The controversy-hit Kudankulam nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu is set to be operationalized, with its first 1,000mw unit to be opened soon as the project's safety audits have been completed and local resistance now reduced to a few hundred protesters.  While the report of the expert group set up by the Tamil Nadu government is awaited, the state government is more supportive of the project being commissioned and the Centre's...

-The Times of India Income tax officials on Friday carried out searches at various premises of Delhi-based businessman and defence dealer Suresh Nanda, including at the Claridges hotel owned by him. Nanda had temporarily shifted his residence to Claridges but on the day of the raid he slipped out in a similar fashion like in 2007 when a raiding party failed to lay their hands on him. Sources said he has left...

Central allocation for the Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) has been falling in recent years, with this year recording the steepest decline. Money released for the scheme fell from Rs 35,242 crore last year to Rs 21,441 crore this year, while expenditure has gone down from Rs 39,000 crore last year to Rs 20,000 crore as of January-end. The average workdays under the scheme, which provides a legal entitlement...

-IBN   In the densely forested Kaimur hills in Rohtas, villagers are now the Bihar Police's first line of defence against Maoists. The tribals in Rohtas district in Bihar who till yesterday didn't know much beyond sowing fields or grazing cattle are now being taught to pick up guns and shoot. The police are providing soft loans to the tribals to help them procure weapons and also training them to shoot for...

Central Empowered Committee has recommended cancellation of 49 leases The Karnataka Government has requested the Supreme Court to revoke the suspension of 117 mining leases listed under categories A and B by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC). The Supreme Court-appointed CEC has recommended cancellation of 49 mining leases listed under Category C, where iron ore was being mined illegally. It has recommended resumption of operations in 45 mining leases listed under Category...