04032024-TTB-01.qxd 3/3/2024 11:52 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 63 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 HARYANA TRUMP SWEEPS IDAHO, MICHIGAN, MISSOURI CAUCUSES WORLD /thetribunechd UT POLICY EYES 2,000 START-UPS IN 3 YEARS J&K DIGITAL INNOVATIONS CAN INCREASE FARM INCOME INFOCUS INDIA BLOC SOUNDS POLL BUGLE AT PATNA RALLY BACK PAGE monday | 4 march 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Sure of NDA’s 3rd term, Modi drawsup100-dayaction plan Farmers to intensify agitation, plantostoptrainsonMarch10 Discusses ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’, 5-year agenda with Council of Ministers Bathinda, March 3 Farmers will stop trains across the country from 12 noon to 4 pm on March 10 on the call of Samyukt Kisan Morcha. On March 6, farmers from various states, except Punjab and Haryana, will head towards Delhi via buses, trains and other means. These announcements were made by farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher at the bhog ceremony of Shubhkaran Singh, young farmer who died at the Khanauri border recently, at Ballo village here today. Thousands of farmers paid respects to Shubhkaran on the occasion. Leaders of various farmer unions exhorted people to unite for the fight to get their demands fulfilled by the Central Government. Meanwhile, Gurnam Singh Charuni from Haryana, Rakesh Tikait’s son Gaurav Tikait from Uttar Pradesh, BKU (Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh, BKU (Dhaner) president Manjit Singh, BKU (Dakonda) president Burj Singh Gill and farmer leaders from various other states attended the Shubhkaran’s bhog ceremony. A number of leaders did Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 3 Bullish on the development agenda for the next two decades, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a day-long meeting of his Council of Ministers as they brainstormed over the vision document for “Viksit Bharat 2047” and a detailed action plan for the next five years. Government sources said a 100-day agenda for immediate steps to be taken after a new government is formed in May was deliberated upon during the meeting for its quick implementation. The PM said at the meeting that the vision document was prepared after more than 2,700 meetings with several ministries, institutions, civil societies and academia as well as youth between December 2021 and January 2024. “Suggestions of more than 20 lakh youths were received,” one official said. Modi also deliberated upon an action plan for the next five years, which would be subject to the NDA coming back to power if it wins for PM Modi addresses Union ministers in New Delhi on Sunday. ANI ROADMAP FOR DEVELOPMENT ■ The PM asked all ministries to convene Viksit Bharat seminars and share ideas ■ Ministers were told that industrial bodies should be encouraged to deliberate on how to make India a the third time in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The PM addressed the Council of Ministers for almost an hour. Apart from Cabinet ministers, secretaries of all Central ministries were also present at the meeting, which was probably the last one conducted by the NDA government in its second term. developed nation by 2047 ■ Viksit Bharat goals include areas such as economic growth, sustainable development, ease of living, ease of doing business, infrastructure and social welfare The sources said the PM spoke about greater investment in future technologies to facilitate greater innovation, and also referred to demographic changes — of ageing population and the challenges it involves. The PM asked all ministries to convene Viksit Bharat seminars, and share ideas. He also told ministers that industrial bodies should be encouraged to deliberate on how to make India a developed nation by 2047. The roadmap for Viksit Bharat has a comprehensive blueprint with clearly articulated national vision, aspirations, goals and action points, the sources said, adding that its goals include areas such as economic growth, sustainable development goals (SDGs), ease of living, ease of doing business, infrastructure and social welfare. Modi also asked ministers and officials to go through the records of respective ministries to see how decisions evolved in the past, and how ideas had changed over the last 25 years. The Council of Ministers met at the Sushma Swaraj Bhawan in Chanakyapuri in the Capital. The PM has repeatedly expressed confidence that his government would retain power for a third consecutive term and has set a target of winning 370 seats for the BJP and over 400 for the ruling alliance led by his party in the Lok Sabha poll. Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service IN BRIEF BJP’s Asansol candidate steps aside from contest Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh withdrew his name from the LS poll contest from Asansol seat in West Bengal, a day after the BJP named him as its candidate from the seat currently represented by TMC’s Shatrughan Sinha. PTI KOLKATA: Denied ticket, BJP MP Vardhan quits politics NEW DELHI: With Farmers at the bhog of Shubhkaran Singh at Ballo in Bathinda. CALL FOR PROTEST IN DELHI ON MARCH 6 Farmers from across the country, except Punjab and Haryana, will head for Delhi by buses, trains, etc., instead of tractor-trailers on March 6. The struggle will continue till all our demands are met. ❝ Sarwan Singh Pandher, KISAN MAZDOOR SANGHARSH COMMITTEE STATE CHIEF not get a chance to address the gathering on the occasion. Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee state president Sarwan Singh Pandher said the Centre had asked farmers to come to Delhi by buses, trains, etc., instead of tractortrailers. Now they would go to Delhi using these means on March 6. The struggle would continue till the farmers’ demands were met. The Centre had not fulfilled the prom- ises made to the farmers around two years ago, he said. “By fielding Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra from Lakhimpur Kheri again, the BJP has shown that it is not serious about resolving farmers’ issues as minster’s sacking and his son Ajay Mishra’s arrest were their key demands,” he added. BKU (Sidhupur) state president Jagjit Singh Dallewal continued on page 8 sitting BJP MP Harsh Vardhan not getting ticket from his Chandni Chowk LS seat, he announced to quit politics. “After 30 years of electoral career… I bow out to return to my roots,” he said. TNS Cop, Naxalite killed in Chhattisgarh gunfight KANKER: A constable and a Naxalite were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Sunday. The gunfight occurred in a forest near Hidur village. An AK47 rifle was found near the body of the Naxalite. PTI Sarpanch shot dead in Hisar village HISAR: The sarpanch of Kanwari village in Hisar was shot dead by assailants at his village on Sunday evening. Victim Nar Singh Duhan, alias Sanjay, was returning home after attending a wedding at Bhaini Amirpur village. INSIDE CBI files chargesheet against 7 in Manipur armoury loot case In maiden address, PM-elect Shehbaz rakes up Kashmir Tribune News Service Islamabad, March 3 Pakistan’s newly-elected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday raked up the Kashmir issue in his maiden address, but pledged to improve ties with all leading nations, including the country’s neighbours. Shehbaz said Pakistan would not become part of any “great game” and his government would increase the number of friends. “We will keep ties with neighbours on the basis of equality,” Shehbaz, 72, said as he easily won the election in the National Assembly to become Pakistan’s Prime Minister for the second time. Shehbaz, however, raked up the Kashmir issue and equated it with Palestine. “Let’s all come together... and the National Assembly should pass a resolution for the freedom of Kashmiris and Palestinians,” he said. He also thanked his allies in the coalition government for putting their trust in him and making him leader of the House. “When Nawaz Shaif was elected the PM thrice, the development that followed in the country is an example of its New Delhi, March 3 The CBI has filed a chargesheet in an Assam court against seven persons accused in a case related to the loot of arms and ammunition from the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) campus’ armoury, Narenseina, in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on August 3, 2023. The agency registered a case on August 24, 2023, and took over the investigation from the local police. The chargesheet has been submitted in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kamrup (Metro), Guwahati (Assam). According to the FIR, armed miscreants and individuals looted around 300 arms, 19,800 rounds of ammunition and other accessories from the campus of the IRB, Manipur. The accused have been identified as Laishram Prem Singh, Khumukcham Dhiren (aka Thapkpa), Moirangthem Anand Singh, Athokpam Kajit (aka Kishorjit), Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha (aka Michael), Konthoujam Romojit Meitei (aka 300 ARMS WERE TAKEN IN AUG 2023 ■ Armed miscreants stormed into the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion armoury at Narenseina in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on August 3, 2023 ■ They looted around 300 arms, 19,800 rounds of ammunition and other accessories from the campus Romojit) and Keisham Johnson (aka Johnson). Further investigation against other suspects involved in the incident was on, sources said. Barring Laishram Prem Singh and Khumukcham Dhiren, the remaining five have been earlier chargesheeted by the CBI in looting of the police armoury at the Manipur Police Training Centre (MPTC) at Pangei in Imphal. That incident took place on May 4 last year, the day ethnic clashes between the majority Metei community and tribal Kukis broke out in the northeast state. As alleged in the FIR, a mob stormed into the MPTC complex and looted a huge number of arms and ammunition from the armoury. A worker of the Border Roads Organisation clears the snow at Sissu in Lahaul and Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh on Sunday. ANI Twin avalanches block Chenab flow in Lahaul-Spiti, downstream areas on alert Dipender Manta Tribune News Service Mandi, March 3 The flow of the Chenab was obstructed following twin avalanches in the tribal LahaulSpiti district of Himachal Pradesh today. The first avalanche occurred between Jasrath and Jobrang villages of Lahaul valley, while the second happened between Triloknath and Shenur. The district administration 652 ROADS SHUT, 1,749 TRANSFORMERS DAMAGED As many as 652 roads, including 5 NHs, are shut in Himachal. Maximum 290 roads are closed in Lahaul-Spiti, followed by 149 in Shimla, 100 in Chamba, 75 in Kinnaur, 32 in Kullu, five in Mandi and one in Kangra. Also, 1,749 transformers are out of service in state and 78 water supply schemes disrupted. has sounded the alert for those living downstream beyond Jasrath village in the district. Residents of Jobrang, Raape, Tadang, Thirot and others had been advised to exercise caution and inform the nearest police post in case of an emergency, said SP Mayank Chaudhary. The higher reaches of Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti received fresh snow, while the lower regions experienced incessant rain today. In Lahaul-Spiti, a shop was buried in an avalanche at the Tandi bridge on the ManaliLeh highway, but no loss of life was reported. Also, part of the roof of a residential building at Government College, Kukumseri, was damaged due to accumulation of snow. Power supply remained disrupted in continued on page 8 Bags 201 votes in 336-member House; to take oath today Shehbaz Sharif ‘WILL IMPROVE TIES WITH NEIGHBOURS’ PM-elect Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan would not become part of any ‘great game’ and his government would increase the number of friends. He vowed to improve ties with all leading nations, including its neighbours. “We will keep ties with neighbours on the basis of equality,” he said. own. And it is not wrong to say that Nawaz is the one who built Pakistan,” Shehbaz said in his victory speech. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) president thanked his elder brother Nawaz and all allies for putting their trust in him. continued on page 8 Missing Jammu sailor’s family seeks CBI probe Submarine-hunting Seahawk helicopters to add more muscle to naval power JAMMU: New Delhi, March 3 The Navy will commission the newly-inducted MH 60R Seahawk, a multi-role helicopter fitted with state-ofthe-art avionics and sensors to pick out undersea submarines, at INS Garuda, Kochi, on March 6. Six Seahawk helicopters will be commissioned in the Navy as INAS 334 Squadron. Jammu-based parents of Navy sailor Sahil Verma, who has been missing for a week, on Sunday demanded a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to his “mysterious disappearance” at sea from a naval ship while on deployment. Verma went missing from the ship on February 27 and a search has been launched. INSIDE Tribune News Service All-weather copters are armed with Hellfire missiles FILE The helicopter, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is the maritime variant of the Black Hawk chopper used by US forces. A Black Hawk was famously used by the US in a raid to kill Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in 2011. ■ Six helicopters to be commis- sioned as INAS 334 Squadron ■ These are part of 24-copter deal signed with the US in 2020 The helicopter, manufactured by Lockheed Martin, is the maritime variant of the MARITIME VARIANT OF BLACK HAWK Black Hawk chopper used by US forces. A Black Hawk was famously used by the US in a raid in May 2011 to kill Osama bin Laden at Abottabad, Pakistan c m y b The all-weather helicopters come armed with Hellfire missiles and lethal rocket systems. The helicopters are a part of the 24-copter contract signed with the US government in February 2020 at a cost of nearly Rs 14,000 crore under the framework of foreign military sales. All 24 helicopters are scheduled for delivery by 2025. Detailing the abilities of the helicopter, the Ministry of Defence said it has been designed for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, search & rescue and medical evacuation. The helicopter has been rigorously tested in Indian atmospheric conditions. “The advanced weapons, sensors and avionics suite make the Seahawks ideal for the Indian Navy’s maritime security needs, offering enhanced capabilities for both conventional as well as asymmetric threats,” the ministry said. The helicopter would widen the arc of the Navy’s capabilities, extending its operational reach and supporting sustained naval operations. The deployment would strengthen the Navy’s maritime presence, dissuading potential threats and ensuring a secure and safe environment in the strategically crucial region.
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
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The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).