WEDNESDAY EL NINO CONDITIONS UNLIKELY TO DEVELOP 16 ■ APRIL, 2025 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard EXPECT ABOVE-NORMAL RAINFALL THIS SOUTHWEST MONSOON: IMD X.com/TheMornStandard India will experience above-normal cumulative rainfall in the upcoming southwest monsoon, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday N U C L E A R PA C T IRAN-US TALKS MAY PROVE ‘FRUITLESS’ TAMIL NADU MAY SEE BELOW-NORMAL RAINS The cumulative rainfall is estimated at 105% of the longperiod average of 87 cm, IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said. However, large parts of Tamil Nadu and the northeastern region are likely to get below-normal rainfall, while the rain-deficient parts of Marathwada and adjoining Telangana are expected to witness above-normal showers Tehran and Washington will meet in Muscat on Saturday, a week after top officials held talks since the landmark 2015 nuclear accord collapsed. A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9  NEW DELHI  J8.00 Retail inflation at 67-mth low DECLINES TO LOWER-THAN-EXPECTED 3.34% DUE TO FOOD PRICE CORRECTION 8 RAISES HOPES OF FURTHER REPO RATE CUT BY 50 BPS IN THIS CALENDAR YEAR 7.79 RETAIL INFLATION (%) 7 6 5 4 Power subsidy to continue in city, EV policy gets extension A N U P V E R M A @ New Delhi THE Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved the continuation of the power subsidy scheme for the financial year 2025-26. Under this scheme, the state government provides free electricity to households that consume below 200 units and a 50% subsidy to households that use only 201-400 units per month. The Cabinet has also decided to extend its existing Electric Vehicle (EV) policy by three months. Though the Cabinet discussed the draft of the proposed Electric Vehicles (EV) 2.0 policy, it was not approved as discussions are on and the existing policy will continue. The Cabinet was initially expected to approve three proposals: a continuation of the power subsidy, the EV 2.0 policy, and a sugar subsidy for underprivileged families. However, cabinet ministers Ashish Sood and Pank a j Ku m a r Singh who briefed the media said only the power subsidy proposal received the go-ahead. Sood said, “Continuous disinformation was being spread that the government would stop the subsidy, but with this decision, this disinformation stops.” Chief Minister Rekha Gupta also approved the continuation of the existing power subsidy for four categories: domestic consumers, farmers, lawyers with chambers, and victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Power Minister Ashish Sood said this was a major decision for the riot victims and lawyers. Delhi Transport Minister Pankaj Kumar Singh said, “There are many things the government wants to do for its residents. However, I want to clarify that there will be no ban on autos, nor is there any proposal to ban any category of vehicles. The EV policy is expected to continue for approximately three to four months.” The EV policy has been extended multiple times under both the previous AAP regime and the current government led by the BJP . Feb-25 Nov-24 Aug-24 Feb-24 Nov-23 Aug-23 Feb-23 May-23 Nov-22 Aug-22 May-22 Nov-21 Feb-22 Aug-21 Feb-21 May-21 Nov-20 Aug-20 May-20 Nov-19 Feb-20 Aug-19 3 May-24 3.34 3.28 D I PA K M O N D A L @ New Delhi RETAIL inflation in March fell to lower-than-expected 3.34%, the lowest since August 2019, vindicating the Reserve Bank of India’s decision to effect a 25-basis points repo rate cut in the April monetary policy . The sharp decline in consumer inflation during the month also raised hopes of at least another 50-basis points interest rate cut in the calendar year. The March inflation nu m b e r p e g g e d at 3.34% was lower than February’s 3.61%, and 4.85% in the same month last year. The sharp fall in overall retail inflation was driven largely by a huge correction in food price inflation. Food inflation crashed to 2.7% in March compared to 8.5% in the same month last year. A large part of the drop in food inflation was, therefore, due to high base effect. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementa- tion, which tracks the consumer price inflation, attributed the significant decline in headline inflation and food inflation during the month of March to the drop in inflation of vegetables, eggs, pulses & products, meat & fish, cereals & products and milk & products. According to D K Joshi, chief economist, Crisil Ltd, the Indian Meteorological Department’s forecast of an above-normal monsoon for the year — and Skymet’s of a normal one — adds to the happy tidings on the food inflation front. However, weather disruptions such as heat waves, could play spoilsport. Joshi said a sharperthan-expected fall in crude oil prices will help keep non-food inflation comfortable as well. The RBI has pegged the FY26 inflation at 4%. If inflation remains at these levels, the chances of more rate cuts brighten. It has already reduced the repo rate by 50 bps; experts believe further 50 bps cut is possible. TN forms high-level panel to study Centre-state relations, protect rights T M U R U G A N A N D H A M @ Chennai FIFTY-SIX years after the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi constituted the P V Rajamannar Committee in 1969—the first such panel in India’s history formed to study centre-state relations—his son and current CM M K Stalin on Tuesday announced the formation of a high-level committee to study the constitutional and legal provisions that impact the centre-state relations. The committee would make recommendations to protect the legitimate rights of the state while improving relationship between the centre and state governments, the chief minister said. The committee will be headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Kurian Joseph. Retired IAS officer Ashok Vardhan Shetty and former vice-chairperson of the State Planning Commission, M Naganathan, will be its members. The panel CM Stalin making the announcement at the Assembly on Tuesday | EXPRESS will submit its interim report in January 2026 and final report in two years. Announcing the constitution of the committee under Rule 110 of the Assembly, the CM said it will suggest ways to bring back to the State List subjects which were transferred to the Concurrent List over time and recommend how states could function with maximum autonomy in the administrative departments, assemblies and judicial branches, without compromising the unity and integrity of the country. The committee will suggest measures needed to address the challenges faced by the states in delivering good governance. Stalin said the committee has been conceived not just for Tamil Nadu but for all states to protect the principle of ‘unity in diversity’. He said such a committee has become an imperative at this critical juncture where states’ rights are continuously being taken away and they are forced to fight with the centre even for the basic rights of the people. The vast country of India is being protected by the states formed based on linguistic rights, and the country will become stronger only when the states have all necessary powers, Stalin said. EXPRESS READ Modi, Denmark PM Varanasi gang-rape: discuss bilateral ties DCP faces action Follow transparent exam process: NTA Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Denmark counterpart Mette Frederiksen held a telephonic conversation on Tuesday, discussing bilateral relations and global developments. They reviewed the progress of the Green Strategic Partnership, highlighting its role in fostering Danish investments in India’s green transition. Amid complaints of serious errors in JEE-Main 2025 Session 2 exam, the National Testing Agency on Tuesday said they always follow a transparent examination process. The NTA said, “The agency has always followed a transparent examination process, allowing candidates to view their recorded reply as soon as the provisional answer keys are released.” The UP government took punitive action against senior IPS officer and DCP of Varuna Zone, Chandra Kant Meena, by removing him from the investigation into the gang-rape of a 19-year-old girl. The girl was assaulted by 23 people over 7 days in Varanasi. The action on the DCP followed PM’s intervention during his Varanasi visit on April 11.  PAGES 12 ■ Mohapatra said El Nino conditions, which results in weaker monsoon in the Indian subcontinent, are unlikely to develop this time As per the IMD, the sea surface temperatures in western and eastern sides of the Indian Ocean are roughly the same, and the snow cover in Northern Hemisphere is low— both of which point to normal monsoon 26% CHANCE OF EXCESS PRECIPITATION, IMD DIRECTOR GENERAL MOHAPATRA SAID | P7 HEAT ON GANDHI FAMILY ED chargesheets Sonia, Rahul in $400 Natl Herald case million S H E K H A R S I N G H @ New Delhi THE Enforcement Director at e ( E D ) h a s f i l e d a chargesheet against Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in a Delhi court in the National Herald money laundering case. Also named in the chargesheet are Sam Pitroda, the party’s Overseas Department Chief, veteran journalist Suman Dubey, and several others. The case revolves around financial transactions linked to the now-defunct National Herald newspaper and its parent company As, sociated Journals Limited. Justice Vishal Gogne of the Rouse Avenue Court examined the chargesheet filed on April 9. He said the court will consider on April 25 whether to take cognisance of the complaint. The court said a fresh prosecution complaint under sections 44 and 45 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002 for commission of offence of money laundering as defined under Section 3 read with Section 70 and punishable under Section 4 of PMLA, 2002 filed by the ED, has been received by way of assignment. “Let the complaint be checked and registered. The ED is directed to file a soft copy of the complaint and documents in readable/OCR Johnson & Johnson said it expects $400 million in tariffrelated costs Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi | PTI FILE Majority shareholders in Young Indian Sonia and Rahul are majority shareholders of Young Indian with 38% shares held by each one of them. They were questioned by the ED in this case a few years back. Young Indian owns AJL, which is the publisher of the National Herald platform. format by the next date,” the court said. For its part, the Congress slammed the Centre over the chargesheets against Sonia and Rahul, saying it was playing vendetta politics. “Filing charg esheets against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and some others is nothing but politics of vendetta and intimidation by the prime minister and the home minister gone completely berserk,” Congress general secretary incharge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X. VADRA QUIZZED FOR 8 HOURS IN MONEY LAUNDERING CASE M U K E S H R A N J A N @ New Delhi THE Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday questioned businessman Robert Vadra, the husband of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, for over eight hours in connection with its probe into money laundering linked to a Gurugram land deal. His statements were recorded under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, sources said. Vadra walked from his residence at Sujan Singh Park in central Delhi to the ED headquarters on APJ Abdul Kalam Road, a stretch of about 2 km. Before entering the agency’s premises, he said, “This is nothing but political vendetta. Whenever I speak for minorities, they try to stop me, crush us... they tried to stop Rahul (Gandhi) in Parliament too. This is misuse of agencies and this is political vendetta.” He said he will not be intimidated and will continue to cooperate with the agency . The probe pertains to a land deal in February 2008 where a company linked to Vadra—Skylight Hospitality Pvt Ltd— purchased a piece of 3.5 acre land in Shikohpur village in Gurugram from Onkareshwar Properties for a price of `7.5 crore. It is alleged that the mutation of this land was done within hours. China orders its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing US commerce dept probing how import of computer chips and products that contain them affect national security TRUMP HINTS AT EASING OF 25% AUTO TARIFF Govt to open 70 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs by May-end A S H I S H S R I V A S TA V A @ New Delhi THE Delhi government is set to open 70 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAY) across the capital by the end of next month as part of its 100-day action plan, which will conclude in May. The move follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the Centre under the Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM). Officials said each of the 70 AAYs—one in every assembly constituency—will be established by upgrading existing P r i m a r y H e a l t h C e n t re s (PHCs), dispensaries, and mohalla clinics. In some areas, temporary setups will be established in available spaces like marriage halls, they added. These centres will provide essential health services, expanding the facilities provided by Mohalla Clinics, including general treatment, vaccination, screening for non-communicable diseases such as blood pressure, and maternal care. Integrated Diagnostic Labs will also be introduced in the city’s 11 districts and connected to these AAYs. Officials also said that Ayurvedic facilities will be added to these new clinics. The government will receive `2,400 crore in central funding for the initiative. The funds will support the creation of 1,139 Ayushman Arogya Kendras, nine critical care blocks with 50 to 100 beds each, and 11 centralised laboratories. Currently, the national capital houses 553 Mohalla Clinics, of which 164 are operating from rented buildings. Meanwhile, over a week after implementation, about 1.75 lakh families have now been registered under the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme, officials said. Hospital must immediately lose licence if newborn is trafficked, says SC GUIDELINES, CONTEMPT OF COURT WARNING Bail granted to accused cancelled. Cases go back to trial courts, which shall frame charges against the accused within a week thereafter If the accused are absconding, trial courts shall issue NBWs to secure them After charges are framed, the trial court shall record evidence preferably on day-to-day basis; complete trial within six months State govt must appoint three special public prosecutors for the trials State govt must provide police protection to victims Police have two months’ time to trace all the accused persons State govt must admit trafficked children in schools At the end of the trial, the trial court shall pass appropriate orders on compensation to the victims All HCs shall direct trial courts handling child trafficking cases to complete trials within six months and file compliance report Non-compliance of directions or any laxity can attract contempt S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Tuesday laid down strict guidelines for all states to prevent child trafficking and the offences arising out of it, warning that any laxity in implementing them could be treated as contempt of court. A two-judge bench comprising justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan ordered lower courts to complete trials in such cases within six months. It added that if any newbor n is trafficked from any hospital, its licence should be suspended immediately over and above other actions in accordance with law. When any woman comes to deliver her baby in a hospital, it is the responsibility of its administration to protect the newborn in all respects, the bench said. The court issued the directions after hearing petitions against anticipatory bail grant- ed by the Allahabad High Court to 13 accused in trafficking cases in Uttar Pradesh. It cancelled the bails, saying the “cry of the collective for justice, its desire for peace and har mony” couldn’t be trivialised. The bench advised parents to remain extremely vigilant and careful with their children. The pain and agony a parent may have to face when a child dies is different from that when WHIPLASH FOR REMARK AGAINST RAPE VICTIM Taking strong exception to a recent Allahabad HC remark against a rape victim that she had “invited trouble”, the SC cautioned judges against making such inappropriate observations | P7 they lose their children to such gangs engaged in trafficking, the court observed. The court directed all state governments to go study a 2023 report by the Bharatiya Institute of Research and Development on human trafficking and implement it at the earliest. The court slammed both the Allahabad High Court and the UP government for the manner in which they dealt with the matter. “The HC dealt with bail applications callously It led to . many accused to abscond.” It chided the UP government for not filing any appeal against the HC verdicts.