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BHOPAL: The last two assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh were fought on the issues of “Sadak, Paani and Bijli” (Roads, water and power) It appears that the next elections (2013) may also be fought on the same issues. Though, at least this year, Rain Gods have been magnanimous towards the State and there has been bountiful rainfall all over the State but bad roads and shortage of electricity continue to plague in the state.

NEW DELHI: Of late, hectic activities are going on in the key economic ministries of the Government of India to formulate a China Plan which has a two fold objective. First, to take optimum advantage of the vast Chinese market by stepping up the exports of Indian products, thereby reducing the trade deficit with China and second to implement a time bound programme in the other developing countries, especially in Africa and Latin America where China is beating India hollow in terms of capturing markets.

NEW DELHI: US-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) has asked India’s partnership in tackling global terrorism, cyber security and maritime piracy. NATO has thus indicated that India shed its non-alignment policy and come closer to the group.

New York: The current international moratorium on testing nuclear weapons, while respected by almost all States, should not delay the full implementation of the treaty calling for a comprehensive ban on such tests, two senior United Nations officials stressed today.

New York: The upcoming meeting of Somali leaders in Mogadishu, the first major conference in the capital for many years, will be “hugely significant” for restoring peace and stability in the strife-torn nation, says a senior United Nations official.

New York: The United Nations committee tasked with combating racial discrimination today voiced deep regret at the insistence by United Kingdom authorities that Gypsy and Irish Traveller families in the county of Essex will be evicted with no culturally appropriate alternative accommodation provided to them.

A staff team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), led by Christina Daseking, visited Accra during the week of August 29, 2011. The discussions with the authorities focused on recent economic policy performance and challenges for 2012.

NEW DELHI: The organised labour leadership in public, private and administrative sectors in the country maintained stoic silence regarding the movement for the Jan Lokpal Bill meant to deal with corruption at all levels of administration. This movement had been sedulously built around the fast undertaken by the aged veteran civil society activist Anna Hazare in the Ramlila Maidan of the Capital.

The post-Anna Hazare government resolve to take the fight against corruption head on is off to a strange start. Efforts are already on to muzzle the judiciary from voicing ‘unwarranted’ remarks against statutory bodies and persons, shield the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) from attacks from rights activists and keep sports bodies and federations such as BCCI, IOA, AIFF, CWG, etc. outside the purview of the RTI Act. Senior union ministers, cabinet secretary and top politicians are clearly against unrestricted public snooping around official files and records. The oft-grudged judicial activism is now sought to be controlled by an act of Parliament itself.

New Delhi: The Indian government is trying to build a consensus to amend the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), which gives the armed forces legal immunity for their actions.