UTTARAKHAND FLOOD WREAKS DEATH, DAMAGE

About 150 people were reported missing with seven bodies recovered, and two

hydro power projects and a key bridge severely damaged, by a flood likely

set off by a glacial breach that surged through the Rishiganga river in

Uttarakhand's Chamoli district Sunday morning. Among those missing are

labourers at the project sites, over 30 staff members and two police

personnel.

Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat said over 35 people were trapped in a

tunnel blocked by debris at an NTPC project that is under construction in

the Tapovan area, five km downstream of Rishiganga. A joint team of ITBP and

the Army are engaged in rescue at the tunnel.

Local officials cited preliminary reports to attribute the floods to a

"glacier break" near Joshimath in the district. But scientists are

ascertaining the possibility of a breach in a glacial lake - a phenomenon

known as glacial lake outburst flood - probably caused by an avalanche being

the likely reason.

"The glacial burst led to the rising of water levels in the river

Rishiganga, which washed away the Rishiganga small hydro project of 13.2 MW.

The flash flood also affected the downstream hydro project of NTPC at

Tapovan on the river Dhauliganga, which is a tributary of the river

Alaknanda," said a statement issued by the National Crisis Management

Committee headed by Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba which met Sunday

afternoon.

It said there was no danger of downstream flooding and the rise in water

level had been contained.

The surge comes more than seven years after the state witnessed one of the

worst natural disasters in the country when nearly 6,000 people lost their

lives to massive floods and landslides triggered by a cloudburst and heavy

rainfall.

FINANCE MINISTER REJECTS 'SELLING FAMILY SILVER' CHARGE

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday asserted that the central govt

was not dismantling the PSUs but lending them greater strength through

concrete policy framework to bring more capital funds and professionalism.

Addressing a gathering on the Budget 2021-22, organised by the Mumbai BJP,

she said, "The govt is not selling the family silver. To the contrary, it is

strengthening the family silver."

Referring to the Opposition's criticism on disinvesting PSUs, she said, "It

is not the first time that disinvestment is happening. In the past,

disinvestment was in piecemeal. One unit was taken and then next and then it

was endlessly debated. What is new in our Budget is we have brought a policy

which brings clarity."

Thin spreading of family silver does not help the PSUs which are in losses

and those doing well are not getting due attention, the Finance Minister

said, adding that the govt wants to prime them by scaling them to their

maximum potential to meet the aspirations of growing India. "It is the

govt's duty to see every taxpayer's money be qualitatively spend. Just

because we inherited so many loss making units we cannot continue to invest

taxpayers' money to keep it going and then not be accountable for their

performance. "No taxpayer would like their money going in units in a state

of ICU without signs of improvement in their conditions," Sitharaman stated.

She maintained that the move is aimed at maximising the potential of the

PSUs.

She underlined the significance of the Centre's Developmental Financial

Institution (DFI) which will fund development requirements. "But only govt

alone cannot address the aspirations of India. Therefore, private DFI will

have a great role to play. "The govt will work as facilitator through laws.

The govt DFI will work in competitive mode and better its performance," she

added.

PM USES 'TOOLKIT' TO CLAIM GLOBAL PLOT

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on

"international conspirators" who were out to discredit India - without

directly taking the names of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg

who shared a "toolkit" in support of the ongoing farm protests and other

global celebrities backing the agitation - and said the country will

"respond to these conspiracies with all its might".

At election rallies in Assam's tea belt of Dhekiajuli and Bengal's Haldia,

the PM did not talk about the ongoing farmers' agitation or name any of the

international supporters but referred to the 'toolkit', training his guns at

opposition parties who had remained silent on the "international

conspiracy". "You must have heard, these conspirators are saying that the

image of tea of India has to be maligned. Systematically. .I want to tell

these conspirators from the land of Assam, no matter how hard they try, the

country will not let their nefarious plans to succeed. My tea workers will

win this battle. These attacks against our tea are not strong enough to

compete against the hard work of our tea garden workers," he added.

In Haldia, he singled out Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, reminding

the gathering about the episode when she became angry over 'Jai Shri Ram'

slogans being raised in his presence at a function in Netaji's memory in

Kolkata recently. "She (Mamata) even gets angry at 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'

slogans. But when anti-nationals spew venom against the country, Didi never

gets angry. These days, you may have seen in the news how international

conspiracies are coming to the fore to discredit India. "Now it is being

planned how to defame India, how to damage India's reputation. Did you ever

hear even a word against these conspiracies from Didi?" he said.

"Those who raise their voices saying 'Ma Mati Manush' now lack the courage

to speak up for Bharat Mata," he added.

NY ASSEMBLY PASSES A KASHMIR RESOLUTION; INDIA RESPONDS

Reacting sharply to a resolution passed by the New York state Assembly

urging Governor Andrew Cuomo to declare February 5 as Kashmir American Day,

India said attempts were being made by "vested interests" to misrepresent

J&K's social mosaic to divide people.

The resolution, sponsored by Assembly member Nader Sayegh and 12 other

lawmakers, states that "the state of New York endeavours to champion human

rights, including the freedom of religion, movement and expression for all

Kashmiri people.."

Commenting on the resolution, a spokesperson of the Indian Embassy in

Washington said: "We have seen the New York Assembly resolution regarding

Kashmir American Day. Like the US, India is a vibrant democracy and the

pluralistic ethos of 1.35 billion people are a matter of pride".

"India celebrates its diversity and rich cultural mosaic, including in J&K,

which is an integral and inalienable part of India. We note with concern the

attempt by vested interests to misrepresent the rich cultural and social

mosaic of J&K to divide the people.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

======================

LIFT SANCTIONS FOR N-DEAL TO WORK, SAYS IRAN; BIDEN SAYS NO FIRST MOVE

Iran's supreme leader on Sunday urged the US to lift all sanctions if it

wants Iran to live up to commitments under its nuclear deal with world

powers, state TV reported, but President Joe Biden says the US won't be

making the first move. "If (the US) wants Iran to return to its commitments,

it must lift all sanctions in practice, then we will do verification, then

we will return to our commitments," state TV quoted Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

as saying, in his first comments on the matter since Biden took office.

Biden rejected the idea in an interview with CBS taped on Friday and aired

on Sunday. He was asked if the US will lift curbs first in order to get Iran

back to the bargaining table. "No," Biden replied. He was then asked if Iran

has to stop enriching uranium first. He nodded. Former President Trump

withdrew the US in 2018 from the atomic deal, which saw Iran agree to limit

its enrichment of uranium in exchange for the lifting of curbs.

Biden has said he'll seek to revive the deal, but insisted that Iran must

first reverse its nuclear steps. "This is the definitive and irreversible

policy of the Islamic republic, and all of the country's officials are

unanimous on this," Khamenei added on Sunday.

BIGGEST PROTESTS IN MYANMAR SINCE 2007 DRAW THOUSANDS

Tens of thousands of people rallied across Myanmar for a second day of

protests on Sunday to denounce last week's coup and demand the release of

elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi. It is the biggest protest in Mynamar since

the 2007 Saffron Revolution that helped lead to democratic reforms.

In Yangon, crowds sported red shirts, red flags and red balloons, the colour

of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party. "We don't want military

dictatorship! We want democracy!" they chanted. On Sunday afternoon, the

junta ended a day-long blockade of the internet that had further inflamed

anger since the coup last Monday that has drawn international outrage. Pope

Francis expressed "solidarity with the people" on Sunday and asked Myanmar's

leaders to seek "democratic" harmony.

There was no comment from the junta in the capital Naypyidaw, more than 350

km north of Yangon and state-run television news carried no mention of the

protests.

DUBAI IMPOSES FRESH COVID RESTRICTIONS AMID CRITICISM OVER SURGE IN CASES

After reporting a record-breaking number of new Covid cases in recent weeks,

Dubai has enacted a fresh set of regulations in an attempt to reign in the

spread of the deadly infection. This comes as the city has been facing

criticism globally for reopening businesses and easing curfews in order to

attract tourists during the peak year-end holiday season. But UAE

authorities blame Covid protocol violations for the sudden rise in cases.

Dubai has introduced a raft of new measures, ranging from shutting down pubs

and bars and cracking down on private parties, to testing incoming

passengers more aggressively. Shopping malls in the emirate will now be

operated at a reduced capacity of 70 per cent. Additionally, restaurants and

cafes will have to close by 1 AM and will not be permitted to organise any

entertainment activities in their premises.

Both international tourists and UAE residents alike will have to provide a

negative RT-PCR test report before travel. Only close relatives will be

permitted to attend weddings or private parties, the maximum number of

guests for which has been capped at ten.

Dubai was one of the first destinations to welcome tourists during the early

months of the pandemic, when it opened its borders in July, last year.

Just last month, with over 4,000 new cases being recorded daily, the UAE saw

its caseload soar to over 290,000, increasing the strain on hospitals across

the country. Countries around the world are now pointing the finger of blame

at the UAE for spreading the coronavirus abroad.

THE REST

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PM TO SPEAK IN PARLIAMENT TODAY, HERE'S WHAT HE'S SAID SO FAR ON FARM LAWS

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today reply to the debate on the motion of

thanks on the President's Address in Rajya Sabha . He has spoken about the

three farm laws passed by his govt and the agitation on many occasions

outside Parliament. Here's what he has said.

On August 9, while launching a central financing scheme under the

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, the Prime Minister spoke about the laws for

the first time. He said that through the laws, the "farmer is freed from the

purview of the market and market tax". And "another new law has been framed,

under which the farmer can now have a direct partnership with the

industries".

Referring to the amendments in the Essential Commodities Act, he had said

"this law was the major reason why good warehouses could not be built in the

villages and the agro-based industries were not getting encouraged. This law

was being frequently misused. Now the agriculture business has also been

freed from this fear mechanism. Now the traders and businesses can come

forward to build storages and make other arrangements in the villages."

On September 27, in his monthly Mann Ki Baat radio address, the Prime

Minister said "the agricultural sector of the country, our farmers, our

villages are the very basis of Atmanirbhar Bharat. In the recent past, these

areas have liberated themselves from many restrictions and tried to break

free from many myths."

On November 30, he said: "The farmers are not to be blamed, but I want to

tell the countrymen, my farmer brothers and sisters that work is being done

with intentions as pure as Gangajal."

On December 15, after laying the foundation stone of development projects in

Kutch, he said "the demand for the recent agricultural reforms was being

made for several years. Those in the opposition who are misguiding farmers

were in favour of these agricultural reforms when they were in power."

On December 28, after flagging off the 100th Kisan Rail, he declared "we

will continue to walk on the path of empowering Indian agriculture and the

farmer with all sincerity and with full force".

On January 30, days after the Red Fort was stormed, the Prime Minister spoke

about reconciliation. At an all-party meeting, he assured that "the govt is

approaching the issue of farm laws with an open mind". The offer to keep the

implementation of the farm laws on hold for 18 months "still stands", and

"the Agriculture Minister is just a phone call away for taking forward the

talks."

But on January 31, in his Mann ki Baat address, the PM said the country was

"saddened by the insult to the Tricolour on the 26th of January in Delhi".

NO 'GHAR WAPSI' TILL FARMERS' DEMANDS ARE MET: TIKAIT

A day before PM Narendra Modi is expected to articulate his govt's stand on

the contentious farm laws in the Rajya Sabha, BKU leader Rakesh Tikait on

Sunday stepped up pressure on the govt, declaring there would be no "ghar

wapsi" till the farmers' demands were met. He also demanded that the

arrested farmers be set free forthwith.

Addresing a "mahapanchayat" at Charkhi Dadri in Haryana, Tikait claimed that

all attempts to portray the protesters as anti-nationals had failed. He said

the farmers stood united and that the Republic Day events were a part of a

conspiracy. "We will not return home till our demands are met and all

persons arrested for the Delhi violence released," he said. Tikait lauded

the khap panchayats and their leaders for strengthening the stir. He also

praised Punjab BKU leader BS Rajewal for "providing a "sound leadership".

Tikait warned that handing over the farm sector to the corporates would

shoot up food prices. "We will not backtrack even if we have to pay a heavy

price for it," he declared. Union leader Darshal Pal Singh said Punjab and

Haryana farmers had shown exemplary solidarity.

YOGI GOVT ANNOUNCES 16-DIGIT UNICODE SYSTEM TO MARK LANDHOLDINGS IN UP

The Uttar Pradesh govt has introduced a system of issuing a unique 16-digit

Unicode to mark all kinds of landholdings in the state, an official said on

Sunday.

Every piece of land in the state will have its own unique identity from now

onwards that would check cases of land disputes and save people from falling

into the trap of fraudsters, an official spokesman said.

The revenue department will be issuing the Unicode for marking all kinds of

agricultural, residential and commercial land and a person will now be able

to know the details of the land with a single click, he said.

The Unicode number of the land will be 16 digits with the first six digits

based on the population of the land, the next 4 digits determining the

unique identity of the land. The digits from 11 to 14 will be the number of

the division of the land. The last 2 digits will have the details of the

category, through which, the agricultural, residential and commercial land

will be identified.

FPI HOLDING IN NSE-LISTED COS AT 5-YR HIGH; BANK, FINANCE STOCKS TOP PICKS

As markets rose sharply in the third quarter of FY21, the value of FPI

ownership in rupee terms reached an all-time high of Rs 41.83 lakh crore as

on December 31, 2020, up 29 per cent from Rs 32.47 lakh crore as on

September 30, 2020.

Led by record net inflows by FPIs amounting to Rs 1,41,915 crore in domestic

equities in the third quarter this fiscal, FPI ownership in NSE-listed

companies hit a five-year high of 22.74 per cent at the end of December

2020, up from 21.51 per cent as on September 30, 2020. The previous high in

FPI ownership in NSE-listed companies was seen in December 2015, when it

stood at 23.01 per cent.

Banks and finance companies were the biggest beneficiaries of FPI inflows

during Q3FY21. Seven banks/finance companies emerged in the list of top 10

companies that witnessed maximum net buy (sum of increase in shareholding

and average closing price during the quarter) by FPIs during the quarter.

HDFC Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, HDFC Ltd, ICICI Bank and Bajaj Finance

occupied the top five spots. SBI and Axis Bank too figured in the top 10

list.

Meanwhile, the percentage holding of the central govt (as promoter) in

companies listed on the NSE hit yet another all-time low of 5.08 per cent as

on December 31, 2020, down from 5.10 per cent as on September 30, 2020.

CHENNAI TEST, DAY 3: INDIA ON SHAKY GROUND DESPITE PANT-PUJARA SHOW

Rishabh Pant's beautiful edge-of-the-seat hitting ended with his now

customary indiscretion, putting India under the pump against a supremely

confident England gunning for victory at the end of third day's play in the

opening Test here on Sunday.

At stumps, India were 257 for 6 in reply to England's massive first innings

score of 578 with 122 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on after Pant

(91 off 88 balls) and Cheteshwar Pujara (73 off 143 balls) added 119 runs

for the fifth wicket.

Pujara was dismissed in one of the most bizarre manners during the final

session of the day's play. In a bid to punish spinner Dominic Bess for

bowling a short-delivery, Pujara came up with an attacking pull shot to

score a welcome boundary. But the shot took a wicked deflection off the

short-leg fielder's ducked shoulder, offering an easy catch to Rory Burns at

the short mid-wicket region.

Washington Sundar (33 batting, 68 balls), primarily a batsman converted into

specialist off-spinner, was trying to make amends for his poor show with the

ball in company of Ravichandran Ashwin (8 batting, 54 balls).

With a couple of days' play still left, it will be interesting to see if

England team management decides to give its bowlers some respite if it gets

a chance to enforce the follow-on.

The other top batsmen couldn't contribute much - Rohit Sharma (6) and

Shubman Gill (29), Virat Kohli (11), Ajinkya Rahane (1).

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

When our memories outweigh our dreams, we have grown old. - Bill Clinton

OFF TRACK

The kindergarten class had settled down to its coloring books. Willie came

up to the teacher's desk and said, "Miss Francis, I ain't got no crayons."

"Willie," Miss Francis said, "you mean, "I don't have any crayons.' You

don't have any crayons. We don't have any crayons. They don't have any

crayons. Do you see what I'm getting at?"

"Rreally?" Willie said, "What happened to all them crayons?"