BHUBANESWAR  MONDAY  MARCH 31, 2025  `9.00  PAGES 12  LATE CITY EDITION GOVT’S STAKE IN VI NOW 49%; CONVERTS DUES INTO EQUITY The Centre will convert Vodafone Idea’s outstanding auction spectrum dues of `36,950 cr into equity shares, upping its stake to 48.99% ISSUE PRICE BASED ON SEBI REGULATIONS EQUITY ISSUANCE PROCESS TO TAKE 30 DAYS The country’s third largest telecom company informed stock exchanges that the government will receive 3,695 crore equity shares at a face value `10 per share. The move is part of the September 2021 telecom reforms package aimed at helping struggling firms. The issue price is based on SEBI regulations | P10 ■ ■ Despite the increase in government’s stake, the promoters – Vodafone Inc and Aditya Birla Group — will continue to have operational control of the joint venture company Vodafone Idea will complete equity issuance within 30 days after receiving approvals, including those from SEBI `1,40,000 cr IS VODAFONE’S AGR DUES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2024 CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI 2 more warships with relief material move for Myanmar Naval ships deployed M AYA N K S I N G H @ New Delhi Rescue underway after Kamakhya Express derailed near Manguli station in Cuttack on Sunday | RASHMIRANJAN MOHAPATRA 1 dead, 15 injured as Kamakhya Express derails near Nergundi Defect in tracks possible cause, bigger tragedy averted due to slow speed HEMANT KUMAR ROUT @ Bhubaneswar ONE person was killed and at least 15 others were injured as 11 coaches of Bengaluru-Kamakhya AC Superfast Express derailed near Nergundi in Cuttack district on Sunday . Railway sources said the coaches veered off the tracks at around 11.45 am when the train, en route from Bengaluru to Kamakhya in Assam, was negotiating a curve after crossing the Mahanadi river. The mishap could have been more serious if the train was not moving at slow speed due to the bridge crossing, the sources said. The accident occurred on the down line possibly due to some problems with the tracks. Eyewitnesses pointed out that track repairing was going on at a distance. Local police, fire services CRS to probe mishap Commissioner of Railway Safety (south eastern circle) Brijesh Mishra will conduct an enquiry into the derailment. Any member of the public having knowledge relating to the derailment and matter connected therewith and desiring to give evidence can appear at the office of the DRM Khurda Road division at Jatni on April 1 & 2, Railway sources said personnel and NDRF teams immediately rushed to the spot for rescue operations. Locals also rushed to the spot and helped rescue teams. Shree Jagannath Expressway Pvt Ltd, which is executing infrastructure projects in the area, deployed route patrolling vehicles, cranes and ambulances along with trained paramedics for rescue work. The injured were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack. Eight helplines were activated and help desks opened at several places f o r t h e c o nve n i e n c e o f passengers. The deceased, identified as Suvankar Roy (22), hailed from Alipur in Kolkata. Of the 15 injured, 12 were discharged after preliminary treatment. Among the three others undergoing treatment, including a woman, the condition of one is stated to be critical. A Guwahati-bound passenger said he heard a noise and the train vibrated before some coaches went off the tracks. One person standing near the gate sustained injuries while another who jumped from the coach was later found to be dead, he CONTINUED ON P5 said. THE Indian Navy on Sunday moved out two more warships towards Yangon city in Myanmar, carrying major relief material onboard to provide aid to the nation after the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake on March 28. This is following the deployment of two ships INS Satpura and Savitri from the Eastern Naval Command that set sail for Yangon on March 29 as part of the Navy’s immediate response. In a statement, a Naval spokesperson said, “Naval ships Karmuk and LCU-52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command set sail for Yangon to ANTYODAYA GRUHA YOJANA LAUNCHED, CM HANDS DOLE TO 60K BENEFICIARIES THE Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, which gives armed forces operating in disturbed areas sweeping powers and immunity from prosecution, was on Sunday extended for six months across Manipur, except 13 police stations, in view of the prevailing law and order situation. The law has also been extended to eight districts in Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state for six months, according to a notification issued by the Union Trump warns of tariffs on buyers of Russian oil J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi US President Donald Trump on Sunday said that he was “pissed off ” at Russian President Vladimir Putin and warned he would impose secondary tariffs of 25% to 50% on buyers of Russian oil if Moscow blocks his efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The threat, if implemented, c o u l d h ave wider ramific at i o n s fo r both India and global m a r k e t stability . During his interview to NBC News, Trump also threatened Iran with bombing and tariffs if Tehran failed to reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear programme. In his first comments since Iran rejected direct negotiations last week, he said US and Iranian officials were in talks. CONTINUED ON P5 home ministry . The law was simultaneously extended to Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and three police station areas in Namsai district in Arunachal Pradesh for six months beginning April 1. Manipur has been under President’s rule since February 13 after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned on February 9. Police station areas in Manipur where the AFSPA will not be in force are: Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi in Imphal West district, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung in Im- assist in the Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. Approximately 52 tonnes of relief material have been loaded on board, including HADR pallets consisting of essential clothing, drinking water, food, medicines, and emergency stores.” In the aftermath of the earthquake that left around 1,600 dead and thousands injured, the Indian gover nment launched Operation Brahma for rendering assistance to Myanmar. So far, 137 tonnes of relief material have been delivered to Yangon in addition to rescue teams, specialised medical compliments and the ships to extend India’s help. Modi visits RSS headquarters for 1st time after becoming PM S U D H I R S U R YA W A N S H I & RAJESH KUMAR THAKUR @ Mumbai/New Delhi Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday rolled out the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, the flagship housing scheme for lowincome households not yet selected under the PMAY-G at a state-level programme in Bhawanipatna | P3 AFSPA extended in Manipur for 6 mths from Apr 1 E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ New Delhi Rescuers on the job at the Sky Villa Condo that collapsed in Friday’s earthquake in Mandalay in Myanmar on Sunday | AP INS Karmuk is an indigenous missile Corvette and LCU is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced systems. Apart from other operations, the ship can be deployed for amphibious operations and disaster relief phal East district, Thoubal in Thoubal district and Bishnupur and Nambol in Bishnupur district and Kakching in Kakching district. In Nagaland, Dimapur, Niuland, Chumoukedima, Mon, Kiphire, Noklak, Phek and Peren districts in Nagaland have been brought under AFSPA from April 1, 2025, unless withdrawn earlier. In Arunachal Pradesh , Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts and the areas within the jurisdiction of Namsai, Mahadevpur and Chowkham police stations in Namsai district have been brought under the law. The Ministry of External Affairs-led HADR efforts are progressing in conjunction with the Integrated Defence Staff, the Army, Air Force and the National Disaster Relief Force (NDRF). The Army also expanded its operations closer towards the quake-hit areas. The Army team, comprising 118 personnel including medical and communication units, air-landed at Naypyidaw airport at 11:30 pm (Myanmar time) on March 29. The operation is being led by the Commander of the 50 (I) Para Brigade. Mandalay, located 160 miles north of the current base, has been identified as the primary P9 area of operations. PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) headquarters—his first visit to the Nagpur-based organisation after becoming prime minister 11 years ago. The visit comes months after reports of friction between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent RSS. Modi visited the memorial of RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, accompanied by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, and paid floral tributes. He also laid the foundation PM Narendra Modi with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat during the foundation stone laying of Madhav Netralaya in Nagpur | PTI stone of Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, a new extension building of Madhav Netralaya Eye Institute & Research Centre, named after late RSS chief Madhavrao Golwalkar. Speaking at the function, Modi lauded the Sangh, calling it the ‘banyan tree’ of India’s immortal culture. He said the RSS provides a clear direction toward life’s purpose. “RSS volunteers are working selflessly in various spheres in different parts of the country. This large vatvruksh is not an ordinary one. RSS is synonymous to service,” he said. After his visit to the RSS headquarters, Modi paid a visit to Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, where Dr B R Ambedkar embraced Buddhism. Later in the day, Modi travelled to Chhattisgarh, where he laid the foundation stone and inaugurated development projects worth more than `33,700 crore related to various sectors.