FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 266 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | MARCH 11, 2026 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Numbers that defined a classic P.14 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY Govt eases FDI norms for China, other neighbouring countries UJJAIN PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK Cinema HC protects Shilpa’s personality rights P.16 Govt rejigs gas allocation to ensure uninterrupted supply Essential Commodities Act invoked NEW DELHI LPG production, CNG, and piped cooking gas will take precedence over all other sectors using natural gas as the government rejigged allocation to ensure uninterrupted supply for households and transport sectors. As the widening West Asia conflict disrupted 30 per cent of India's gas supply, the oil ministry in a gazette notification ordered available gas to be diverted from non-priority sectors to key users. India meets half of its 191 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas consumption through imports. With the stalling of tanker movement through the Strait of Hormuz, about 60 mmscmd gas from the Middle East has been disrupted. As hotels and restaurants report commercial LPG shortage, the government has invoked the Essential Commodities (EC) Act to ensure the uninterrupted supply of domestic cooking gas, directing refineries and petrochemical units to maximise the production of LPG. The EC Act has been invoked to ensure divert key hydrocarbon streams to the LPG pool The remaining liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been reprioritised to meet 100 per cent of demand of LPG production, CNG, and piped cooking gas (PNG), 80 per cent of commercial users of the fuel and 70 per cent of fertiliser unit needs. "We are monitoring the situation on a minute-to-minute basis and are alive to the evolving needs. We have just now reprioritised gas allocation to help meet the full demand of key sectors," a top ministry official said. The re-allocation has been done to primarily augment LPG supplies that had been strained after the war in the Middle East disrupted half of the cooking gas supplies. BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Tuesday assured that there is no need to panic over the supply of food items, cooking gas or fuel in Madhya Pradesh despite the evolving conflict situation in the Gulf region. Chairing a review meeting on the issue, the Chief Minister said the state has adequate supplies and arrangements in fp Briefs NEW DELHI LS takes up Birla motion The Lok Sabha on Tuesday took up an opposition resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Om Birla from office for his alleged bias towards the ruling party, amid a heated debate on who will preside over the House while the motion is taken up. Congress legislator Mohammad Jawed read out the notice seeking to move the resolution to remove Birla from office. NEW DELHI IndiGo CEO Elbers quits IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers resigned on Tuesday, citing personal reasons, and the country's largest airline has relieved him with immediate effect, a development that comes three months after massive operational disruptions triggered widespread public outrage and regulatory actions. 4Continued on | P8 Oil prices slip below $90 a barrel Oil prices declined sharply on Tuesday, trading below $90 per barrel after US President Donald Trump predicted the war in the Middle East could end soon. Brent futures declined as much as 10.85 per cent to an intraday low of $88.22 per barrel from the previous close of $98.96 per barrel. At the last count (around 11 am), they were trading at $92.50, down 6.44 per cent No need to step on gas: CM Our Staff Reporter Liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG, is primarily produced from the processing of natural gas and is also a byproduct of crude oil refining. MP panel to monitor impact place to meet demand. A three-member committee comprising ministers and senior officials has been formed to closely monitor the situation and ensure smooth supply across the state. “The Central government is closely monitoring the situation and there is no disruption in supplies in Madhya Pradesh,” Yadav said, adding State has 5–7 days LPG stock Officials from the Food and Civil Supplies Department said there is no immediate concern regarding the availability of petrol, diesel, LPG or CNG in the state. Commissioner Karamveer Sharma said petrol and diesel stocks are sufficient The Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday constituted a Council of Ministers to continuously monitor the situation in the state amid the ongoing tensions in West Asia. The panel will review developments from time to time and oversee measures to address issues affecting residents of the state living in Gulf countries. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Cabinet okays 4-lane Ujjain link on Delhi-Mumbai e-way IANS NEW DELHI The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday approved the development of a 4-lane corridor on the BadnawarPetlawad-Thandla-Timarwani section of National Highway752D, which stretches across a length of 80.45 kilometres with a total capital cost of Rs 3,839.42 crore. The approved corridor will provide connectivity from Ujjain to the Timrawani interchange on the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The primary purpose of the Set up tribunals to hear appeals against exclusions, orders SC WB SIR PTI NEW DELHI In a fresh set of directions, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered setting up of independent appellate tribunals, headed by former high court judges, to hear appeals against exclusions from voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The top court also issued a stern warning against attempts to undermine the integrity of judicial officers who are deployed to deal with claims and objections of those facing deletion from voter lists in the SIR process. Describing such moves as an affront to the judiciary, a three-judge bench headed by ‘Time for UCC’ proposed four-lane project corridor is to improve travel efficiency with a reduction in travel time by about one hour. 4Continued on | P8 Property dealer robbed of Rs 55L at knifepoint Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Justice Surya Kant said, “How did you dare file such applications? It shows as if you don’t have trust...No one should dare question the judicial officers. As Chief Justice of India, I will not tolerate this.” A property dealer was robbed of Rs 55 lakh in cash at knifepoint by scooter-borne miscreants on Smart City Road under Shyamla Hills police station limits on Saturday night. Police have registered a case and launched a search to trace the accused. Additional DCP (Zone-3) Shalini Dixit said the victim, Divyang Barot, a resident of Chunabhatti, works as a property dealer. According to the complaint, Barot was returning home with his brother after collecting the cash related to his business from the Old City area. They were travelling on a motorcycle and reached Smart City Road around 9.30 pm when the accused intercepted them on two scooters. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 The Supreme Court on Tuesday observed that the time has come for a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) as it termed a plea seeking striking down of provisions of the Shariat law of 1937 for being discriminatory to Muslim women as a "very good case" which advisably only the legislature should look into prized booty Rs 131 cr reward for world champions PTI NEW DELHI Days after scripting history in Ahmedabad, Suryakumar Yadav's T20 World Cup-winning squad has received a reward fit for champions. The BCCI on Tuesday announced a whopping Rs 131 crore cash reward for the Indian team following their triumphant rize money jumps Rs 6 crore from 2024 as Board celebrates historic title defence and third T20 World Cup crown. P campaign. The numbers reflect both success and inflation—in the best possible way. The latest purse is a Rs 6 crore increase from the Rs 125 crore awarded to Rohit Sharma's team after the 2024 title win in Barbados. The Statistic: 131 Crore, 15 Players, 96 Runs Covers 15 players, coaching staff, and support staff Players are expected to receive the lion's share, with support staff amounts decided as per hierarchy Victory margin: 96 runs in the final against New Zealand — the largest in a T20 World Cup final The breakdown of glory: Rs 131 crore total cash reward 4Continued on | P8 E-paper Edit Whom to trust, EAM or FM? P.6 W ASIA CRISIS | Cooking gas will take precedence over other sectors using natural gas PTI MUMBAI THE WAR Iran war may end soon: Don President Donald Trump said that the US campaign against Iran would end “very soon”, defining victory as the point at which Tehran no longer has the capacity to develop weapons that could threaten the United States, Israel, or its allies. Hormuz Strait threat US President Donald Trump centred his latest warning to Iran on the Strait of Hormuz, saying any attempt to block or disrupt the vital oil route would trigger overwhelming American retaliation. ‘Don’t get eliminated’ A top Iranian security official has threatened US President Donald Trump in an online message. Ali Larijani wrote: “The sacrificial nation of Iran doesn't fear your empty threats. Even those bigger than you couldn't eliminate Iran. Be careful not to get eliminated yourself.” Govt eases FDI norms for China, nations sharing borders with India PTI GOOD GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE MP’s youth initiative to monitor schemes NEW DELHI Our Staff Reporter The government on Tuesday eased foreign direct investment (FDI) norms for China and other countries sharing land borders with India by allowing overseas firms having up to 10 per cent shareholder from these nations to invest in the country without mandatory approval. Earlier, overseas firms with shareholders from these nations owning even a single share had to seek mandatory approval to invest in India in any sector. However, other conditions of FDI norms, including sectoral caps and entry routes, will be applicable to these investments. Also, these investments will be subjected to prior reporting of information/details to the DPIIT (department for promotion of industry and internal trade). The government has amended the press note 3 of 2020 in this regard. The decision was taken in a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The amendment in the press note provides for a definition and criteria for the determination of 'Beneficial Ownership' that is widely used by the investing community, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Rules, 2003. The beneficial ownership test will be applied at the level of the investor entity. See also Money BHOPAL The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Chief Minister Young Interns for Good Governance Programme, under which 15 youths will be appointed in every block of the state to gather feedback on the implementation of government schemes. The programme will run for three years and aims to strengthen monitoring of welfare schemes at the grassroots level. Selected interns will receive an honorarium of Rs 10,000 per month, and the state government has earmarked Rs 190 crore for the implementation of the programme. The youths will be appointed on a one-year contractual basis. The Atal Bihari Vajpayee Institute of Good Governance and Policy Analysis will handle the recruitment process and monitor the programme. The interns will assess the impact of various government schemes and assist in data collection and field-level feedback to improve governance and service delivery. Professional tax relief extended The Cabinet also approved the extension of professional tax exemption for persons with disabilities until March 31, 2030. Schemes worth Rs. 33,240 Power sector decision Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), the Cabinet decided that SGST payable on the Centre’s share for strengthening power distribution infrastructure will be converted into equity capital for state power distribution companies instead of a grant. A loan amount of Rs 887.91 crore provided till November 2024 will now be converted into equity capital for the discoms. crore to continue The Cabinet approved the continuation of seven government schemes for up to five years, with a total financial provision of Rs 33,240 crore. Boost for traditional products To support traditional crafts under the One District One Product (ODOP) initiative, the Cabinet approved Rs 37.50 crore to prepare and implement detailed project reports for the next five years. The initiative will cover traditional products such as: » Zari-Zardozi work of Bhopal » Carpets of Sidhi district » Bagh print of Dhar district » Wooden toys of Sehore district 4Continued on | P8