In today’s edition: Indian economy’s 13.5% growth and what’s ahead; the Mikhail Gorbachev-Rajiv Gandhi connect; questions over Congress chief polls; the latest from Asia Cup; and more

The Big Story

India’s economy grew 13.5 per cent from a year ago in the April-June quarter this fiscal, its fastest year-on-year growth rate in four quarters. 

🔴 But this was lower than the Reserve Bank of India estimate that the GDP growth rate was likely to be around 16.2 per cent in the first quarter.

🔴 What’s ahead?: Finance Secretary T V Somanathan said the Indian economy is “on course” to achieve over 7 per cent growth this fiscal. 

🔴 However, going forward, looming headwinds are predicted, including the worsening global growth prospects, the impact of rising inflation on consumption, and the progressive hike in interest rates that could end up denting the growth momentum as the year progresses.

Only in the Express

The Government has asked public sector banks to increase disbursement of education loans, citing several complaints received from various quarters on delay in sanction and denial on “flimsy grounds”, The Indian Express has learnt. PSBs have been wary of disbursing small-sized education loans as “defaults are rising” because “freshers are not able to fetch jobs as easily as earlier.”

From the Front Page

Akal Takht Jathedar, Giani Harpreet Singh, has called a gathering of the Sikh community on September 5 to discuss alleged “forced conversions” into Christianity. Speaking to The Indian Express, Singh said the Sikh community needs to “seriously think about demanding an anti-conversion law” in Punjab.

Hours after a 34-year-old pregnant Indian tourist died while being transferred from one hospital to another in Lisbon due to non-availability of a bed, Portugal’s health minister Marta Temido resigned amid intense criticism of the national health service. 

Must Read

Mikhail Gorbachev, who died on Wednesday at the age of 92, came to the helm in the Soviet Union just a few months after Rajiv Gandhi became the Prime Minister of India. The relationship between the two leaders inaugurated a five-year waltz between the two countries. We take a look at how Rajiv and Gorbachev forged India-Soviet relations.

In scenes reminiscent of 2000, when transparency in the election process became a bone of contention in the run-up to the contest between Sonia Gandhi and Jitendra Prasada for Congress president’s post, at least three party leaders demanded that electoral rolls be made public to ensure transparency in the process. 

In view of the litigation over Ganpati festivities at the Idgahs in Bengaluru and Hubbali, Faizan Mustafa opines: “A Muslim initiative to permit Ganpati pooja at Idgah would have been the fitting reply to those who want to take political advantage of people’s religious sentiments. Let there be peace between religions and fraternity between communities.”

While Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has sent most of the ruling alliance MLAs to Congress-governed Chhattisgarh to deter a suspected ‘poaching’ attempt by BJP and topple his government, the saffron party is not without its share of hurdles in its purported ‘Mission Jharkhand’ as the Governor waits on the poll panel’s reported recommendation to debar Soren as an MLA.

The demolition of Supertech twin towers left behind 80,000 tonnes of debris, of which 28,000 tonnes will be scientifically processed at a concrete & demolition (C&D) waste plant in Noida by Re Sustainability and Recycling Private Ltd. For processing the debris from the twin towers, staff will work between 8 am and 8 pm, with two hours before and after the shift being dedicated to carrying out maintenance work at the plant.

And Finally…

There is no more a reassuring sight for his club and country than Suryakumar Yadav striding out to bat in a T20 game. The entry is nondescript—there is no swagger or strut, rather a keenness to start batting as soon as possible. Yadav might be only 25 games into his international career, which, for his sparkling gifts, blossomed late. But already, he has been bestowed an aura, carved his space among the T20 cricketing royalty of his time, and firmly established that in current form, he is his country’s best T20 batsman.

Delhi Confidential: Leading a parliamentary delegation to Suriname, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla declared in the foreign country’s National Assembly that India is ready with an action plan to become a developed State by 2047. But he reminded the elected members that effective legislation is always an outcome of constructive discussions. Back home, Opposition says Birla’s message is for the ruling party, which, they claim, is passing key Bills without proper debate.

🎧 In today’s episode of the ‘3 Things’ podcast, we talk about the debate surrounding Ghulam Nabi Azad’s resignation from Congress, floods in Pakistan and Punjab banning proxy male sarpanches.

Until next time,

Sonal Gupta and Srishti Kapoor