The 2011-12 Plan size might see an overall 18 per cent increase in the Budget.
But this will get real only when the finance ministry drops the idea of insisting that the Planning Commission shift many schemes run on non-Plan cess collections into Plan expenditure.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday fired a shot across the bow of the judiciary, warning that the power of judicial review should be used to enforce accountability and not to erode the legitimate roles of other branches of the government.

India has belatedly invited China to Aero India 2011, being held in Bengaluru from February 9 to 13, after protests by Chinese journalists that there were not allowed to cover it.

Tamil Nadu chief minister M.

In a big boost to the Congress in Andhra Pradesh, Praja Rajyam chief Chiranjeevi on Sunday announced his party’s merger with the Congress.
Speaking after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence, the filmstar-politician called the move “historic”, and added: “Our party’s main plank is social justice. The Congress too has the same plank. So we decided to merge.”

Egypt’s vice-president Omar Suleiman met a broad representation of major Opposition groups for the first time on Sunday and offered new concessions, including freedom of the press, release of those detained since anti-government protests began nearly two weeks ago and the eventual lifting of the country’s hated emergency laws. Two of the groups that attended the meeting said this was only a first step in a dialogue which has yet to meet their central demand — the immediate ouster of longtime President Hosni Mubarak.

Amidst the raging debate on black money and some names floating around, a fresh petition filed in the Supreme Court has brought its attention to the action of several European countries proceeding against their citizens on the basis of the details provided by two bank officials and unearthing huge deposits with a Swiss bank.

A change in leadership has changed the stance of the food ministry on the proposed National Food Security Bill.
Till agriculture minister Sharad Pawar held the food portfolio, the ministry used to express reservations on the proposed food security bill citing availability of grains and

With the ICC Cricket World Cup round-the-corner, the Centre is gearing up to meet the challenge of providing fool-proof security and timely intelligence to ward off any terror threat. However, the security of the venues will be the responsibility of the state governments concerned, a government official said. The official said that there are no specific intelligence inputs of terror outfits like the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba or Indian Mujahideen planning to create unrest during the period. But state governments will take appropriate steps to deploy adequate security personnel and provide tight security arrangement during the games, the official said.

The Plan size for the year 2011-12 may see an overall increase of 18 per cent in the upcoming Budget. But this could become real only when the finance ministry drops the idea of insisting the Planning Commission to shift many schemes, which are being run on cess collection from non-plan side into the ambit of plan expenditure.