DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, JANUARY 2, 2025, NEW DELHI, LATE CITY, 16 PAGES BY UNNY CABINET NOD FOR CONTINUING WITH `3,500/TONNE SUBSIDY Govt extends special subsidy on DAP, weakening rupee upsets calculations Immediate priority: Ensuring fertiliser availability for next kharif season HARISH DAMODARAN Air India first airline to roll out Wi-Fi for select flights in country SUKALP SHARMA NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1 THECENTREhasextendedaspecialsubsidyof Rs3,500pertonne on di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), which was to end on December 31, for a further oneyearperiodfromJanuary1,2025. The decision, cleared by the Union Cabinet Wednesday, is aimed at containing any surge in farmgatepricesof India’ssecond most-consumed fertiliser. That pressure is more, given the rupee’s recent slide against the US dollar. The Modi government has informally frozenthemaximum retail prices (MRP) of all nonurea fertilisers. This is despite them being “decontrolled” on paper, unlike urea whose MRP has been statutorily fixed at Rs 266.50 per 45-kg bag (after neem-coating and goods and services tax) since November 2012. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 E E X P L A I NE D BUSINESS AS USUAL `7.00 (`8 BIHAR & RAIPUR, `15 SRINAGAR) WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 What industryis ● flagging THE GOVERNMENT said its decision to extend the special subsidy on DAP will help farmers, but concerns are rising over the impact of the falling rupee. The industry is underlining that DAP imports will not be viable unless the government increases the subsidy or allows it to revise the MRP upward. Rs 824.77 cr fund for tech infusion, extension for 2 crop insurance schemes HARIKISHAN SHARMA NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1 THEUNIONCabinetWednesday approved continuation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme until 2025-26. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, said, “Ours is a Government fully committed to furthering the welfare of farmers. We are proud of all our farmer sisters and brothers who work hard to feed our nation. The first Cabinet of 2025 is dedicated to enhancing prosperity for our farmers. I am glad that CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1 AIR INDIA on Wednesday rolled out Wi-Fi internet connectivity services on board domestic flightsoperatedbyselectaircraft in itsfleet—Airbus A350,Boeing 787-9 and some Airbus A321neo. The Tata Groupowned airline was already offering internet connectivity on international flights operated by these aircraft as part of a pilot programme. AirIndiaisthefirstIndianairline to offer internet connectivity on domestic flights. In a statement, the airline said Wi-Fi will be offered free of chargeforalimitedintroductory period, but did not specify the duration. “The deployment of Wi-Fi on domesticroutesfollowsanongoing pilot programme on international services operated by the Airbus A350, select Airbus A321neo and Boeing B787-9 aircraft serving international destinations including New York, London, Paris and Singapore. As with the domestic offer, Wi-Fi is complimentary for an introductoryperiod.AirIndiawillprogressivelyrollouttheserviceonother aircraft in its fleet over time,” the airline said in a statement. On-board internet services are fast becoming a standard offering,particularlyamongmajor full-service carriers globally. Air India has ambitions to be countedamongtheworld'sforemost full-service carriers. BesidesthenewA350planes, whichAirIndiastartedoperating in2024,theotheraircraftareunderstoodtobethoseof erstwhile Vistara, which merged with Air India in November. All these aircraft are equipped with special hardwarethatisrequiredtooffer internet connectivity on board. Vistarahadbeenofferinginternet connectivity on select international flights prior to the merger. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EXPRESS NETWORK HIMANTA: NO HINDUS AMONG BANGLA ILLEGALS CAUGHT AT ASSAM BORDER ED MAY BOOK ITS SHIMLA OFFICER NAMED IN BRIBERY CASE PAGE 5 EXPLAINED SPORT AFTER2024 LEAP, THELANDINGYEAR PAGE 7 DELHI POLICE SECURITY AUDIT 18 former MoS, 12 ex-MPs still have security, decide: Police to tell MHA MAHENDER SINGH MANRAL NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1 THE DELHI Police plans to approach the Ministry of Home Affairs with a list of 18 former Ministers of State and 12 former Members of Parliament who have security cover even after completionof theirtenure/term. The Indian Express has learnt that police will ask the Ministry to decide whether the security cover needs to be retained for these individuals. A source in the Delhi Police headquarters said the security unit conducted an audit a few months ago after it noticed that multiple people had security cover and that a review had not been undertaken for a long time in the case of some. “After the audit, the security cover of many people was removed. But it also found that many MoS, MPs and other persons, even after completing their designated tenure, still had security cover,” a source said. Those named in the audit re- Polls over, reunion calls from both NCP groups: Sharad Pawar is our deity, says Praful Patel MANOJ MORE People arrive for the Maha Kumbh Mela, to be held from January 13 to February 26, in Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj Wednesday. PTI New turn to Battle of Begums: Bangladesh rewrites textbooks on 1971 liberation war ‘Khaleda husband Ziaur Rahman, not Sheikh Mujib, declared independence’ ARJUN SENGUPTA NEW DELHI, JANUARY 1 TEXTBOOKS IN Bangladesh will now state that Ziaur Rahman — not ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—declared the country’s independence in 1971, The Daily Star reported on Wednesday. The new textbooks have also removed Mujib’s title of ‘Father of the Nation’. “The new textbooks for the 2025academicyearwillstatethat ‘onMarch26,1971,ZiaurRahman declared the independence of Bangladesh, and on March 27, he made another declaration of independence on behalf of Bangabandhu’,”ProfAKMReazul Hassan,chairmanof theNational Curriculum and Textbook Board, Sheikh Hasina, Khaleda Zia told The Daily Star. Ziaur was the founder of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and husband of current BNP chief Khaleda Zia. Mujib, father of recently deposed Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, led the Bangladesh liberation struggle. This is not the first time that Bangladesh textbooks have CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 THE WORLD TRUCK RAMS INTO CROWD IN NEW ORLEANS, 10 DEAD RUSSIA’S GAS ERA IN EUROPE COMES TO AN END PAGE 10 AMONG THE many prayers made on New Year’s Day, one stands out in Maharashtra. On Wednesday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's mother Asha Pawar visited the temple town of Pandharpur and, in her own words, prayed for the reunion of Ajit and his uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar. “All disputes should end… Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar shouldreunite,”AshaPawartold reporters after visiting the Vithal-Rukmini temple in the temple town, adding that she hadalso prayedfor “all wishesof Ajit Pawar” to come true. While some would argue that the two wishes are irreconcilable, Asha isn't the only one wishing for “reunion” less than a month after the Maharashtra Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar election results gave Ajitan edge overSharadPawar,underwhose shadow the nephew had long stayed — and finally rebelled against. Praful Patel, a senior member of the NCP led by Ajit, said: “Sharad Pawar is our deity. We have a high degree of respect for him. If the Pawar family comes together, it will make us extremely happy. I consider myself a member of the Pawar family.” Narhari Zirwal, an NCP MLA, echoed the same, saying “it felt CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 For Kerala nurse on Yemen death row, hope hangs on a thread — pardon from victim’s kin SHAJU PHILIP THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JANUARY 1 WITH YEMEN President Rashad al-Alimi approving the death sentence for 37-year-old Indian nurseNimishaPriya,forherfamilyinKerala,anyhopeof reprieve now hangs by a thread — a pardon from the family of Talal Abdo Mehdi, the Yemeni citizen whose murder she has been Nimisha Priya was convicted in murder case convicted of. According to the prosecution's case, Nimisha, who worked as a nurse in Yemen, allegedly murdered Talal in July 2017 by “injecting him with sedativestogetherpassportthat was in his possession’’. Samuel Jerome Baskaran, a social worker who is currently involvedinthenegotiationswith government officials in Yemen andTalal'sfamily,toldThe Indian Express that the President’s order reached the prosecutor on Monday, December 30.“The key to Nimisha’s life now rests with the family of Talal. She will live if they forgive her. Our job is to convince the family to do that,’’ CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 UP minister and Apna Dal leader claims threat to life from state STF Ashish Patel; his wife Anupriya Patel is Union MoS PUNE, JANUARY 1 AHEAD OF MAHA KUMBH port, the source said, include former MoS with Y-category security cover: Bhagwat Kishanrao Karad,DevusinhChauhan,Bhanu Pratap Singh Verma, Jasvantsinh Bhabhor, John Barla, Kaushal Kishore, Krishna Raj, Manish Tewari, PP Chaudhary, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh, Rameswar Teli, SS Ahluwalia, Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Som Parkash, Sudarshan Bhagat,VMuraleedharan,former ArmychiefGeneralVKSinghand Vijay Goel. “There are three MoS: Ajay Bhatt, Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Bishweswar Tudu, whose profiles have been changed, but they still have security cover of Y-category as per their last portfolio. As per the audit report, all formerMoSstillhavethreePSOs, and four police personnel at their homes,” the source said. In line with procedure, a security review of the Protected Person, which was provided on positional basis or threat basis, was conducted upon completion of tenure. After the review, the Delhi Police sent a letter to the MHA for its final decision. he told The Indian Express. Samuel, however, said the negotiators were chasing a very tightdeadline.“Wehadanexcellent first phase of mediation. We established contact with Talal's family,butthemediationdidnot continue because the Save Nimisha Priya International Action Council (set up in 2020 to raise the required funds for negotiations) did not send the second installment of funds. Our CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 BHUPENDRA PANDEY LUCKNOW, JANUARY 1 UTTARPRADESH Cabinetminister Ashish Patel has accused the state Special Task Force of “conspiring” against him and alleged a threat to his life from the agency. Patel belongs to the Apna Dal (Sonelal), a crucial ally of the BJP. His wife Anupriya Patel, who heads the party, is a Union Minister of State. Ashish’sclaimsfollowallegations made by Anupriya’s estranged sister Pallavi, a Samajwadi Party MLA, against the department under him. Ashish heads the Technical Education,ConsumerProtection, Weights & Measures Ministry, and Pallavi has allleged irregularitiesandcorruptioninpromotion to 250 posts of Heads of Department across the state in the Technical Education Department. Denying the “baseless” allegations,Ashishhasclaimedalineage to Sardar Patel, as well as claimed an anti-OBC agenda. SpeakingtoTheIndianExpress, Ashish said: “I have said that the Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) may get a CBI probe done into all the decisions taken by me… I do not fear anybody or any consequences, but I am facing a threat from the STF. I will speak on the whole issue tomorrow.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 A network of doctors in J&K brings ‘golden hour’ to remote areas PAGE 1 ANCHOR NAVEED IQBAL SRINAGAR, JANUARY 1 IN 2016, a 35-year-old pilgrim undertaking the long trek to the Amarnath cave suffered a heart attack in the Baltal area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. As he was broughtintothemakeshiftmedical bay set up for pilgrims, a young doctor — unsure of administering drugs to thrombolyse the patient — called his sen- ior,cardiologistDrImranHafeez, for assistance. “He was a bit unsure, but I told him to stay on the call and administer the drug. Once the pain settled, the patient was brought over to the Sher-eKashmir Institute of Medical Sciences(SKIMS)inSrinagarand saved just in time,” Dr Hafeez told The Indian Express. The incident was the spark that led to the creation of a network of doctors across J&K that has been working on ensuring that patients on the peripheries of the state’s healthcare infrastructure get the required treatmentwithinthe“goldenhour”— the first 60 minutes after a heart attack,duringwhichpropertreatment can significantly improve chances of survival. The network, Save Heart Foundation, connects over 1,200 doctors from 130 hospitals across J&K over WhatsApp, allowingeventhosewithlittlecardiology experience to provide life-saving treatment to patients at makeshift medical camps and primary health centres by tapping into the expertise of senior cardiologists. According to its members, over 6,000lives have been saved through early intervention via their WhatsApp group since the The network connects over 1,200 doctors from 130 hospitals across J&K over WhatsApp network started in 2017. Currently, the network covers nearly all hospitals in Kashmir, large parts of Jammu and some areas of Ladakh. Every few minutes, Dr Hafeez’s phone lights up as his colleagues interact on the WhatsApp group, uploading ECGs and seeking the expertise of cardiologists on the platform. “In remote corners, say at a primary health centre, the setupincludesamedicalofficerand consultants. So, when a patient with heart complications comes in, whether or not the person on duty is a cardiologist, they upload the ECG on our WhatsApp group and the cardiologist available at the time responds and guides the doctor on further treatment before they are referred to SKIMS or a district hospital if required,” he said. SKIMSis theValley’s premier health institute and caters to a majority of Kashmir’s patient load. Dr Hafeez, who has been a cardiologist here for 20 years, said, “In cardiology, time is muscle. So, ideally, the sooner a patient reaches us, the better the chancewehavetosavetheheart. With our topography and the distances involved, a patient can sometimes take even four hours before reaching the hospital.” In places like Kupwara and Kulgam, which have remote villages that often face issues of connectivity,theexpertiseof the cardiologists on the group has helped save several lives. Dr Aijaz Ahmad Bhat, posted at the Sub-District Hospital in Kupwara, said that while he has been posted at the hospital for the last 19 years, he first conducted thrombolysis on a patient with assistance from doctors on the group in 2017 and since then, “thousands of patients have been saved through early intervention of the doctors on the group”. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2