The government in principle decided to enhance allocation of foodgrains under the PDS for the BPL families but is yet to take a view on doing away with APL allocation as desired by the Supreme Court.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar plans to make inroads among the unorganised sector and asked his party workers to make eight to 10 lakh members in the coming months.
Mr Pawar spelt out the NCP’s policy for the working class while launching the Nationalist Labour Congress at a rally here on Monday. Union minister Praful Patel presided over the meeting.

After a day’s respite from curfews and strikes, Kashmir was again closed on Monday, the first day of a new week-long calendar of shutdowns and protests issued by separatists.

The phrase “come hell or high water” is going to have a chilling resonance for the people of Ladakh. On August 5, after a day of incessant rain and a sudden drop in the temperature, residents of Leh experienced continuous lightning for several hours on the night of August 4. Reactions ranged from being disconcerted to being frankly

The people of Leh and its neighbourhood continued to cremate or bury their dead on Monday as rescuers retrieved more bodies from under the rubble of flattened homes and other buildings or those overwhelmed by heaps of mud and slush.

Even as the Agni-III intermediate-range ballistic missile is “ready for induction into the services”, the government could soon clear a defence deal worth over Rs 20,000 crores for procurement of another 42 Russian-origin Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft that are currently being manufactured under license from Russia by the Bengaluru-

With the operation of India’s new satellite-based air navigation system, Gagan, three years away, the government is moving one step closer, with the launch of the “final operational phase” on Tuesday by civil aviation minister Praful Patel. Airports Authority of India (AAI) sources said the final operational phase would include assembling of all equipment, getting the satellites in place and certification of the system.

In perhaps an effort to apply some balm to simmering sentiments in the Kashmir Valley, and perhaps even look for a way out, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be meeting an all-party delegation from the troubled state here Tuesday evening.

The top brass of the Congress, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and party chief Sonia Gandhi met here on Monday against the backdrop of three controversial issues; caste based census, tension in the Kashmir Valley and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, 2010.

The government on Monday gave its nod to a draft bill that aims to protect those who raise the alarm over corruption in Central and state government offices and agencies.