FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLII No. 240 | INDORE | FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 6, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN MONEY Sports TITLE-TILT THRILLER P.14 PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Mamata’s rare SC appearance P.6 ASSET MONETISATION, STAKE SALE KEEP TARGETS INTACT Cinema ‘No star tantrums, only teamwork’ P.16 ‘Indian women’s unpaid care work worth up to `90 tn a yr’ Atul Gautam IIM-I STUDY INDORE A new study from Indian Institute of Management Indore has revealed that unpaid care and household work performed largely by women in India could be worth anywhere between Rs 30 trillion and Rs 90 trillion annually, amounting to 11–27 per cent of the country’s GDP -- a massive contribution that remains largely invisible in official economic accounts. The study, titled “The Invisible Economy: India’s Care Work Crisis,” was conducted Study finds Indian women spend an average of 299 minutes per day on unpaid household and care work by Madhav Goel, an IPM student at IIM Indore, along with Prof Shweta Kushal from the institute’s communications area. Using data from India’s Time Use Survey and Periodic Labour Force Survey, the researchers applied two standard valuation methods to estimate the economic value of unpaid care work. One approach, known as the replacement cost method, calculates how POWER PIVOT | PM says as Vishwa mitra and Vishwa bandhu, India has become a partner for countries across the world World moving towards new global order: Modi Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI PM Narendra Modi on Thursday said the trade deal with the United States has made the world confident of India’s “speed along with stability” and that the fact that “big countries are now eager to improve relations with India” is testimony to the country’s growing importance in terms of talent and resources. Replying to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, which was later passed by a voice vote, the Prime Minister said, “After the World War, a new world order was created, and now the world is moving towards yet another world order,” in which the “tilt is towards India”. He added that as a “Vishwa mitra and Vishwa bandhu”, India has become a partner for countries across the world. Modi said that in the changed global scenario, “the entire world is talking about the Global South, of which India has become a bold voice on various fora”. The Prime Minister said fp Briefs BHOPAL CJI in Bhopal today Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will arrive in Bhopal on Friday. The state government will host a dinner in his honour. He will participate in a two-day programme, “Chintan Shivir,” on judiciary at the National Judicial Academy, starting Saturday and continuing on Sunday. Registrar of the National Judicial Academy Vijay Chandra said CJI Surya Kant will attend the two-day programme along with all Chief Justices of states. BIJAPUR Top Naxalite killed A senior Naxalite carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head was gunned down on Thursday by security forces in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said. He was identified as Udham Singh, a 'divisional committee' member of the south Bastar division of CPI (Maoist). The world is talking about the global south, India is a loud voice of the global south Narendra Modi Prime Minister India is doing future-ready trade deals with several countries and recently concluded agreements with nine blocs, including what he described as the “mother of all deals” with the European Union, which has 27 countries. “After the deal with the US, the world is now confident of speed along with stability,” he said. He said the greatest benefit of these deals would accrue to the youth across the country, including young women, as global markets have opened up and opportunities have expanded. “The demand for our professionals and caregivers is increasing, and some countries are setting up offices here to recruit our youth,” he added. Modi urged the nation to focus on quality and not compromise on it so that India is known globally for its products. The Prime Minister then devoted a major portion of his speech to attacking the Opposition, particularly the Congress, which had protested during the earlier part of his address before staging a walkout. He claimed he had been stopped from speaking by the Opposition five to six times in the past as well. “They know that once I start speaking, I do not stop,” he remarked. He alleged that the Congress, due to its emphasis on vote bank politics, never worked in the interest of the people and often treated citizens as a “problem”. 4Continued on | P8 Min Verma threatens to delete names of Ladli Behnas from list They should remember what PM is doing for them, says minister FP News Service SEHORE Revenue Minister Karan Singh Verma, who is known for creating controversies, kicked up another row at a public meeting in Sehore on Thursday when he said the names of the Ladli Behnas absent from the meeting would be deleted from the list of beneficiaries. Earlier, another minister of the state, Vijay Shah, also known for courting controversies by his statements, made a similar remark as Om Birla claims he played kavach role Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Underlining the growing trust deficit between the government and the Opposition, the Lok Sabha on Thursday passed the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address without PM’s reply, a first in 22 years. What followed sharpened the political edge of the episode, with Speaker Om Birla disclosing that he had personally urged PM Narendra Modi to stay away from the House, citing fears of “unexpected activity” and possible bodily harm. Birla said he had received “concrete information” that some Congress members could approach the PM’s chair, and that Wednesday’s protests — when Opposition MPs came close to Modi’s bench — had prompted much it would cost to pay workers for domestic and care services. The second, the opportunity cost method, estimates the income women forgo by engaging in unpaid work instead of paid employment. Together, these methods highlight the sheer scale of economic activity that goes unrecognised because it does not involve monetary transactions. The study found that Indian women spend an average of 299 minutes per day on unpaid household and care work, compared to just 42 minutes for men, reflect- ing a seven-fold gender gap. Women account for nearly 87% of the total economic value generated by unpaid care work, pointing to what the authors describe as systematic economic extraction. India’s situation mirrors a global trend but with greater intensity. According to OECD data, women perform around 75% of unpaid care work worldwide, while the International Labour Organisation estimates such work contributes between 10% and 39% of GDP across economies. ‘India, US may sign trade deal by mid-March’ 4 yrs on, state yet to make online mobile gaming law PTI NEW DELHI India and the US are likely to sign the first tranche of the much-awaited bilateral trade agreement by mid-March, that would lead to Washington lowering import duties on Indian imports, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. Following the signing of the pact, India will begin reducing import duties on certain goods imported from the US. Goyal also said that the two countries are expected to finalise and sign a joint statement on the first tranche of the bilateral trade agreement within 45 days, following which tariffs imposed by America will come down to 18 per cent. The two countries finalised the agreement earlier this week. Under this, tariffs on Indian goods entering the US will be reduced to 18 per cent from 50 per cent. 4Continued on | P8 Experts call for digital wellbeing in school syllabi, parent sensitisation Our Staff Reporter Four years after announcement, Madhya Pradesh government is yet to enact a law to regulate online mobile gaming. In January 2022, the then Home Minister Narottam Mishra had announced plans to bring such legislation following suicide of an 11-yearold boy in Bhopal while playing online game Free Fire. Since then, state has witnessed a series of suicides involving children addicted to online gaming. On February 3 this year, 14-year-old AnshSahu died by suicide in Piplani area of city. Family members said he was heavily addicted to Free Fire and had PTI Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched Bharat Taxi, the country's first co-operativerun ride-hailing platform, which will start services in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat initially and pan-India in the What triggers suicides » Children use parents’ or grandparents’ bank accounts without permission to buy virtual upgrades, leading to fear of punishment when discovered » Games use psychological manipulation to push children into completing dangerous tasks » Failure to buy upgrades due to lack of money » Withdrawal symptoms when mobile phone is confiscated spent Rs 28,000 from his grandfather’s bank account on in-game purchases. In August this year, a 13year-old student ended his life in Indore after losing Rs 2,800 in an online battle game. Earlier, in July 2021, a Class 6 stu- FP News Service UPSC curtails re-attempts to improve rank FP News Service MUMBAI The UPSC has significantly tightened the rules governing reappearance in the Civil Services Examination for candidates who are already serving in the civil services, effectively putting an end to the longstanding practice of multiple attempts to improve rank and service preference. In its Civil Services Preliminary Examination notification for 2026, released on February 4, UPSC laid down clearer and stricter eligibility conditions for serving officers, particularly those appointed to the IAS, IPS and IFS. According to the updated rules, candidates already appointed to the IAS or IFS will not be allowed to reappear in the civil services 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 NEEMUCH 4Continued on | P8 Verma did in Ashta. Verma, made the statement during the inauguration of a sub-health centre at Dhamanda village in Ashta Tehsil. Wheat is being sent to every house from Delhi because of the initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and a sum of Rs 1,500 is transferred to the accounts of Ladli Behnas every month, he said, adding that the Congress never gave a single penny to women. Farmers are also getting financial assistance because of Modi’s initiative, Verma said. The government is providing financial aid worth Rs 1,500 a month to 894 Ladli Behnas in Dhamanda village, he said. dent died by suicide in Chhatapur after losing Rs 40,000 while playing Free Fire. He left behind a suicide note apologising for financial loss incurred from his mother’s account. CM announces aid after woman dies in bee attack CHAMPIONS ASCEND RCB players burst into unbridled celebration as they hoist the WPL 2026 trophy after toppling Delhi Capitals at Kotambi Stadium, Vadodara - a night of thunderous cheers, and another historic crown for the franchise PTI (detail report on Sports Page) CM Mohan Yadav expressed grief over the death of Kanchan Bai Mewal, an Anganwadi worker from Ranpur village in Neemuch district, who recently died from a bee attack. The CM announced financial assistance of Rs four lakh for the bereaved family on humanitarian grounds. Additionally, the state government will bear all education expenses for Kanchan Bai's children to ensure the family faces no future difficulties. CM Yadav assured that the government stands with the family during this difficult time. MP govt submits reply in Vijay Shah case Next hearing on February 9 Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The state government on Thursday submitted its reply in Vijay Shah case to the Solicitor General’s office in New Delhi. Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sheo Shekhar Shukla and Secretary (Home) Krishnaveni Desabastu filed the response on behalf of the state. The next hearing is scheduled for February 9. The Supreme Court had earlier directed the state government to decide within two weeks on granting sanction for India’s first coop ride-hailing platform launched NEW DELHI » Sudden withdrawal and isolation from family » Decline in academic performance and loss of interest in sports or hobbies » Secrecy around mobile phone use and latenight gaming » Unexplained deductions from bank accounts BHOPAL offgrid Nationwide roll out in 3 years Warning signals prosecution in connection with an FIR registered against Minister Vijay Shah over his remarks referring to Colonel Sofiya Qureshi as a “sister of terrorists.” The state government had already constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the court’s directive. The SIT may seek more time for investigation. Earlier, the SIT had submitted its report to the state government seeking sanction, which is mandatory for the court to take cognisance of offences under Section 196 (1) (a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. 4Continued on | P8 18 killed in mine blast Digjyoti Lahkar GUWAHATI next three years. Bharat Taxi platform, which has been established by India's top eight co-operative organistions including dairy major Amul, will enhance drivers' income significantly, besides giving them ownership, the minister highlighted. Addressing an event after launching the service, Shah said the rival ride-hailing platforms have reduced commission and are offering many other incentives, in- cluding free rides to customers, seeing the success of Bharat Taxi during the pilot operation. However, Shah emphasised that Bharat Taxi is giving ownership to drivers, which no other ride-hailing platform can offer. "From today, Bharat Taxi has been commercially launched in Delhi-NCR and Gujarat. Within three years, the service will be expanded to all states. Nobody should have any doubt about this," he said. "You will be the driver, and you will be the owner of Bharat Taxi platform," Shah told the gathering. Around 800-1,000 drivers attended the event held at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital. He said the profit will be shared with drivers associated with Bharat Taxi. 4Continued on | P8 At least 18 labourers were killed, and several others feared trapped following an explosion at an "illegal" coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, Director General of Police I Nongrang said. Rescue teams have been engaged in search operations, she said, adding that the incident occurred in the Thangsku area in the morning. "We have recovered 16 bodies so far. The exact number of labourers present inside the mine at the time of the explosion is yet to be ascertained. 4Continued on | P8