DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES NEW DELHI, MARCH 31 THE GOVERNMENT ON Wednesday cut interest rates on various small savings schemes sharply by 40-110 basis points. The revised rates will come into effect from April 1 and remain in effect till June 30. Small saving rates are linked ONE-YEAR DEPOSIT SEES DEEPEST CUT Instrument SavingsDeposit 1-yeartimedeposit 2-yeartimedeposit 5-yeartimedeposit SeniorCitizenSavingsScheme PublicProvidentFundScheme KisanVikasPatra Source: Finance Ministry Old Rate (%) New Rate (%) 4.0 5.5 5.5 6.7 7.4 7.1 6.9 3.5 4.4 5.0 5.8 6.5 6.4 6.2 E E X P L A I NE D Interest rates on small saving schemes cut sharply: PPF to fetch 6.4%, NSC 5.9% SUNNY VERMA to yields on benchmark government bonds, which have fallen over the last one year as the ReserveBankof Indiacutratesto support the economy. The interest rate on savings deposits has been reduced to 3.5 per cent from 4percentforthefirstquarter of 2021-22. Among the most popular fixed income products, Public 2021 ASSAM Phase 2 39 OF 126 SEATS 345 candidates in fray; 26 women 73.44lakh 5,315 voters ISLAMABAD, MARCH 31 EXPLAINED: WHY PAK IS LIFTING BAN ON INDIAN IMPORTS P13 AHMEDABAD, MARCH 31 A SPECIAL CBI Court in Ahmedabad on Wednesday discharged three police officers accused in the 2004 killing of Ishrat Jahan and four others, stating there was “no question of any fake encounter” and there was “nothing on record to suggest that the victims were not terrorists”. IPS officer GL Singhal, retired policeofficerTarunBarotandas- 30 OF 294 SEATS At Nandigram on Wednesday. A day ahead of the high-stakes Mamata Banerjee vs Suvendu Adhikari clash here, the Election Commission imposed prohibitory orders. Partha Paul Day ahead of Ph 2, Mamata writes to Opp leaders: unite against BJP 171 candidates in fray; 19 women 75.95 lakh 10,620 voters ATRI MITRA & MANOJ C G KOLKATA, NEW DELHI MARCH 31 ADAYaheadof thesecondphase of elections in West Bengal, whichwillseeMamataBanerjee battling it out in the high-stakes Nandigram contest, the Chief Nothing to suggest victims not terrorists, says court sistant sub-inspector with State Reserve Police Force Anaju Chaudhary were the last three accused from the Gujarat police cadre against whom charges of abduction, murder and criminal conspiracy, among others, Mamata Banerjee in Singur on Wednesday. Express CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 For NIA, Waze’s Hiran murder motive: ‘panic’ over losing probe PAGE 1 ANCHOR pollingbooths BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY Cong cold; some parties agree; others raise issue of timing Minister wrote to Opposition leaders, asking them to unite against the BJP's “one-party authoritarian rule” and proposing that they chart a plan of action after the ongoing polls. Thethree-pageletterwasaddressed to more than a dozen non-BJP leaders, including OFFLINE ADMISSIONS OPEN FOR CSE 2022 GS FOUNDATION BATCH STARTING FROM 19th APRIL 2021 We are PROUD of Our Unique PEDAGOGY and Our STUDENTS Who have accomplished their cherished Goal by putting Trust in Us. Shubhra Ranjan: Polity & International Relations Amit Garg: Geography and Environment Atul Garg: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude Indian Geography & Indian Mapping Dr. Jayesh Khaddar: History, Art & Culture and IR Saurabh Kumar: Polity, Governance, Social Issues and Internal Security Kasam C Suhas: Science & Technology COURSE FEATURES: Comprehensive coverage of the entire Syllabus. Focus on Conceptual Clarity, interlinking between the Concepts and the Dynamic aspects of the Syllabus. Prelims Cum Mains Test Series. Exclusive Mentorship Program for students through group/one to one meetings. DEEPTIMAN TIWARY NEW DELHI, MARCH 31 Waze (left) has so far denied his role in Hiran’s murder agencybelievesthatthecardecor shopownerwassmothered,and not strangled, sources said. Hiran was allegedly in possession of the Mahindra Scorpio which was found outside CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 WHY NO FIR AGAINST DESHMUKH: HC TO PARAM BIR SINGH P7 OPTIONAL COURSES PSIR | GEOGRAPHY | ANTHROPOLOGY BATCH STARTING FROM 3 rd MAY 2021 011-45612719, 9910812719 delhi@shubhraranjan.com KAUNAIN SHERIFF M NEW DELHI, MARCH 31 AMIDASURGEinCovid-19cases in several parts of the country where the total active caseload hasclimbedto5.52lakhcases,the thirdphaseof vaccinationwillbe rolled out Wednesday, making every person above the age of 45 eligible for a vaccine shot. Thisroundofvaccination,two andahalf monthsafterthecountrybeganitsCovid-19vaccination drive,willmakethelargestagecohorteligiblesofarforphase-wise administration of the vaccine. It will cover the population which is at the highest risk: 90 per cent of Covid deaths in India have been in the category of those above the age of 45. Of the total active caseload of 5.52 lakh cases, five states — Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, Punjab and Chhattisgarh — cumulatively account for PAGE 7 Always Ahead Indian Economy States told to identify low coverage, keep vaccine wastage less than 1% SETBACK FOR COVAXIN IN BRAZIL SHUBHRA RANJAN Vivek Singh: Amid Covid surge, third vaccination round rolls out today for key group CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Nikhil Lohithakshan: WITH GROWING evidence linking arrested Mumbai police officer Sachin Waze to the alleged murder of businessman Mansukh Hiran, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) — probing the Mukesh Ambani bomb scare case — is veering towards the conclusion that Hiran could have been killed after Waze “panicked” that the probe was being taken away from him andcould begiventotheCentral agency, sources said. Though the NIA is yet to get the report of the final forensic analysisdoneonHiran’sbody,the pollingbooths WEST BENGAL Phase 2 3 Gujarat cops accused in Ishrat encounter case discharged by CBI court EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE Blow to savers DECISION SAJJAD HUSSAIN CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 ● AGE 45 & ABOVE ELIGIBLE FOR JAB WHILE THE lowering of interest rates will help the government reduce costs, they will hurt investors, particularly senior citizens and the middle-class. With banks too reducing rates on fixed deposits, income avenues have shrunk for small investors. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Ending trade ban, Pak says will import cotton, sugar from India PAKISTAN WILL buy sugar and cotton from India, newly appointed Finance Minister Hammad Azhar announced on Wednesday,liftingabanontheir import from the neighbouring country imposed in the wake of heightened tension over Kashmir in 2019. Thedecisionwastakenatthe meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), which was chaired by Finance Minister Azhar. Azhar said that the meeting discussed21itemsontheagenda, including import of cotton and sugarfromIndia,whichitallowed `6.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `12 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 Scan QR Code for Registration ENROLL NOW www.shubhraranjan.com 25 Pusa Road, 1st Floor, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 A beneficiary gets his shot, in Delhi Wednesday. Amit Mehra Localised lockdowns in second wave set to hit services recovery AANCHAL MAGAZINE & ANIL SASI NEW DELHI, MARCH 31 THE LOCALISED IMPACT of the fresh wave of rising Covid-19 cases could potentially dent the uptick in business activity, especially in the services sector. High frequencyindicatorshavebegun to reflect some moderation due to administrative clampdown in a bunch of districts including Maharashtra and Gujarat. Mobility indicators, such as the Apple mobility index, which capturetheimpactof risingcases at a localised level, indicate that whilemovementhasnormalised across all major cities through February and March 2021, there hasbeenaslightblipinlocations such as Mumbai and Pune. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 PFIZER SAYS ITS VACCINE PROTECTS CHILDREN PAGE 12