WEDNESDAY RBI TO TRANSFER OVER `3 LAKH CR TO GOVT TO CUSHION ECONOMIC STRESS 20 The Reserve Bank of India may transfer a record surplus of up to `3.4 lakh crore this week to the government, as per a Bloomberg report MAY, 2026 BOARD TO MEET ON FRIDAY TO CLEAR DIVIDEND RBI’s board will meet on Friday to approve the dividend, the report said, quoting sources. The surplus, generated through RBI’s activities in the year ended March, will shore up the government’s finances in the ongoing fiscal 2026-27 as the crude price rise inflates India’s import bill, widens the current account deficit, and exacerbates the foreign fund sell-off epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard X.com/TheMornStandard UKRAINE WAR RUSSIA FLAUNTS ITS NUCLEAR MIGHT Russia on Tuesday began manoeuvres of its nuclear forces featuring practice launches of nuclear-capable ballistic and cruise missiles in drills A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS PAGE 9 US extends waiver on oil sanctions The US extended its ‘waiver’ on sanctions for the purchase of seaborne Russian crude already in transit for the third consecutive month. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced “a temporary 30-day general licence to provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea”  NEW DELHI Standards for blended petrol notified The Centre has notified fresh fuel standards for petrol blended with up to 30% ethanol. However, the notification only sets out the technical specifications and quality parameters required for introducing these higher ethanol blends in the market. It does not make the nationwide rollout or sale of E30 fuel mandatory at this stage Petrol, diesel prices hiked for second time in 4 days Fuel prices up 90 paise/litre; OMCs still losing nearly `750 cr a day Use ammonium sulphate instead of urea: ICAR R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi FOUR days after increasing petrol and diesel prices by a steep `3 per litre, state-owned oil marketing companies (OMCs) on Tuesday raised automobile fuel prices by another 90 paise, taking the cumulative hike to `3.90. Following the latest increase, petrol and diesel prices rose to `98.64 and `91.58 per litre, respectively, from `97.77 and `90.67 in the Delhi national capital region. In Mumbai, petrol prices rose 91 paise to `107.59 per litre, while diesel prices increased by 94 paise to `94.08 per litre. In Kolkata, petrol climbed to `109.70 per litre, while diesel was priced at `96.07. In Chennai, petrol prices increased by 82 paise to `104.49 per litre, while diesel prices rose by 86 paise to `96.11. On May 15, the three OMCs—Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum Corporation, and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation—raised fuel prices for the first time in four years citing huge under-recoveries (selling below cost of production/procurement). The conflict in West Asia due to the war between Iran and US has disrupted the movement of cargo through the Strait of Hormuz, a key route that transports nearly 20% of global crude supply. Global crude oil prices have surged by over 50% due to the conflict in the region. Brent crude was trading at $110.9 a barrel. The cumulative hike of `3.90 is still lower than the `10-15 increase expected by many analysts. Reacting to the earlier price hike of `3, the petroleum ministry had on Monday said despite the price revision, OMCs were still losing nearly `750 crore per day by selling petrol, diesel and LPG below cost. Earlier, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said that the under-recoveries of OMCs would cross `2 lakh crore in the first quarter of FY27. The latest round of hikes is expected to further feed into retail inflation. Analysts estimate that the fuel price increase alone could push inflation up by 20-25 basis points in June. EXPRESS READ SC okays euthanasia, reaffirms dog order The SC on Tuesday allowed authorities to take legally permissible measures as part of its directions aimed at curbing threats to human life. It also dismissed all applications seeking modification of its order from November 7 last year on the relocation and sterilisation of stray dogs. P7 India safest country for minorities: Rijiju Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday asserted that India has remained one of the safest and most inclusive homes for minorities. He made the observation while speaking at the Conference of State Minorities Commissions on Tuesday. Indian diplomat found dead in Bangladesh An Indian official posted at the Assistant High Commission in Bangladesh’s Chattogram was found dead on the mission premises on Tuesday, prompting local police to launch an investigation. The deceased has been identified as Narendra Dhar, 35, a protocol officer from Haryana. J I T E N D R A C H O U B E Y @ New Delhi Just four days after the price hike, the Modi government has once again increased the prices of petrol and diesel. Having set the stage, preaching about savings while shifting the burden of their failures onto the public - this effort is in full swing Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress President The sad thing is that a severe economic storm is coming, which no one can stop, which we have never experienced in our lives Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Even after the recent revision of 91 paise per litre, fuel prices in India have risen by only about 4%, among the lowest increases anywhere in the world outside heavily subsidised Gulf economies Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell head WITH the Iran war triggering a shortage of fertilizers and a spike in prices, the Centre has asked states to consider ammonium sulphate as a substitute for urea in rice cultivation. In a recent communication to state governments, the director-general of Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) suggested ammonium sulphate be used for paddy as an affordable option. ICAR comes under the Union agriculture ministry . The rationale behind the move is that while urea is in short supply am, monia sulphate can fill the gap. India has the capacity to manufacture ammonia sulphate. Also, it can be imported from alternative sources such as South Korea, Japan, Belgium, China, and Russia. Till now, India used to import most of its fertilizer requirements from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Oman, and Israel—all of which are impacted by the war. India manufactures three out of the four key fertilizers—urea, di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), muriate of potash (MOP), and complex (combination of N, P K nutrients)—with MOP being , 100% import dependent. But the domestic production is not in sync with the rising demand and imports are crucial to meet the requirements. However, scientists warn against promoting ammonium sulphate in crops. Dr Virender Singh Lather, former principal scientist at ICAR, said high doses of sulphur can be toxic to crops grown in waterlogged and heavy soil conditions, like paddy .   J8.00 PAGES 12 `2.7L CR RBI’S DIVIDEND TRANSFER TO THE GOVERNMENT LAST YEAR PAYOUT COULD EXCEED BUDGET ESTIMATE The Reserve Bank pays the dividend from income earned on its investments, foreign-exchange holdings, and fees from printing currency notes Work on 6 road infra projects in NCR to begin by April next year: Gadkari PA R V E Z S U LTA N @ New Delhi WORK on six major road infrastructure projects, including three corridors connecting Urban Extension Road II (UER II) with the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway and Delhi-Katra Expressway, aimed at easing chronic traffic congestion across the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR), will begin between October this year and April next year, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced on Tuesday . The announcement came after Gadkari reviewed the progress of the six-lane accesscontrolled highway linking Ring Road-Maharani Bagh with the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway. The highway will also provide seamless connectivity to the Noida International Airport at Jewar and the Faster, hassle-free movement AIIMSMahipalpurGurugram elevated corridor NEW DELHI 20-km stretch Decongestion at Dhula Kuan, Mehrauli-Gurugram Road, Rao Tual Ram Marg Work to begin by April 2027 Ashram to Badarpur connector 7.5 km stretch Reduces traffic at Mathura Road from Ashram to Badarpur border. Work to begin by December Punjabi Bagh to Tikri Border 18.5 km stetch Improves connectivity to Tikri, Mundka, Nangloi, Jwalapuri, Madipur and Punjabi Bagh Delhi-Mumbai Expressway As . this newspaper reported earlier, the project is almost complete and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the stretch soon. Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union ministers Ajay Tamta, Harsh Malhotra and Krishan Pal Gurjar, along with ministers from Delhi and Haryana, attended the review meeting. Gadkari said three major state highways in the national capital, recently taken over by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), would be redeveloped into six-lane signal-free express connectors, with con- HC refuses relief to 300 families in Yamuna Bazar, eviction likely today ble. They are at liberty to file a proper petition with the authorisation of the residents.” The petition claimed that the order was “wholly arbitrary, and unconstitutional” and violative of various fundamental rights. It alleged the authorities had “mechanically treated the entire historical settlement as an illegal encroachment cluster without considering the longstanding historical, cultural, religious and architectural identity of the Yamuna Ghats, and the Panda communities residing therein for generations.” The petition highlighted the cultural and religious implications of the demolition, warning that the exercise would not only displace residents but also erase a longstanding socio-religious ecosystem tied to the Yamuna riverfront. The authorities had adopted a mechanical and one-size-fitsall approach, the petitioner had submitted in the court. U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ New Delhi THE Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea challenging the eviction notices issued to over 300 families in the Yamuna Bazar area. The demolition is likely to start on Wednesday . The Yamuna Bazar area falls within Delhi’s ecologically sensitive O-Zone along the Yamuna floodplain, which reportedly faces recurring flooding risks. The judge declined the relief, saying that the petition was filed by an association, Yamuna Bazar Residents Welfare Association, but lacked the proper authorisation from its members and their binding affidavit to bear the consequences. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav also declined the petitioner’s request to stay the proposed demolition action for a week. The petition had sought quashing of the demolition notices issued under the Dis- ‘HISTORY IGNORED’ The petition claimed authorities “mechanically treated the entire historical settlement as an illegal encroachment cluster without considering the longstanding cultural, religious and architectural identity of the Yamuna Ghats. aster Management Act, and interim protection against coercive action. It claimed the action was arbitrary and based on “unsubstantiated claims of disaster risk in the Yamuna floodplains”. After hearing the submission, the judge said, “In the absence of the authorisation, the petition is not maintaina- Days before repoll, TMC’s Falta candidate drops out S U B H E N D U M A I T I @ Kolkata JUST two days before repoll in West Bengal’s violence-hit Falta assembly constituency, Trinamool Congress candidate Jahangir Khan, a close aide of party general secretary and MP of Diamond Harbour Abhishek Banerjee, withdrew his candidature, triggering calls for his suspension. Falta is among the seven assembly segments in the Diamond Harbour Lok Sabha constituency in South 24 Parganas district, Yet no TMC heav- yweight, including Abhishek, went for canvassing there, leaving Khan to fend for himself. For the record, Khan said Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari’s promise of a special package for the area’s development prompted him to take the call. Several TMC MLAs, including Kunal Ghosh, Ritobrata Banerjee and Sandipan Saha demanded his suspension. While Suvendu said Khan “ran away as he won’t get any polling agent”, the TMC blamed it on intimidation of party workers, alleging the poll panel “continues to turn a blind eye”. TALKING HEADS Prime Minister Narendra Modi with (from L) his Nordic counterparts Jonas Gahr Støre (Norway), Petteri Orpo (Finland), Ulf Kristersson (Sweden), Kristrún Frostadóttir (Iceland) and Mette Frederiksen (Denmark) during the Nordic-India Summit, in Oslo, Norway on Tuesday. They agreed to elevate their relationship to a Green Technology and Innovation Strategic Partnership | PTI | P7 struction likely to commence in December. The stretches include Ashram to Badarpur, Punjabi Bagh to Tikri Border, a n d Va s a n t K u n j t o Faridabad. The minister said that twolane secondary service roads on both sides of UER II, estimated to cost `6,400 crore, are proposed to improve access to residential areas and commercial centres. UER II, designated as NH344M, is a 75.7-km six-lane access-controlled expressway serving as the capital’s third Ring Road. It starts at Alipur, passes through Rohini, Mundka, Najafgarh and Dwarka, and culminates near Mahipalpur at the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway. Gadkari announced that inert material from sanitary landfill sites would be used instead of soil in all Delhi road projects. US approves follow-on support for Apache, M777s EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi THE United States has cleared $428 million worth of sustainment and logistics support for India’s Apache attack helicopters and M777 howitzers, both of which form key elements of the Indian military’s frontline combat capability . According to notifications issued on Tuesday by the US Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, the US State Department cleared a $198.2 million Foreign Military Sale (FMS) package for follow-on support services for India’s Apache helicopter fleet, along with a separate $230 million package for sustainment support for the M777 ultra-light howitzer system. The Apache package includes engineering, logistics and technical support services, spares, repairs, training, technical publications and other programme-related assistance, with Boeing and Lockheed Martin being the principal contractors. India had signed a government-to-government deal with the US in September 2015 for 22 AH-64E Apaches for the Indian Air Force under a contract worth around $2.1 billion. They were delivered between 2019 and 2020 and are primarily deployed at Pathankot and Jorhat. Subsequently in February 2020, India , signed another contract worth around $800 million for six AH64E Apaches for the Army Aviation Corps. Deliveries, delayed due to supply-chain disruptions, began in 2025, with the helicopters assigned to an Army aviation squadron at Jodhpur. In a separate notification, the US announced the approval of sustainment support for the M777s — part of a $737 million deal signed in November 2016. City scorched: Ridge temperature crosses 46°C, orange alert till Monday E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ New Delhi Women cover themselves on a hot day at Red Fort on Tuesday | PTI THE national capital on Tuesday recorded the first heatwave day of the month, as dry winds and a searing sun pushed temperatures past 45 degrees Celsius at most stations. The weather office has issued an orange alert for severe heatwave over the coming days. According to the India Mete- orological Department (IMD), Safdarjung, the city’s base weather-monitoring station, recorded a maximum temperature of 45.1 degrees, 4.7 notches above normal and 1.7 degrees higher than the previous day . On the other hand, Palam station also logged 45.1 , 3.8 notches above normal, with a 24-hour rise of 1.6 degrees. The Lodhi Road station recorded a maximum temperature of 45.2 , 6.2 notches above normal and 1.4 degrees higher than the previous day, officially recording heatwave conditions, while the Ridge station recorded the hottest temperature in the city at 46.5 degrees Celsius, five notches above normal with a 24-hour rise of 1.9 degrees. On the other hand, Ayanagar station recorded a maximum temperature of 45.5 , 3.4 notches above normal and 1.1 degrees higher than the previous day . Meanwhile, the minimum temperature settled at 28.2 at Safdarjung, 1.7 notches above normal and 1.9 degrees higher than the previous day, while Palam and Ridge recorded 28.1 each, with departures of 1 and 1.4 notches above normal, respectively and 24-hour changes , of 1.2 degrees and 1.3 degrees. A heatwave is observed when the maximum temperature crosses 40 and remains 4.5 to 6.4 degrees above normal. Additionally, the MeT office has issued an orange alert till May 25. P3