FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 33 | BHOPAL | THURSDAY | JULY 17, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Indian striker wins Poligras Magic Skill Award P.12 fp Briefs NEW DELHI NEET-UG retest plea reaches SC The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea against an order refusing to direct a retest in NEET-UG 2025 for candidates aggrieved by power outage at some centres in Madhya Pradesh. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi would hear the plea next week after the counsel sought an urgent listing on the ground that counselling was scheduled to start from July 21. NEW DELHI Akash Prime trial in Ladakh India achieved a significant milestone in strengthening its air defence capabilities with the successful trial of the indigenous ‘Akash Prime’ air defence system on Wednesday. The Indian Army conducted the test at an altitude of around 15,000 feet in the Ladakh sector. The Akash Prime system, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was tested in the presence of senior officials from the Army’s Air Defence wing and DRDO. AMRITSAR 3rd bomb threat to Golden Temple The holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple here, received bomb threat for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, stepping up security and a search operation by deploying Border Security Force’s bomb squad and the state police. An email to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) warned of blasts using RDX-filled pipes. KOLKATA ‘Detain me if you can’ West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rekindled the TMC's Bengali identity pitch and lashed out at the BJP-led Centre on Wednesday for what, she called, was its policy of harassing and mistreating Bengali-speaking people across the country. "I have now decided to speak more in Bangla from now on. Hold me in detention camps if you can before you throw other Bengalis in jail," she said, asking the BJP to remain prepared for a fresh round of 'Khela Hobey' during the assembly elections in 2026. See Nation ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK E-paper Edit TDP raises SIR red flag P.6 RBI’s commitment to keep sufficient liquidity will facilitate rate cut Cinema Enter The Chameleon P.14 CM rolls out red carpet for La Liga in state Proposes PPP model for football hub Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL On the first day of his visit to Spain, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav met officials and technical experts at the LaLiga headquarters in Madrid on Wednesday. During the meeting, he proposed establishing a Centre of Football Excellence in Madhya Pradesh through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav at LaLiga headquarters in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday He suggested collaboration in three key areas — football excellence centres, sports infrastructure de- DHAN-DHAANYA KRISHI YOJANA | Scheme to be implemented in Oct will benefit 1.7 cr farmers Rs 24,000 cr agri boost to 100 dists PTI NEW DELHI The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for six years to boost crop yields in 100 districts, benefiting about 1.7 crore farmers. The scheme, approved in the cabinet meeting headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will kick start from October, during the rabi (winter) season. The plan is in pursuance of the Budget announcement for 2025-26 to develop 100 districts to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices. The scheme will be implemented through the convergence of 36 existing schemes 8 new bills during Monsoon Session A bill that seeks to preserve and protect geoheritage sites and geo-relics is among the eight new draft legislation the government plans to introduce in the Monsoon session of Parliament beginning Monday. The Monsoon session of Parliament is scheduled to commence from July 21 across 11 departments, other state schemes and local partnerships with the private sector, I&B Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said while briefing reporters about the cabinet decisions. He said the scheme will benefit about 1.7 crore farmers. "Preparations for the implementation of the scheme have already begun. ...Training and awareness campaign will start in August," Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters on the sidelines of an event. "We will implement the scheme from October, when rabi sowing begins," he said. Chouhan said there are yield gaps between states and districts despite a sharp increase in the production of foodgrains, horticulture and milk in the last 11 years. Apart from enhancing the crop yields, the scheme will also focus on the adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, 4Continued on | P8 velopment and Spanishcoaching-based youth training programmes. He said that LaLiga’s football expertise should benefit the youth of Madhya Pradesh. Yadav also proposed that during LaLiga matches, Madhya Pradesh’s cultural richness, wildlife, heritage and tourism could be promoted through a digital and ground-level co-branding campaign, especially targeting spectators in Spain and across Europe. MP will not lag in capital return to investors: CM 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Indonesia type trade deal with India soon, says Trump NATO warns India, China, Brazil over Russia trade ties hief Minister Mohan Yadav on Wednesday assured global investors that Madhya Pradesh will not fall behind in delivering strong capital returns. Speaking at the MP Business Forum meet in Madrid on the first day of his Spain tour, Yadav said world-class facilities will be extended to Spanish investors. C HC directs cops, docs to click pics of injuries in criminal cases Our Staff Reporter INDORE PTI NEW DELHI US will now supply Ukraine with weapons, not just air defence but also missiles and ammunition, paid for by the Europeans. And secondly, President Trump said basically if Russia is not serious about peace talks within 50 days, he will impose secondary sanctions on countries like India, China and Brazil," Rutte stated. "My encouragement to these three countries, particularly, is that if you live now in Beijing or in Delhi, or you are the president of Brazil, you might want to take a look at this because this might hit you very hard," he added. The Indore Bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court has directed police officers and doctors across the State to photograph injuries of victims in criminal cases to ensure transparency and prevent the misuse of minor legal provisions. The order was issued by Justice Subodh Abhyankar on July 14, during a hearing in the Seetu and Others vs The State of Madhya Pradesh case, where the Court observed that despite grievous injuries suffered by victims, police had registered the case under petty sections of law to facilitate early bail for the accused. Justice Abhyankar noted a growing trend where police deliberately invoke minor sections such as 294, 321, 503, and 324 of the IPC or equivalent provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with issuing notices under Section 41A of CrPC. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Agencies WASHINGTON DC US President Donald Trump has said that the proposed trade deal with India would be on the lines of what America has finalised with Indonesia on Tuesday. Under the US-Indonesia trade pact, the Southeast Asian nation will provide complete access to its market to US products, while Indonesian goods would attract a 19 per cent duty in America. In addition, Indonesia has committed to purchasing USD 15 billion in US energy, USD 4.5 billion in American Agricultural Products, and 50 Boeing jets. Later, while talking to reporters, Trump said: "India is basically working along that same line. We are going to have access into India. You have to understand, we had no access to any of these countries.” Echoing US President Donald Trump's stance on imposing economic sanctions against countries maintaining trade ties with Russia if Moscow doesn't put an end to the conflict in Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday (local time) urged India, China, and Brazil to reconsider their economic relations with Russia, warning of potential secondary sanctions, reported Reuters. In a press conference, Rutte, speaking alongside US Senators Thom Tillis and Jeanne Shaheen, co-chairs of the Senate NATO Observer Group, emphasised the urgency of the situation, noting Trump's announcement on increasing military support for Ukraine, including air defence systems, missiles, and ammunition. "What happened yesterday was important. First of all, the SWACHH SURVEKSHAN AWARDS HC stays govt order on CM seeks report over lathi-charge recognition, admission on students of hostel in Harda 8 cities of state to be of paramedical colleges Former CM Digvijaya Singh, Our Staff Reporter Order, order! BHOPAL After the nursing scam rocked Madhya Pradesh, the Divisional Bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Jabalpur, has now passed a stay order regarding irregularities in recognition and admissions of paramedical colleges. During the hearing of the PIL filed by Law Students Association in the nursing case, the petitioner submitted that similar irregularities are happening in paramedical colleges. The MP Paramedical Council is granting recognition for academic sessions 2023-24 and 2024-25 retrospectively without affiliation from Madhya Pradesh Medical University. Both government and private paramedical colleges are admitting students illegally. Moreover, the Council is issuing recognition to colleges operating in buildings declared unsuitable by the CBI during the nursing scam probe. Taking cognizance, the High Court directed Chairman and Registrar of the MP Paramedical Council to be made parties to the case. On Wednesday, the » HC stays govt order on retrospective recognition for paramedical sessions 2023-24 and 2024-25. » MP Paramedical Council accused of illegal admissions and recognising colleges in unsuitable buildings. » Council revived in 2024 after abolition in 2021; delays cited for late recognition. » HC calls retrospective recognition ridiculous and absurd, continues stay till next hearing. court stayed the state government s order allowing retrospective recognition for these academic sessions. The court clarified that recognition and admission processes for paramedical colleges across the state will remain stayed until the next hearing. It questioned how recognition can be granted in 2025 for sessions 2023-24 and 2024-25, calling it ridiculous and absurd. 4Continued on | P8 Digvijaya Singh raised the issue Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has sought a report from the district administration over the police lathicharge on the students of Rajput hostel in Harda during an agitation by the Karni Sena. Yadav gave the information through a social media post on Wednesday. In the post, Yadav said a report over the incident had during his stay in Harda, visited the hostel and spoke to the victims of the lathi charge been sought from the district administration. For the government, giving justice to all and maintaining social harmony are top priorities. Nobody will be allowed to disturb social harmony, he said. The police lathi charge on the hostel residents has caused resentment among the Rajpur FP News Service GWALIOR The Madhya Pradesh High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 35 lakh on the former Vice Chancellor of Gwalior-based Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) after holding him guilty of sex- ually harassing a yoga instructor. The Gwalior bench of the high court, in its verdict given on July 15, also imposed a fine of Rs 5 lakh on the Madhya Pradesh government and Rs 1 lakh on the institute. 4Continued on | P8 Our Staff Reporter Cube, beam and cylinder sample of G-HSC polymer technology, they have created high-strength concrete that not only helps protect the environment but also performs better and lasts longer than traditional con- crete. Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) is known to be one of the major sources of carbon dioxide emissions, contributing about 8% of global CO? emissions. It releases nearly 2.5 billion tonnes of CO? every year due to the processes involved in making cement, like burning limestone and fuel. The newly developed Geopolymer High-Strength Con- Self-reliance in UAVs strategic imperative for India: Gen Chauhan PTI NEW DELHI IIT-I develops cement-free, eco-friendly concrete INDORE community. Former chief minister, Digvijaya Singh, during his stay in Harda, visited the hostel and spoke to the victims of the lathi charge. The government does not want the incident to cause heartburn between the two communities. This is the reason that Yadav sought a report over the incident. According to sources, after receiving the report, the government may remove some policemen involved in the incident. But the government, which has so far tried to save its officers, is keeping mum after a video of the incident went viral. felicitated in Delhi today Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Eight cities of Madhya Pradesh will be felicitated at the award distribution function of Swachh Survekshan 2024 to be held at the Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Thursday. President Droupadi Murmu will give awards to Indore, Bhopal, Ujjain, Dewas, Budhni, and Shahganj under various categories. Indore, Ujjain, and Budhni will get felicitated in the Super League category. This category was introduced this year itself. Bhopal, Dewas Municipal Corporation, and Shahganj Municipal Council will get the President’s Award. Jabalpur will get an award in the special category, while a state-level award will be given to Gwalior. Bhopal is expected to get the second position in the cleanliness survey. Moreover, the star rating of garbage-free cities, ODF++, and Water + rating will also be issued on the same day. This year, the theme of the survey was ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’. Ex-LNIPE V-C fined Rs 35L Cannot win today’s in sexual harassment case war with yesterday’s weapon systems: CDS green innovation IIT Indore has taken a major step toward eco-friendly construction by developing a new type of concrete that does not use cement. This breakthrough has been achieved by Dr. Abhishek Rajput, associate professor and his research team from the Department of Civil Engineering. Using geo- MUMBAI crete (G-HSC) completely removes the need for cement. Instead, it uses industrial waste materials such as fly ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS). Another benefit is that this concrete does not need water curing, which helps save water, a crucial factor in today’s time of water scarcity. 4Continued on | P8 Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan on Wednesday said recent conflicts globally have demonstrated how drones can "shift tactical balance disproportionately", and asserted that self-reliance in UAVs and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS) is a "strategic imperative" for India. In his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here, Gen Chauhan also said Operation Sindoor has shown why indigenously developed Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and C-UAS "built for our terrain and our needs are crucial". A day-long workshop on 'Indigenisation of Critical Components Currently Being Imported from Foreign OEMs in the Areas of UAV & C-UAS' is being hosted by Headquarters, Integrated Defence Staff, in collaboration with the think-tank Centre for Joint Warfare Studies. The event comes against the backdrop of recent India-Pakistan hostilities, including Operation Sindoor, which highlighted the strategic importance and operational effectiveness of UAVs and C-UAS, the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. 4Continued on | P8 Mahatma Gandhi oil portrait fetches millions LONDON A rare oil portrait of Mahatma Gandhi, believed to be the only one he sat for the artist to paint, has fetched triple its estimate at 152,800 pounds in a Bonhams auction in London. The painting, which had never before been offered at auction, had been on offer for an online auction with a guide price range between 50,000 and 70,000 pounds and was the top lot of the Travel and Exploration sale, which concluded on Tuesday. See world