PRIORITY IS TO VACCINATE ALL ELIGIBLE KIDS, MODI TELLS CMs

Aiming to speed up coverage of Covid immunisation among eligible children, PM Modi on Wednesday underlined the need for special campaigns in schools saying vaccinating all kids is the govt’s top priority. “Teachers and parents should be aware about this,” he said.

During an interaction with CMs to review the situation, the PM also stressed on testing all serious influenza cases and genome sequencing the positive cases, while warning that the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic has not yet been overcome and the rise in cases in the last two weeks manifests the need to stay alert.

'UNFAIR': PM FLAGS HIGH VAT ON FUEL IN NON-BJP STATES

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagged high prices of petrol and diesel in seven Opposition-ruled states, urging them to reduce VAT on fuel and pass the benefit to the common man.

Naming Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand for not cutting taxes since November 2021 when the Centre had reduced excise duty on fuel to ease the burden of inflation on people, the PM appealed to these states to “work in national interest and in the spirit of cooperative federalism in times of global crisis.”

The PM said non-reduction of VAT by some states was “unfair and harmful.” “The Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel in November 2021 and urged the states to reduce taxes and transfer the benefit to the people. Some states responded but others did not... resultantly the prices of petrol and diesel in these states are higher than in the others. This is unfair to the people of the state and harmful for the neighbouring states that lowered VAT and lost revenue on that count,” the PM said noting that Karnataka lost Rs 5,000 crore in revenue over six months by lowering tax on fuel and Gujarat lost Rs 3,500 crore while some neighbouring states earned between Rs 3,500 cr and Rs 5,500 cr over the same period.

To make his point, the PM also listed comparative prices of fuel in the Opposition and BJP-ruled states. “Daman and Diu reduced VAT and the cost there is Rs 102 as against the neighbouring Mumbai where it is Rs 120 a litre. Similarly, petrol costs Rs 115 in Kolkata but Rs 105 in Lucknow; Rs 120 in Hyderabad but Rs 106 in Jammu; Rs 118 in Jaipur but Rs 105 in Guwahati; Rs 111 per litre in Chennai but Rs 105 in Gurugram and Rs 103 in Dehradun,” the PM said.

CONGRESS IN TURN SLAMS CENTRE FOR HIGH EXCISE DUTY

The Congress hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his attack on the opposition-ruled states for not reducing VAT on petrol and diesel, saying the excise duty during UPA govt was much lower than what it is under the Modi regime and asked the PM to roll back the hike.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala alleged that the Modi govt has earned as much as Rs 27 lakh crore from taxes on petrol and diesel and demanded an account of the money.

“Modiji, no criticism, no distractions, no Jumlas! Excise Duty during Congress Govt - Petrol - Rs 9.48/litre and Diesel - Rs 3.56/litre. Modi Govt - Petrol - Rs 27.90/litre and Diesel - Rs 21.80/litre. Please roll back the excise hike of Rs 18.42 in Petrol and Rs 18.24 per litre in Diesel,” Surjewala said on Twitter.

He said the party will urge the states to decrease VAT on fuel to pre-May 2014 level, but the Centre must also admit that it earned Rs 27 lakh crore in earnings from petrol and diesel, against Rs 16.5 lakh crore earned collectively by states. “The central govt revenue from petrol/diesel has doubled in 8 years,” Surjewala said.

The Congress leader said that on May 26, 2014, when Prime Minister Modi assumed charge, the crude oil was US $108, but petrol and diesel was at Rs 71.41 and Rs 55.49 per litre. “But today, crude oil is US $100.20 per barrel, but the petrol/diesel prices have been increased to Rs 105.41/litre and Rs 96.67/litre in Delhi,” he said.

WE DON’T NEED OUTSIDE APPROVAL ANYMORE: JAISHANKAR

India’s position on the Ukraine crisis is the most appropriate to deal with the ongoing conflict, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said during an interactive session at the Raisina Dialogue on Wednesday.

He pushed back at European criticism of India’s approach by stating that India will engage with the world on its own terms and does not require anyone’s approval to do so.

“In our minds the best way forward is to focus on stopping the fighting, getting the talking and finding ways of moving forward. We think our choices, our positions are best placed to advance that,” he said. “It is better to engage with the world on the basis of who we are rather than try to please the world as a pale imitation of who they are. The idea that others define us and we need approval is an era that we need to put behind us,” said Jaishankar.

Asked what India expects from the world, the minister listed reliable and resilient supply chains and transparency and trusted technologies.

On the three things where India pulled up short in the last 75 years, Jaishankar said these were not paying adequate attention to the social indicators, not concentrating on manufacturing and technology and not giving as much importance and weight to hard security as India should have.

COVID DASHBOARD – INDIA

As of 0800 IST / April 28

from mohfw.gov.in ,

New Cases on Wednesday 3,303

Active Cases 16,980 (+701)

Total Deaths (Deaths Yesterday) 5,23,693 (3)

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

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

RUSSIA HALTS GAS TO BULGARIA AND POLAND; EUROPE SLAMS BLACKMAIL

The reverberations of the war in Ukraine widened on Wednesday, jolting energy markets and threatening to spill across borders, as the West’s escalating arms shipments and economic penalties prompted Russia to lash out by cutting off gas supplies to two European nations. Russia’s state-run gas company, Gazprom, announced that it was suspending shipments of natural gas to Poland and Bulgaria, a move that the EU’s top official denounced as “blackmail. ” Though the immediate economic impact was likely to be limited, it was the Kremlin’s toughest retaliation yet against a US-led alliance that it has accused of backing Ukraine in a proxy war aimed at weakening Russia.

Russia’s Gazprom halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday over their refusal to pay in roubles. The state-controlled pipeline monopoly, which supplies Europe with about 40% of its gas needs, said transit via Poland and Bulgaria — whose pipelines supply Germany, Hungary and Serbia — would be cut if fuel was siphoned off illegally.

President Putin’s demand for rouble gas payments is the centrepiece of Russia’s response to sanctions that include freezing hundreds of billions of dollars of Russian assets. The European Commission has accused Moscow of blackmail but it has also said the bloc’s gas buyers can engage with Russia’s rouble-for-gas gambit provided certain conditions are met.

BILAWAL BECOMES PAK FOREIGN MIN

Former PM Benazir Bhutto’s son and Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari took oath on Wednesday as foreign minister in PM Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet.

Bilawal’s sister Aseefa tweeted: “Congratulations to the youngest foreign minister in Pakistan’s history @BBhuttoZardari. The task is daunting, and the previous govt has hurt our international standing but I have no doubt that you will make our country, party, and family proud. ”

Explaining his decision of joining the cabinet, Bilawal recently said it was now time for all political parties to put on a united front, as “one-sided decision making” was no longer possible. “We have to understand that this isn’t an ordinary coalition govt. This unity govt is a result of the parties on the opposition benches going to the treasury benches for the first time in the history of Pakistan.”

THE REST

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COURSE CORRECTION FOR A BIG PARTY TAKES TIME: CONGRESS

Congress on Wednesday said that its doors were always open for individuals and suggestions, as it tried to play down the breakdown in talks with election strategist Prashant Kishor. Faced with questions if the party’s chapter with Kishor was closed and why the talks had failed, Congress spokesman Pawan Khera, in an indirect answer, said, “The doors and windows of the Congress party are always open. ”

This came a day after the shocking snapping of talks following days of public spectacle of presentations by Kishor and the party’s internal discussions on his proposals on reforms.

The soft reply sought to address the public debate that was kicked off by Kishor’s remark that he had turned down the Congress offer to join the party, and Congress needed “leadership” and “will” to carry out structural reforms to revive itself. His parting comment left the impression that Congress was not willing to entertain reforms to speed up internal processes and decision making.

Khera said Congress was bigger than individuals and its values had made it the top party. He further said, “A big party, like a big vehicle, takes time to manoeuvre, even if it is course correction. But Congress knows its responsibility.”

TN: 11 DIE AS 25FT FESTIVAL CHARIOT GRAZES POWER CABLE

A 25ft tall chariot built for the 94th edition of the Appar Swamy chariot festival in Tamil Nadu’s Thanjavur grazed a high-tension power cable while being ceremonially taken to a mutt early Wednesday, triggering serial electrocution and a fire that claimed 11 lives and injured 17.

For 93 years, villagers around Kalimedu have attributed much of their well-being to their participation in the chariot festival. The tragedy that besmirched tradition occurred at 3. 10 a.m on Wednesday when the power cable looming 23ft above the road along one side came in the way of the chariot top, which was two feet higher.

The police said villagers anchoring the chariot, followed by a group of excited children, moved too close to the cable while negotiating a bend. Death was instant for 11 people as the chariot was made of iron pipes. The heavily decorated chariot then burst into flames.

CENTRE, AAP FIGHT IT OUT IN SUPREME COURT OVER DELHI POSTINGS

Describing Delhi as the “face of the nation”, the Centre today defended before the SC its control over transfers and postings of bureaucrats in the Capital even as the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP govt took exception to the submissions.

“Since Delhi is the national Capital, it is necessary that the Centre has powers over appointments and transfers of public servants,” Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench led by CJI NV Ramana, which will resume the hearing today.

Referring to the Balakrishnan Committee report, Mehta said it was in the national interest for the Centre to have control over Delhi.

On behalf of the Delhi Govt, senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi opposed Mehta’s submissions.

UP POLICE GETS SEIOUS AGAINST LOUDSPEAKERS AT RELIGIOUS SHRINES

Over 6,000 loudspeakers were removed from religious places and the volume of another 30,000 was set to permissible limits across Uttar Pradesh following a govt order, a senior police official said on Wednesday.

A statewide drive is being undertaken to remove loudspeakers from religious places and set their volume within permissible limits, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said. ”Under this exercise, a total of 6,031 loudspeakers were removed and volume of 29,674 loudspeakers was set within permissible limits till Wednesday afternoon,” he said.

The action came after Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, during a review meeting on law and order with senior officials in Lucknow last week, said people have the freedom to perform their religious practices according to their faith. "Though microphones can be used, it should be ensured that the sound does not come out of any premises. People should not face any problem,” he had said.

The home department has also sought a compliance report from the districts over the removal of loudspeakers at religious places by April 30.

KERALA WANTS TO STUDY GUJARAT DASHBOARD, INVITES CRITICISM

In a move that has been slammed by Opposition parties in Kerala as an admission of “failed governance”, the CPM-led state govt has sent a delegation of senior officers to BJP-ruled Gujarat to study a dashboard system that enables the Chief Minister’s Office to access data from all e-governance applications down to taluk level.

The Kerala delegation, including Chief Secretary V P Joy and his office’s staff officer N S K Umesh, is scheduled to attend a presentation on the dashboard system Thursday. The move comes two weeks after the CPM decided at its party congress in Kannur to take the “Kerala model of development and governance” across the country.

While the Gujarat dashboard has attracted attention and drawn a number of officials from several states and the Centre, the move from Kerala has raised eyebrows, given that both states are ruled by bitter political rivals from opposite sides of the ideological spectrum. The Congress, which is the main Opposition party in Kerala, claimed the Left govt’s move has exposed the “close relationship” between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. T

AIR INDIA PLANS TO BUY LOW-COST AIRASIA INDIA

In what will be its first M&A under new owner Tata Sons, Air India has proposed to buy lowcost carrier AirAsia India, according to an application with the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The move will see Malaysia’s AirAsia exiting the airline venture nine years after it entered India with high hopes.

AirAsia owns 16. 3% in the India unit and, according to the shareholders’ agreement between the company and Tata Sons, the latter can acquire the former’s stake directly or through an affiliate. Since Air India is now an affiliate of Tatas, the purchase of AirAsia’s stake has been routed through it.

Air India will buy AirAsia’s 16. 3% in the airline venture for Rs 139 crore. The remaining stake of 83. 7% in AirAsia India is held by Tata Sons.

The Tata Sons’s airline brands — including Air India, AirAsia India and Vistara (which is a joint venture with Singapore Airlines) — have a domestic market share of 25%, while IndiGo remains the market leader with a share of almost 54%.

POWER OUTAGES AMID HEAT WAVE

India’s power sector woes are likely to get worse as record high power demands are putting pressure on thermal power plants struggling with low coal inventories.

Over the past week, the total electricity shortage in India hit 623 million units (MU), surpassing the total shortage all of March. Low coal stocks at thermal power plants have led to power cuts this month across states including Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh and the Union Territory of J&K.

The increasing demand due to economic recovery after the pandemic and lower power supply from imported coal-based power plants have led to increased pressure on thermal power plants using domestic coal. Delayed payments by some states to coal companies is also a key reason for low inventories at thermal power plants, according to senior govt officials.

The maximum all-India power demand that was met crossed the record level of 201 GW mark Tuesday as large parts of the country reeled from the sweltering heat. The day also marked a peak shortage of 8.2 GW with 120 million units of the energy demand not met. The rising demand amid a coal crunch at thermal power plants could lead to further outages with the demand expected to peak at 215-220 GW in May and June.

The rising demand for power across India has come at a time when international coal prices have soared due to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, forcing a number of thermal plants using imported coal to shut operations as they renegotiate tariffs with state distribution companies. About 5,405 MW of imported coal-based thermal power generation capacity is currently non-operational with another 2,400 MW of such capacity operating at low levels, putting increasing pressure on thermal plants using domestic coal.

IPL MATCH 40: UMRAN'S HEROICS IN VAIN AS GUJARAT CLINCH STUNNING WIN

Sunrisers Hyderabad's pace sensation Umran Malik's sensational five-wicket haul went in vain as Gujarat Titans clinched a stunning five-wicket win off the last ball in a thrilling IPL 2022 match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.

J&K pacer Umran grabbed five wickets with devastatingly quick deliveries to scythe through the Gujarat Titans top-order. Umran finished with incredible figures of 5 for 25, four of which were bowled.

But Rahul Tewatia (40 not out off 21 balls) and Rashid Khan (31 not out off 11) put on a match-turning partnership as Gujarat, needing 56 from the last 24 overs, knocked off the required runs, the star from Afghanistan finishing the game with three sixes in last 4 balls, off Marco Jansen.

GT (7 wins in 8 matches) are now at top of the points table while SRH (5 in 8) are placed 3rd.

SHASTRI TELLS OUT-OF-FORM KOHLI TO 'PULL OUT OF IPL'

For the second time in a week, former India coach Ravi Shastri advised the out-of-form Virat Kohli to take a break, even if it meant 'pulling out of the IPL, for all you care' to prolong his international career.

Former India captain Kohli has been battling one of his worst phases in a hugely successful career, having failed to score a hundred in any format for more than three years now.

"I think a break is ideal for him because he has played non-stop cricket and he has captained the side across all formats. It will be wise of him to take a break.

"You know, sometimes you have to draw the balance. This year he is already into the tournament (IPL 2022), tomorrow if push comes to shove and you want to prolong your international career and make a mark there for 6-7 years, pull out of the IPL, for all you care," Shastri said.

Kohli has managed just 128 runs in nine matches in IPL 2022 at a strike rate of 119, including two successive golden ducks.

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THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

The deeper that sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain. Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? – Kahlil Gibran

OFF TRACK

Meena had a habit of biting her nails.

Her parents sent her to Baba Ramdev’s ashram for treatment.

Now Meena can also bite her toenails.