th and 10th year has been ignored. The Bench said that the statistics which have been advanced by Army authorities mainly disclose two things. "The 250 ceilings have not been crossed till 2010. The statistics which have been placed on record completely demolish the case of Benchmarking. Physical fitness is crucial for securing a position in the army. The court does not find merits in the submissions of ASG," Justice Chandrachud asserted. "The structure of our society is for male for males and appeared to be harmless," the apex court said. Justice Chandrachud said that physical fitness is crucial for the Army. MORE ON PG 7 SALTORA/KESHIARY: Actor Mithun Chakraborty led two mega roadshows in the Junglemahal region of West Bengal in support of the BJP candidates. Chakraborty, who was in a white kurta with a long saffron scarf loosely wrapped around his neck, led the first roadshow in Saltora in Bankura, while the second one was in Keshiary in the Paschim Medinipur district. Amid chants of 'Jai Shri Ram', Chakraborty stood on a MUV, decked with marigold, and greeted the enthused supporters. People went atop their houses and gathered near Chakraborty's car to have one look at the superstar of yesteryears even as shouts of "Guru Guru" were ringing in the air. "The overwhelming response, the emotion of the people show change is inevitable and irreversible in Bengal," he told reporters in Keshiary. Asked if there was the possibility of him becoming the Chief Minister if BJP came to power, Actor Mithun Chakraborty campaigns for the BJP candidates on Thursday. Chakraborty said: "You are obsessed with the same question." "I am not the hero, I am their Mithun-da and they are my friends. I have a connect with the people of Bengal," Chakraborty said, exuding confidence about the BJP's victory in the State polls. Chakraborty arrived at Saltora around 10 am but could not get down from his helicopter for at least 15 minutes as a large crowd gathered at the helipad to see the superstar. Chakraborty had joined the BJP at the Kolkata rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last month. Administrating of Covid vaccine being done at urban health center, in Vijayawada on Thursday. ANI At 53,476, India records highest surge in 5 months NEW DELHI: India reported 53,476 coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, highest single-day spike since October taking the total tally to 1,17,87,534 on Thursday. According to the Health Ministry, Maharashtra and Punjab are turning out to be a major cause of worry. Cases have been increasing over the last two weeks. On October 22 last year, India recorded a single-day spike of 54,366 infections. ON OCTOBER 22 The central LAST YEAR, INDIA government is RECORDED A SINclosely monitorGLE-DAY SPIKE OF ing and actively 54,366 INFECengaging with TIONS. AS PER states and union THE HEALTH territories over MINISTRY, the resurge. MAHARASHTRA With death of AND PUNJAB ARE 251 people in TURNING OUT TO the last 24 BE A MAJOR hours, the toll CAUSE OF WORRY has reached WHERE CASES 1,60,692 in ARE INCREASING. India. The active caseload in the country has mounted to 3,95,192. With the discharge of 26,490 patients in a day, a total of 1,12,31,650 persons have been discharged so far. A total of 10,65,021 tests were done on Wednesday. So far, 5.31 crore doses of corona vaccine have been administered in the country since the drive began on January 16 after approval for 'Covishield' and 'Covaxin'. Now, those over 45 years of age will also get Covid-19 vaccine from April 1, irrespective of the co-morbidities, the Central Government has announced. MORE ON PG 5 Sound of bombs replaced Rabindra Sangeet in Bengal: Rajnath MI NEWS SETRVICE JOYPUR: Taking a dig at the Trinamool Congress-led Bengal Government, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that the sound of bombs is being heard in the State instead of Rabindra Sangeet and bomb-making factories are seen from where Swami Vivekananda's messages used to propagate. Singh while addressing a rally at Joypur said, "Now-a-days Mamata is talking about violence during campaigning. But when Mamata came to power, she talked about providing security to Maa, Mati and Manush. But no one in the State is safe." Targeting Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Union Minister repeated that no one can stop BJP from winning over 200 seats in the Assembly polls. "I am absolutely sure that BJP will win more than 200 seats in the Bengal polls. The State Government should understand that in a democracy, the Government runs through the Constitution and not arrogance," Singh said. "I belong to the party which was formed by Syama Prasad Mookerji, a Bengali. No one is an outsider here as everyone is born in our motherland," Singh said while attacking Mamata's charge of BJP being an outsider party. "I assure you that the BJP Government after coming to power will provide security to every person in the State and will not discriminate on the basis of their ideology." Pawar to campaign for Mamata NEW DELHI: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar will travel to West Bengal to campaign Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in the State Assembly polls, said NCP chief spokesperson, Mahesh Tapase on Thursday. "NCP chief Sharad Pawar will campaign in West Bengal in support of Mamata Banerjee. He will be on a three-day visit to the State from April 1, to hold various rallies, press conferences and meet Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers at Trinamool Bhavan," said Tapase. TMC worker killed in clash with CPM-ISF; 5 held BARUIPUR: A TMC activist was killed in a clash with members of opposition alliance CPM and Indian Secular Front (ISF) in Bengal's South 24-Parganas district, police said on Thursday. The incident took place in Madhya Belegachi village on Wednesday evening when TMC activists were canvassing for party candidate Bivash Sardar for Baruipur Purba Assembly seat. Suddenly, a clash erupted between TMC activists and ISF and CPM members in the area, leading to head injury to 60-year-old Ruhul Amin Middye, a member of the ruling party in the State, a police officer said. Middye was admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata, where he succumbed to his injuries, he said. Based on a police complaint lodged by a TMC activist, a case has been registered against 15 people, of whom five have already been arrested and a man-hunt has been launched to nab the others, the officer added. MISSION KARMAYOGI A step towards making civil servants more creative NEW DELHI: Dubbed as the biggest bureaucratic reform initiative, the Central government's 'Mission Karmayogi', a new capacity-building scheme for civil servants, is ensuring to upgrade the post-recruitment training mechanism of officers and employees at all levels. The scheme aims to prepare Indian civil servants for the future by making them more creative, constructive, imaginative, innovative, proactive, professional, progressive, energetic, enabling, transparent and technologyenabled. The 'Mission Karmayogi' programme is being delivered through setting up of a digital platform called iGOTKarmayogi. Training of Civil Servants at various academies is being restructured to include optimum use of the digital learning platform of iGOT. Empowered with specific rolecompetencies, a civil servant will be able to ensure efficient service delivery of the highest quality standards through the ongoing scheme. The platform acts as a launchpad for the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), which aims to enable a comprehensive reform of the capacity building apparatus at the individual, institutional and process levels. The National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB), known as 'Mission Karmayogi', focuses on six pillars with the objective of enhancing governance through civil service capacity building. The six policy frameworks of 'Mission Karmayogi' focus on Institutional Framework, Competency Framework, Digital Learning Framework (Integrated Government Online Training Karmayogi Platform (iGOTKarmayogi), electronic Human Resource Management System (eHRMS), and Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Expressing his views on the exercise, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said it will "radically" improve the government's human resource management practices. Modi has also asserted that 'Mission Karmayogi' would use state-of-the-art infrastructure to augment the capacity of civil servants. Approved on September 2 last year, the programme was approved by the government to provide institutional framework for civil service capacity building online with Prime Minister's Public Human Resource Council (PMHRC); Cabinet Secretariat Coordination Unit; Capacity Building Commission; Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV); and Programme Management Unit (PMU) to provide program management and support services. The technical digital learning platform of Mission Karmayogi has become functional in pre-production (experimental) stage on which various types of learning courses are being uploaded by the Central and other training institutions. Ministries and Departments implementing important National flagships programs and projects have been requested to develop 'e-content' in respect of their programmes and projects that include providing strategic direction to civil service reforms and capacity building; preparation of annual capacity building plans; strengthening functional supervision over training institutions; and provide a digital learning platform providing best in class learning content. It also stresses on the need to focus on improved availability of trained workforce for effective citizen centric delivery, enabling data-driven decisions for training personnel management and increased transparency and accountability in governance. Besides the NPCSCB, the government is currently implementing schemes like training for all, with an objective of capacity building of all government officials at the national and state level, and Domestic Funding of Foreign Training (DFFT) scheme which provides short term and long-term training courses abroad through training courses at the best international institutions. Funding and supporting Foundational and mid-Career training of civil servants through Central Training Institutions are also the initiative of the government for civil service employees.