28042022-TTC-01.qxd 4/28/2022 12:52 AM Page 1 13 BILAWAL TAKES OATH AS PAK FOREIGN MINISTER WORLD /thetribunechd CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 6 NO. 116 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 thursday | 28 april 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com ‘Unfair’: PM flags high VAT on fuel in non-BJP states ❝ Tribune News Service WHOissuesalertover Belgian chocolates NEW DELHI: The WHO has issued an alert on the outbreak of salmonella typhimurium linked to Belgian chocolates distributed across 113 countries. Salmonella typhimurium is a gastroenteritis-causing pathogen. As many as 151 suspected cases linked to the consumption have been reported from 11 countries, said the world health body. BACK PAGE IN BRIEF Booster shot gap may be cut to 6 months New Delhi: The gap may be cut from nine to six months at the NTAGI meeting on Friday. TNS Temple chariot grazes power line, 11 dead Thanjavur (TN): Eight men and three teenage boys were killed due to electrocution here. PTI NewDelhi, April 27 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday flagged high prices of petrol and diesel in seven Oppositionruled states, urging them to reduce value added tax (VAT) on fuel and pass the benefit to the common man. Naming Maharashtra, West Bengal, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Jharkhand for not cutting taxes since November 2021 when the Centre had reduced excise duty on fuel to ease the burden of inflation on people, the PM appealed to these states to “work in national interest and in the spirit of cooperative federalism in times of global crisis.” The PM was speaking to chief ministers during a Covid review meeting today but detoured to address fuel price surge, in his first remarks on the issue. Attributing the high cost to global and external factors, PM Modi noted that “strengthening the Centrestate coordination is more imperative today than ever before to strengthen the Indian economy and to align I am not criticising... I am only praying for VAT reduction in the interests of people. PM GET KIDS JABBED ON PRIORITY: PM TO CMs In a virtual interaction on the Covid situation, PM Modi asked CMs to vaccinate eligible children on priority as the Covid threat was not over yet. He asked states to persist with the test-track-treat strategy and ensure Covidappropriate behaviour in public places. on economic decisions”. The PM said non-reduction of VAT by some states was continued on page 9 Misleading info, wrong facts put out: Uddhav, Didi New Delhi, April 27 Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray today said blaming non-BJP states for surge in petrol and diesel costs was “misinformation”. “The central VAT on diesel is Rs 24.38 per litre and the state VAT is Rs 22.37 a litre. The central VAT on petrol is Rs 31.58 a litre and the state tax is Rs 32.55 a litre. To say that the prices of petrol and diesel are inflated in Maharashtra due to the taxes levied by the state government is misinformation,” Thackeray said. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said today’s interaction with PM Modi was “completely one-sided and misleading”. “Facts shared by him were wrong. We have been providing a subsidy of Re 1 on fuel for the last three years,” Mamata said. Kerala Finance Minister KN Balagopal claimed the increase in petrol and diesel rates was due to the cess and surcharge levied by the Centre. — TNS Amidwar,Russiahaltsgas SC to hear pleas against exporttoPoland,Bulgaria sedition law from May 5 Tribune News Service CURRENCY DISPUTE ■ Russia has told buyers from ‘unfriendly’ nations to pay for gas in roubles or be cut off ■ The European Union says this violates contracts that called for payment in euros ISTOCK WARSAW/SOFIA, April 27 Russia has halted gas supplies to Bulgaria and Poland for rejecting its demand to pay in roubles, taking direct aim at European economies in its toughest retaliation so far against international sanctions over the war in Ukraine. The step was denounced by European leaders as “blackmail”, and comes as European countries have joined the US in ramping up arms shipments to help Ukraine fend off a new Russian assault in the east. Moscow says the gas cutoff is to enforce its demand for payment in roubles, which is needed to shield its economy from sanctions. Kremlin denied it was engaging in blackmail. — Reuters New Delhi, April 27 The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to respond by the end of this week to petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the law on sedition under Section 124A of the IPC. A Bench led by CJI NV Ramana asked the petitioners, including PUCL (People’s Union for Civil Liberties), to file rejoinders to the Centre’s affidavit by Tuesday and posted the matter for May 5. The Bench gave time to the Cen- CENTRE TOLD TO FILE REPLY BY WEEKEND ■ Petitions will be taken up for final disposal without adjournments, says CJI ■ The SC has asked the Centre to respond to the challenges by weekend tre to file affidavit after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said response was ready and only two days were needed continued on page 9 Haryana allows 75% coverage in residential plots Cong sticks to Dalit card in Haryana, replaces Selja with Bhan as state chief Chandigarh, April 27 Unveiling a bonanza for thousands of property owners, the Haryana Government has allowed ground coverage of 75 per cent for residential plots up to 250 sq m (10 marlas), up from current 66 per cent. This coupled with a maximum floor area ratio (FAR) of 165 per cent for plots up to 100 sq m and 145 per cent for plots between 100 and 250 sq m and other incentives are part of the amended Haryana Building Code 2017. Now, FAR beyond 165 per cent (for up to 100 sq m) can go up to 300 per cent for which allottees will have to pay extra. INSIDE Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 27 Former four-time MLA Udai Bhan was on Wednesday appointed president of the Haryana Congress after days of deliberations on caste and factional balancing in the state where the party will face the ruling BJP and fledgling AAP in the 2024 Assembly elections. Bhan is a loyalist of former CM Bhupinder Hooda. A senior SC leader who has thrice represented the Hodal reserved segment, Bhan will replace Kumari Selja, another tall SC leader. HOODA STAMP EVIDENT ■ Former CM Bhupinder Hooda stays CLP leader ■ Sources say UDAI BHAN he will lead party in 2024 Assembly poll ■ Cong has made four working chiefs — Shruti Choudhry, Ram Kishan Gujjar, Jitender Bhardwaj and Suresh Gupta ■ Three of them are considered close to ex-CM Hooda AICC chief Sonia Gandhi also named four working presidents, including former MP Shruti Choudhry, daugh- To absorb price rise, govt hikes fertiliser subsidy Tribune News Service MASSIVE FOREST FIRE NEAR DAGSHAI CANTT A massive fire broke out in the forests surrounding Dagshai cantonment in Solan. It was brought under control after a 24-hour operation. INSIDE New Delhi, April 27 The Union Cabinet today approved a subsidy worth Rs 60,939.23 crore for nutrientbased phosphatic and potassic (P&K) fertilisers, including DAP for the first six , months of this financial year, as part of efforts to provide soil nutrients to farmers at affordable rates. A decision was taken at the meeting of continued on page 9 EAM: INDIA’S POSITION ON UKRAINE APT BACK PAGE CLEARS ~60,939 CRORE FOR KHARIF SEASON DAP WILL CONTINUE TO COST ~1,350/BAG ■ No trickle-down effect of subsidy hike for farmers ■ They will continue to get DAP at ~1,350 per bag of 50 kg ■ Subsidy saves them from further hike in DAP price ■ Punjab to sell 70% DAP via cooperative societies to check black marketing Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. ter of ex-CLP leader Kiran Choudhry; Ram Kishan Gujjar, Jitender Bhardwaj and Suresh Gupta. Gujjar, Bhardwaj and Gupta are considered close to Hooda. Hooda stays the Congress Legislature Party chief. With the former CM’s stamp writ large on the revamp, AICC sources said he would effectively lead the party in the next elections and work with Bhan to reorganise it. The state unit has been in a limbo since 2014, when its then chief Ashok Tanwar dissolved block and district units, which have not been reconstituted since. continued on page 9 Punjab Govt buses to ply to IGIA soon CHANDIGARH: Punjab Transport Minister Laljit Singh Bhullar on Wednesday said government-run buses would soon resume services to the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in Delhi. He said the issue was taken up on Wednesday at a secretarylevel meeting of the Transport Departments of Punjab and Delhi. Bhullar said he had recently apprised CM Bhagwant Mann of the longpending issue, which, when resolved, would ensure more revenue to Punjab. INSIDE