-The Times of India MUMBAI: Consumers can look forward to a reduction in prices of essential medicines, with the Sharad Pawar-led Group of Ministers (GoM) planning to take a final decision on the pharmaceutical policy soon. The GoM will meet on September 27 to examine options under the market price-based mechanism to cap prices of drugs, which may lead to a reduction ranging from 25% to even 90% in some cases,...

-The Telegraph The rural development ministry has claimed that an amended version of the land acquisition bill has taken into account concerns of industry though several cabinet ministers had blocked it last month fearing it would stall industrialisation. In a note last week to all members of a Group of Ministers (GoM) on the bill, the ministry said the revised draft had relaxed key provisions, including consent norms for acquisition of land...

-The Times of India Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked members of the ministerial panel to expeditiously clear the land acquisition bill, showing urgency on the legislation that is part of the core Congress agenda but has been held up for three years because of in-house differences. The bill was referred to a group of ministers after the Cabinet erupted over its key provisions, with ministers handling economic and infrastructure wings arguing...

-Outlook Kokrajhar: The Assam government and the Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District administration today decided to rehabilitate 12000 refugee families affected in the recent violence. The 12000 refugee families would be rehabilitated in the first phase while in subsequent phases the remainder of those in relief camps would return home, BTAD chief Hagrama Mohilary told reporters after a meeting with a group of ministers (GoM). The rehabilitation would be done on the basis of...

-The Hindu The All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) on Monday expressed concern over dismantling of the Group of Ministers (GoM) set up in mid-2010 to examine the issue of crimes and killings in the name of “honour”. “Commitment” AIDWA president Shyamali Gupta said: “This GoM was constituted under the chairmanship of former Union Finance Minister [and President] Pranab Mukherjee to suggest legal and other measures for dealing with these crimes and killing. The...