FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLI No. 199 | INDORE | THURSDAY | DECEMBER 26, 2024 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Confusion clouds the Dhing Express P.13 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL MONEY NASHIK India’s GDP growth seen at 6.5%c in FY25, FY26: EY Nation Vasundhara ‘back’ with Raje-niti, meets PM P.7 Govt to cut fiscal deficit to 4.5% FP News Service The Modi government is focusing on strengthening the economy while keeping its spending in check. In the ensuing Union Budget (FY25-26), it will, therefore, aim at prioritizing spending on essential areas such as social security and infrastructure and reducing the fiscal deficit (the gap between government spending and revenue) to 4.5% of GDP. The fiscal deficit was pegged at about Rs 16.13 lakh crore in BE 2024-25 or 4.9 per cent of GDP. FM Nirmala Sitharaman’s main goal will be to balance investment in infrastructure projects and welfare programs, especially for the poor, while keeping public finances under control. This will impart long-term economic stability and spur growth. Despite global uncertainties like ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East, which have caused economic instability in many countries, India has managed to weather these challenges. The Finance Minis- try’s report credits India’s strong economic fundamentals for helping it stay on track as one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies. However, the Ministry has warned that there are still risks to growth, and continued careful management of resources and fiscal policy is necessary. In the budget for 2024-25, the government plans to spend Rs 48.21 lakh crore. This includes Rs 37.09 lakh crore for regular expenses and Rs 11.11 lakh crore for Cong skipped Ambedkar’s role in water projects: PM PM Modi lays foundation of Ken-Betwa project 44 lakh PEOPLE in ten districts of MP and 21 lakh in UP will get drinking water under the project, Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Amid a political storm across the country over BR Ambedkar, Prime Minister Narendra has given credit to Ambedkar for the water projects. To give credit to only one person, the Congress did not praise Ambedkar, Modi said. Modi made the statement in Khajuraho on Wednesday when he laid the foundation for the Ken-Betwa Link Project. He also inaugurated a floating solar power plant in Omkareshwar and released a postal stamp on former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Credit for formation of water projects and that of Central Water Commission goes to Ambedkar, Modi said. He further said the work of ESTIMATED COST PM Narendra Modi launches Ken-Betwa River Link Project at Khajuraho. CM Mohan Yadav is also seen Praises Yadav M Modi has said CM Mohan Yadav is very hard working. This is the reason why Yadav has been able to take MP to new heights of development in the past one year, the Prime Minister said. P Jal Shakti, done by the Central Government, was the gift of Ambedkar. The Congress never let any- Modi is modern day Bhagirath: Yadav hief Minister Mohan Yadav has called Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Bhagirath of modern India. Modi is rendering the dreams of former Prime Minister Atal behari C Vajpayee into reality, he said. By laying the foundation of two big river projects, Modi has proved that the natural resources should be used for the prosperity of two states, Yadav said. one know about it, Modi said, adding that the water projects launched by former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee were swept under the carpet by the Congress after 2004. Complaint made to CBI a yr ago, but agency kept mum over probe SAURABH SHARMA CASE Nitendra Sharma BHOPAL There was an enormous delay by probe agencies to conduct an inquiry against former constable of the Transport Department Saurabh Sharma. Complaints of corruption against Sharma were sent to the probe agencies, including CBI, long time ago. In these complaints, rip-off in the transport was also mentioned, but because the agencies kept away from carrying out an inquiry, Sharma’s corrupt practices went unbridled. According to sources, complaints against Sharma were swept under the carpet. In the X’mas day fireball: 38 die, 29 survive AP ‘Saurabh had properties worth `700 cr’ Another complaint was made against Sharma in November. In the complaint, it was claimed that Sharma had properties worth Rs 700 crore. The complaint also referred to several properties that he had bought in the name of others. The complaint further said that Sharma had purchased a villa worth Rs 150 crore in Dubai and that most of his properties were in the name of his wife, Divya Tiwari. complaint, it was said that Sharma, who used to extort money from check posts, also gave to a few officers. The government was informed about the fact that Lookout circular against Saurabh Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Sharma had bought a house in Arera Colony and was about to build a hotel in Indore. Wanted by the income tax (IT) department, a lookout circular has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs against ex-RTO constable Saurabh Sharma, officials said here on Wednesday. The I-T department had seized 52 kilograms of gold bricks and have seized around Rs 10 crore from a SUV in Mandori area of the city on Friday (December 20). On December 19, Lokayukta police Bhopal had conducted the raid and to hide money and valuables, they were kept in a SUV and were abandoned in Mandori area. 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 Saurabh Sharma and Divya Tiwari Sharma Jingle Bells to Yeshu Di Balle Balle WHEN CHRISTMAS CAROLS GO DESI FP News Service 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 offgrid MOSCOW Dozens of people died after a passenger plane crashed with 67 people on board in Kazakhstan. Kazakh authorities said 38 people were killed in the crash, while the remainder survived. The 29 survivors were found in the rear section of the aircraft, with the front being badly destroyed by fire. Azerbaijan Airlines flight J2-8243 caught fire as it attempted to make an emergency landing near the Kazakh city of Aktau. `44.6K cr MUMBAI Santa Claus dancing the bhangra, flipping to Bhojpuri beats, and swapping his trademark “Ho Ho Ho” for a hearty “Ha Ha Ha” – yes, you read that right. This Christmas, the carols have taken a hilarious, regional twist, adding a much-needed desi flavour to the festive cheer. If you're scrolling through Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, or Facebook this season, you’ll find yourself flooded with a riot of regional Christmas carols. Forget Bing Crosby – it's time for Bhojpuri, Punjabi, and Hindi versions to steal the show. Take Jingle Bells, for example – the 19th-century classic written by James Lord Pierpont. It’s been given a complete desi makeover, and the result is a laugh riot. The Bhojpuri remix, Jingle Bellwa, is the current viral sensation. Picture this: "Jingle bellwa jingle bellwa jingle bellwa awela, daadi wala uncle baccho jhola leke aawela rey..." Yup, the lyrics are as cheeky as they sound, and you can bet your WhatsApp is full of these catchy tunes being forwarded by your aunties and uncles. Santa’s now bringing gifts in a jhola – talk about a glow-up. But wait, it gets even better. You didn’t think Punjabi beats would be left out of the Christmas party, did you? No chance. Enter the Punjabi Jingle Bells – a high-energy, dhol-fueled number that’s making even Santa throw his hat in for a little bhangra action. The world’s obsessed with Punjabi music right now, and of course, Christmas couldn't stay away from this global trend. 4Continued on | P6 E-paper Edit Say ‘No’ to Popcorn-like GST Rationale P.8 FM’S MANTRA | To Prioritise Spending, Growth, and Fiscal Health MUMBAI MUMBAI capital expenditure. By midyear, the government had already spent Rs 21.11 lakh crore, or 43.8% of the total planned expenditure. A large portion of this spending, Rs 15.02 lakh crore, is focused on building long-term infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and energy systems. These projects are aimed at boosting economic growth and creating jobs, which will benefit the country as a whole. 4Continued on | P6 Pak air strikes kill 46 in Afghanistan Associated Press PESHAWAR Forty-six people have been killed in a series of airstrikes by Pakistan on four hideouts of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, known by the acronym TTP, in eastern Afghanistan. The Taliban government reacted by claiming that mostly women and children had died in the aerial onslaught. Later in the day, Afghanistan’s foreign office said it had summoned Pakistan’s head of mission in Kabul to lodge a formal protest over the strikes. 4Continued on | P6 DARENGE TOH MARENGE POSTERS BEFORE KUMBH Biswajeet Banerjee PRAYAGRAJ The 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is still weeks away, but controversy has already cast a shadow over preparations. Posters bearing the slogan “Darenge Toh Marenge” (If You Fear, You Die) have made an appearance at several prominent locations in the city, sparking a heated debate.  The slogan, attributed to Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, has added a sharp edge to the already polarized political and social discourse ahead of the grand religious gathering. These provocative posters follow on the heels of an earlier slogan by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, “Batenge Toh Katenge” (If We Divide, We Perish), which he introduced during an August 26 speech in Agra. That statement, made in the context of Hindu minorities facing persecution in Bangladesh after an August 5 military coup, was later echoed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 5. The Maha Kumbh, set to begin on Pausha Purnima (January 13, 2025), is expected to attract millions of devotees and international visitors. However, the appearance of these posters, prominently displayed near landmarks like the Nag Vasuki temple, has diverted attention from preparations to political and ideological clashes. Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, the founder of the Vaishnava South Peeth in Nanij Dham, is no stranger to using public campaigns to make bold statements. Ahead of the 2019 Kumbh, he had spearheaded a campaign advocating the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. Now, his “Darenge Toh Marenge” slogan, displayed alongside his image, has reignited debates on religious and social unity. 4Continued on | P6 Man sets himself ablaze, runs towards Parliament Forensic team at immolation site Online Report NEW DELHI A man set himself on fire near the new Parliament building on Wednesday afternoon. The fire was immediately put out by local and railway police along with some civilians. The injured man has been rushed to nearby Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital by the security personnel deployed near the building. A partially burnt two-page note has also been recovered from the spot. The man, identified as Jitendra from Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh, set himself on fire at a park near the Railway Bhawan and then ran towards the Parliament building, police said. 4Continued on | P6