FREE PRESS The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. 13 NO. 78 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | SEPTEMBER 1, 2023 | PAGES 14 `3 - r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE SPECIAL PARL SESSION FROM SEPT 18 TO 22 GOVT MAY bring a MEET JAYA VERMA SINHA, THE FIRST WOMAN TO HEAD RAILWAY BOARD Pg-7 SPORTS PATHIRANA DIDN’T COPY SLINGY ACTION FROM MALINGA Special session to manage news cycle: Cong News Brief Pro-Khalistan messages: One held, another detained NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has arrested a 30year-old man and detained one more in connection with writing pro-Khalistan messages on the walls of four Delhi Metro stations ahead of the G20 Summit, officials said on Thursday. At a press conference here, police said the accused carried out the act on the directions of Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the chief of the banned US-based Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit. Police said while Pritpal Singh has been arrested, Rajvinder Singh was detained. Rajvinder Singh is being brought to Delhi and will be produced before a court. China yet to confirm Xi participation in G20 NEW DELHI: India has not yet received any confirmation on Chinese President Xi Jinping's inperson participation at the upcoming G20 summit, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday amid reports that he is likely skip the conclave. Congress on Thursday said the government has announced a special session of Parliament to manage the news cycle that is dominated by fresh allegations against the Adani Group and will focus on the opposition bloc INDIA's meeting on Friday. bill on One Nation, One Election OUR BUREAU NEW DELHI The government has called a special Parliament session of five sittings from September 18 to 22, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi announced on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Thursday amid speculation of early Lok Sabha elections instead of holding them in April next year. Though there is no offi- 73 killed in Jo'burg 5-storey building fire JOHANNESBURG: A massive pre-dawn fire in a 5storey building occupied by homeless illegal immigrants killed at least 73 people and injured 52 others on Thursday here, officials said. Authorities said it was unclear what sparked the blaze at the building occupied by homeless people and squatters in the city centre that displaced dozens of families. Johannesburg emergency services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said firefighters were alerted to the fire in a building on the corner of Delvers and Alberts streets at about 1:30 a.m. CONTD. ON P6 cial word on the special session, speculation is that it will supersede the winter and budget sessions and give no chance to the opposition parties to organise under the collective forum of INDIA as a challenge to the Modi government. The announcement was made by Joshi on the day the INDIA constituents assembled in Mumbai for a 2day session to formalise various steps for a joint fight to BJP by fielding the one-toone joint candidates against the BJP . CONTD. ON P6 After the release of controversial report by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) against Adani group, senior congress leader Jairam Ramesh attacked PM Modi and demanded a JPC probe in the matter. In his latest tweet, Jairam Ramesh demanded the formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the matter and know the flow of benami funds into the Adani Group. FPJ: www.freepressjournal.in for 24x7 updates STATE CABINET DECISIONS Govt issues order to increase 4% Govt stays inflated power bills till Aug 31 DA for pensioners LPG CYLINDERS to Ujjwala beneficiaries for Rs 450 OUR STAFF REPORTER Bhopal The state government has approved dearness allowance to pensioners/family pensioners at the rate of 221% on basic pension /family pension under the sixth pay-scale and 42% under the seventh pay scale from July 1 this year. According to an order issued by the government, the hike in DA is 9% under the sixth pay-scale and 4% under the seventh pay-scale. They were getting dearness allowance at the rate of 212% on the basic pension/family pension under the sixth pay-scale. According to the order, the pensioners, who are 80 years and above, will get the dearness allowance on the additional pension. CONTD. ON P6 ADANI GROUP DENIES ALLEGATIONS Gautam Adani-led Adani Group has denied fresh allegations labelled by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP). In a fresh set of allegations, OCCRP has labelled charges against Adani group for using ‘opaque investments’ through Mauritius. SC should take cognisance of fresh allegations: AAP AAP slammed the BJP-led Centre on Thursday following fresh allegations against the Adani Group and requested the Supreme Court to take cognisance of the charges, demanding "strictest action" against the business conglomerate. In his latest tweet, Jairam Ramesh mentioned the OCCRP report, which was primarily covered by the Fi- 31.30c. 21.40c Sunrise : 06.09 Sunset : 06.45 THE SWEET SCENT OF SUCCESS Pg-14 OCCRP REPORT ON ADANI: Cong targets PM, demands JPC probe MUMBAI QUALITY AT VALUE r RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 WEATHER FP nancial Times and The Guardian. Now, the report is available to everyone on its website. CONTD. ON P6 OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL State government on Thursday decided to stay inflated power bills till August 31, 2023. Besides, it also decided to provide LPG refills at Rs 450 to Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala ga beneficiaries from July 4 to August 31, this year. A sum of around Rs 500 per LPG refill would be paid directly into the aadhaar linked accounts of around 40 lakh beneficiaries. This would incur financial burden of around Rs 200 crore to the state exchequer. Moreover, under the Mukyamantri Medhavi Vidhyarti Yojana, the annual income limit of students' GDP grows at 7.8% in Apr-June quarter NEW DELHI: India recorded an economic growth rate of 7.8 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2023-24 and remained the fastest growing large economy mainly due to better performance by agriculture and financial sectors, government data showed on Thursday . The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded by 13.1 per cent in the April-June quarter of 2022-23. India remained the fastest-growing major economy as China posted a 6.3 per cent growth in AprilJune 2023. CONTD. ON P6 LADLI BEHNA SCHEME FOR BENEFICIARIES OF NGS Cabinet decided to provide the benefit of hike in Ladli Behna Scheme to eligible women beneficiaries of Nutrition Grant Scheme (NGS) coming from special backward tribes such as Baiga, Bharia, Saharia etc. No effect of CM's advice on Bisen The 3 ministers Gaurishankar Bisen, Rajendra Shukla and Rahul Lodhi attended the cabinet meeting on Thursday. In the meeting, CM Chouhan advised Bisen not to make unnecessary comments during interaction with media. But, Bisen spoke to select media persons and said that Shivraj Singh Chouhan will become Chief Minister for the fifth time. When media persons asked that BJP organisation has kept the cards close to its chest in connection with presenting the CM face, he said that it is his personal opinion. guardians has been increased to Rs 8 lakh from existing Rs 6 lakh. Besides, proposal seeking hike in hono- rarium of Asha and Urban Asha Workers from Rs 2,000 to Rs 6,000 per month was also cleared. CONTD. ON P6 Kolaras MLA Raghuvansi resigns, to join Congress OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in In yet another jolt to BJP ahead of the Assembly elections, its MLA from Kolaras, Virendra Raghuvansi resigned from the party's primary membership by alleging that he and other BJP workers like him in GwaliorChambal region are being neglected by new entrants (Scindia camp). He is slated to join Congress on Sept 2. In the two-page resignation letter sent to BJP state president VD Sharma, he stated that Jyotiraditya Scindia left Congress on farmer loan waiver issue but after coming to BJP , Scindia had never spoken about the same. He asserted that corrupt officials were appointed in his constituency so that development work being done by him could be hampered which would cause embarrassment to him and his supporters. CONTD. ON P6