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Maharashtra Govt to drop 22 ministers

          New Delhi: The Maharashtra government will axe 22 ministers to downsize the Sushil Kumar Shinde ministry to 15 per cent of the strength of the legislature. Of the 22 ministers to be shown the door, nine each belong to Congress and the NCP and four are independent. The chief minister said that a final decision on which ministers to drop from the cabinet will be taken on Tuesday. Shinde is holding discussions with NCP leader Sharad Pawar to give finishing touches to the exercise.

Bus strike throws life out of gear in Kolkata (Go To Top)

          Kolkata: A day-long strike called by private bus operators on Monday brought Kolkata to a grinding halt. The day started on a troublesome note with dozens of office-goers and school going children stranded for hours. The strike has been called by the Joint Council of Bus Syndicate and Bengal Bus Syndicate, two unions of private bus operators, who claim support of more than 2,000 bus operators. Bus operators are annoyed at "marginal" fare hike allowed by the government after fuel prices were hiked last month. The West Bengal Transport Minister, however, denied any strong action against the strikers. The state government had earlier announced, what it said, a "moderate" hike of 50 paisa for each slab in bus fare from July 5. Sadhan Das, President of the Joint council of Bus Syndicate and Bengal Bus syndicate, termed the fare hike as insufficient. "While diesel expenses have increased by 300 rupees per day, the fare hike declared by the government is just 50 paise per stage. We will receive fare of 100 passengers, means 50 rupees. Out of this 35 per cent will be given for labour payment, i.e., 15 rupees. We shall be left with only 35 rupees. There is no balance between our earning of 35 rupees and expenses of 300 rupees. That is why we have called for the strike," he said. The state government has deployed additional state-run buses to meet the crisis.

Praful rules out delay in airport restructuring (Go To Top)

          New Delhi: Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said on Monday there would be no delay in restructuring and modernising the airports in Delhi and Mumbai. "We will try to find an amicable path without any confrontation (with left parties and unions). No, there will be no delay," Praful Patel told reporters at a function in New Delhi. Patel said the concerns of leftist parties and unions would be addressed before the sale of 74 percent of the two airports. "We will address the concerns of all people, the left parties, the unions and we will do everything, which is necessary to make these airports world class," said Patel. Analysts have feared for India's privatisation programme since Manmohan Singh and the Left parties, whose support the coalition needs for a majority in parliament, have opposed the privatisation of profit-making state companies. The new government is planning to allow foreign investors to pick up to 49 percent stake in the proposed joint ventures. Of the remaining 51 percent, Airports Authority of India (AAI) will hold 26 percent while the rest can be held by either Indian companies or financial institutions. AAI employees last week opposed the government's move to privatise both Mumbai and New Delhi airports. Last September, the BJP led coalition approved a plan to spin off the New Delhi and Mumbai airports into companies and sell 74 percent stakes in them to private firms.

Natwar Singh reaching Pakistan on July 20 (Go To Top)

          Islamabad: External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh will arrive in Pakistan on a two-day official visit on July 20. According to Pakistan foreign office spokesman, Masood Khan, Natwar Singh would be participating in Saarc Foreign Ministers Conference and the matters, on which consensus had reached in Saarc Head of States Conference in January, would be reviewed in relation to progress made on the same. Natwar Singh would also be meeting his Pakistani counterpart Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri where all issues included in the agenda of Pak-India dialogue process, including the issue of Kashmir, would be discussed. Other issues include matters relating to nuclear, drug, combating smuggling, etc.