DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA JOURNALISM OF COURAGE SATURDAY, JUNE 29, 2024, PUNE, LATE CITY, 22 PAGES `7.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 INTERIM BUDGET 2024-25 Polls soon, Maharashtra announces its own ‘Ladli Bahin’ scheme, sops for OBCs, EWS Dy CM Ajit Pawar presents Budget with an outlay of Rs 6,12,293 crore KEY ANNOUNCEMENTS Chief Minister Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana `1,500 in bank accounts of eligible women in 21-60 age group every month beginning July 2024 MUMBAI, JUNE 28 AHEAD OF the Assembly elections later this year, the Maharashtra Government announced a slew of populist measure in its Budget on Friday — from monthly allowances for women to stipends for unemployed youth; tuition fees for girls from OBC and EWS households to benefits for farmers; three free LPG cylinders per year foreligiblefamiliestotaxcutson fuel in Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). In February, Deputy Chief Minister and State Finance Minister Ajit Pawar had presented an interim budget for 2024-25 in view of the Lok Sabha polls. On Friday, he presented the additional Budget with an outlay of Rs 6,12,293 crore, an estimated revenue deficit of Rs 20,051 crore and fiscal deficit of Rs 1,10,355 crore. Announcing the 'Mukhya MantriMajhiLadkiBahinYojana', Pawar said the government wouldtransferRs1,500monthly into the bank accounts of “eligible” women in the age group of 21 and 60 years beginning July. The scheme is on the lines of the Madhya Pradesh government's 29/06/2024 91 119 146 76 Nigerian among 3 held as probe expands in drug consumption at F C road pub EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE PUNE, JUNE 28 PUNE CITY police have now arrested three persons including a Nigerian national in connection withthesupplyof drugstoanarchitect and an IT professional heldforallegedlytakingdrugsin the washroom of the Liquid Leisure Lounge, a pub on Fergusson College Road. Police have identified the three accused as Abhishek Amol Sonawane (23), resident of Diesel Colony, Omkar Ashok Sakat (28) of Mahatma Phule Peth and Idoko Staivley Sunday (about 30 years old) of Nigeria. Punecity policeand thestate CONTINUEDONPAGE2 PAGE 1 ANCHOR Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Ajit Pawar arrives at the Vidhan Bhavan to present the Budget, in Mumbai on Friday. Deepak Joshi Ladli Behena Yojana. The estimated annual expenditure for the scheme is Rs 46,000 crore. The government also proposed to offer three free LPG cylinders to some households annually under the 'Mukhya Mantri Annapurna Yojana', whichisexpectedtobenefitover 52 lakh families across the state. In a major social engineering move, the government announced reimbursement of full tuition and examination fees for girls belonging to OBC (Other Backward Classes) and EWS (Economically WeakerSections) households with annual family income up to Rs 8 lakh. This includesadmissiontoprofessional degree/ diploma courses in engineering, architecture, pharmacy, medicine and agriculture. The scheme, expected to benefit about 2.05 lakh girls, will start fromthe2024-25academicyear and cost the state exchequer about Rs 2,000 crore annually. For the unemployed youth, the government announced a skill training programme, Mukhya Mantri Yuva Karyaprashikshan Yojana, for 10 lakh interns who will get a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000. It has allocated Rs 10,000 crore for the scheme. Pawar said the government would bear the burden of electricity bills of over 44.06 lakh farmers and provide free power to run agriculture pumps up to 7.5 horse power capacity. The government also announced a reduction in fuel prices in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai,cuttingpetrolpricesby 65 paise per litre, and diesel by Rs 2.07 per litre. As announced by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier thismonth,theBudgetprovided for a grant of Rs 20,000 to each 'Dindi', a procession of devotees who go to Pandharpur. The announcements come weeks after the Lok Sabha election results, which saw a fall in the ruling alliance numbers, from 42 MPs in 2019 to 17 now. Free higher education for girls Govt to reimburse 100% tuition, exam fees to girls from OBC, EWS categories with annual family income of up to `8 lakh E E X P L A I NE D EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE ● Politicsover economics AFTER THE rout in Lok Sabha polls, the ruling alliance in Maharashtra chose politics over economics on Friday as it announced a slurry of sops to earn goodwill of voters across segments. While this could be an indicative template that BJP may follow in other states, Maharashtra elections later this year will testify if voters are biting this bullet. Chief Minister Annapurna Yojana Three LPG cylinders free of cost to a family in a year Chief Minister Yuva Karya Prashikshan Yojana `10,000 monthly stipend to 10 lakh interns Chief Minister Baliraja Vij Savlat Yojana Govt to waive electricity bills for agri pumps for 44.06 lakh farmers While the state government has announced “ambitious new schemes for various sections of society”, Pawarsaid:“It has been decided to form a high-level committee to evaluate the schemesandto rationalisethem so that the benefits reach the eligible beneficiaries directly”. Criticising this move, Opposition NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil said: “The governmentitself isnotconfidentabout the Budget it has presented. Hence, it will rationalise the schemes through a committee. It shows that the schemes were announced for the sake of elections only and nothing else.” FULLCOVERAGE P10 Vehicles damaged after a canopy collapsed at Delhi airport’s Terminal-1. AP Canopy crash at airport kills one as Delhi sinks under record rainfall EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, JUNE 28 A TAXI driver was killed and eight people injured as the canopy at Terminal 1 of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airportcollapsed,promptingthe Civil Aviation Minister to order a “thorough investigation of the structure”. The incident came on a day the national capital received the highest single-day rainfall in 88 years. The impact of the heavy spell — 148 mm between 2 am and 5 am — could be felt hours later, as key stretches in Delhi saw traffic jams lasting hours, waterenteredhomesandshops, and several neighbourhoods witnessed power outages. A spokesperson for Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) said that “due to heavy rains and winds through the night, a canopy at the old depar- BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY ture forecourt of T1 partially collapsed around 5 am”. “While the cause for the collapse is being assessed, the primary cause seems to be the continued heavy rainfall over the past few hours,” the spokesperson said, citing the Met LEADER Uproar over NEET PMLA CASE AGAINST JMMafter five months, HC Bail for Soren CNN DEBATE WITH TRUMP in Lok Sabha as says reasons to believe not guilty Democrats press panic Govt, Opp face off ABHISHEK ANGAD Opp demands NEET discussion first, Speaker says after Motion of Thanks VIKAS PATHAK & ASAD REHMAN NEW DELHI, JUNE 28 AMID ACRIMONIOUS scenes, proceedings in the Lok Sabha werestalledFridayafterSpeaker Om Birla refused permission to the Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the NEET paper leak issue before that on the Motion of Thanks to Thursday’s address by President Droupadi Murmu to Parliament. Theface-off betweenthegovernment and the Opposition led to the adjournment of the Lok SabhauntilMonday.IntheRajya Sabha, a lacklustre debate followed after a couple of adjournments and staging of a walkout by Opposition members. In the Lok Sabha, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, along with other Opposition MPs, proposed that the NEET matter be discussed first. “We wanted to give a joint message to the students of India, on behalf of the Oppositionandthegovernment, that we consider this an important issue. So, we thought that to respect students we will have a discussion on NEET today, a dedicateddiscussion…,”Gandhisaid. The Speaker, however, insisted that a discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address be taken up first. He said Gandhi could make use of all the time allotted to the Congress to speak. “I have told you that you can take up the matter in the discussion on the President’s address… You will get adequate time and opportunity. You can speak on every issue while discussing the Presidential address. Not two minutes – I will give you all the time.Youareaseniorleader.You willgetallthetime.Iwillalsoexpect the government to answer your queries,” the Speaker said. While some members in the Opposition shouted that Rahul Gandhi’s microphone was muted, Birla said, “I don’t shut themic.Thereisnobuttonhere.” Both the Opposition and the Treasury benches stuck to their positions. While the Lok Sabha was first adjourned until noon, it was adjourned again till Monday soon after it met. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 UGC-NET EXAMS FROM AUG 21-SEPT 4 PAGE 12 button as Biden falters, his age in harsh glare RANCHI, JUNE 28 FIVE MONTHS after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case linked to a probe into a land scam, JMM leader and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren stepped out of the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi Friday following grant of bail by the Jharkhand High Court. The single-judge bench of Justice Rongon Mukhopadhyay, while granting bail, said the court’s findings satisfy the condition that “there exist reasons to believe” that Soren is “not Buzz in Democrats about replacing him; hard to debate a liar, says Biden Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren after his release, in Ranchi on Friday. PTI guilty” of the PMLA offence he has been accused of. The bench also said the ED claim “that its timely action had prevented the illegal acquisition CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Prajwal cases: Police get forensic verification of digital evidence NIKHILA HENRY NEW DELHI, JUNE 28 KARNATAKA POLICE have verified digital evidence including call data and videos that allegedly implicate former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna in four rape and sexual assault cases filed against him. Sources in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the allegations, said they have forensically verified the CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Prajwal Revanna was arrested on May 31 digital evidence. “We have his phones and other electronic gadgets and there is enough evidence to implicate him,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express. PrajwalRevanna,grandsonof former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was defeated in the Lok Sabha elections this time when he contested again from Hassan. Adaybeforepolling,hundredsof video clips showing Prajwal allegedly indulging in sexual assault of women were circulated viapendrivesintheconstituency. HethenleftforGermanyonApril 27 and remained holed up there to evade arrest. Karnatakapoliceissuedmultiple Blue Corner Notices to CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump during the debate. Reuters PETER BAKER WASHINGTON, NEW YORK, JUNE 28 US PRESIDENT Joe Biden hoped tobuildfreshmomentumforhis re-electionbidbyagreeingtodebate nearly two months before he is to be formally nominated. Instead, his halting and disjointed performance Friday prompted a wave of panic among Democrats and reopened discussion of whether he should be the nominee at all. Over 90 minutes, a raspyvoicedMr.Bidenstruggledtodeliverhislinesandcounterformer President Donald J. Trump, raising doubts about the incumbent president’s ability to wage a vigorousandcompetitivecampaign four months before the election. Rather than dispel concerns about his age, Biden, 81, made it the central issue. Democrats traded frenzied phone calls and text messages CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Champion or Choker? World will judge tonight — that’s not fair SANDEEP DWIVEDI NEW DELHI, JUNE 28 TEAM INDIA hasn't won an ICC World Cup since 2011. South Africa's record is worse – they are yet to play a World Cup final. The teams historically disinclined towards winning big games, packed with players carrying painful so-near-yet-so-far memories,willmeetatBarbados on Saturday. The unimaginative and the insensitive are calling the 2024 ICC T20 World final a ChokersDerbywithredemption as the reward. Fans in two continents, trau- matised by previous World Cup heartbreaks,willhavebutterflies inside them charging like buffaloes. They have waited for the Cup to come home for far too long. But with hope, comes a rider. Success and failure at the storied Kensington Oval at Bridgetown, Barbados, will have overarching consequences. A win in the final, for either team, will wipe out the insulting tags and see an image makeover. A loss, meanwhile, would further chasten the team for being soft, underline old flaws and disillusion the fans more. At around midnight this weekend, the world would have passed its brutal judgement -one team will be hailed as a Champion outfit, the other dismissed as chronic chokers. This name-callingisunfairandironic. Sofarinthetournament,neither India nor South Africa have cracked under pressure. They have been undefeated, closed out tight games, even if dramatically.Intheir respective semi-finals, both seem to have found ways to slay past demons. “We've been very calm as a team,” India skipper Rohit Sharma would say after the team's 68-run win over England inthesemis.“We dounderstand the occasion (of a final), but for Captain Rohit Sharma will hope to end India’s ICC men’s trophy drought. PTI file us, it's important to keep calm and composed.” South Africa captain Aiden Markram too takes pride in his team holding their nerves in tense games. “Chuffed to have got it over the line. A lot of our games have been really close,” he said after their last-four stage win, where South Africa pricked theAfghanistanbubble,dismissing them for 56 runs. It'ssomethingthatpastSouth African squads with legendary nameshadfailedtodo.Therainbow nation's cricket history has been an Odyssey that has stayed truetotheclassictragicnarrative. Primitive rain rule tasking them withthefarcicaltargetof 22runs in 1 ball in their first World Cup after return from isolation in 1992, the epic miscalculation of Duckworth & Lewis target in 2003,andtheweather-curtailed last-over loss to New Zealand in 2015 are chapters of despair and missedchances.Thoughnoneas soul-shattering as the Lance Klusener-Allan Donald mix-up on the final ball against Australia in the 1999 semi-finals. It remains the frame that best captures the near misses of world cricket's cursed team. Unlike many others, South Africa as a nation acknowledges its seemingly incurable ailment of freezing at the finish. The country has produced a well-received book by writer Luke Alfred, who stares the problem right in the eye with its title, Art of Losing – Why the Proteas choke at the cricket World Cup. It talks about the “macho culture” that is prevalent in South Africa sports and its “strong and silent” players. Klusener, aka Zulu, epitomises South Africa's tough guy image. Alfred mentions Zulu's petphrase.“You’vegotto stayon your lily,” the all-rounder would often say. The writer explains: “By which he meant that you CONTINUED ON PAGE 2