-The Economic Times   The local panchayat adjacent to the Kudankulam nuclear power plant has passed a resolution against the project, making things difficult for the state government caught between the rational to commission the nuclear power plant and protest in south Tamil Nadu against it. The panchayat's decision is considered a setback for the Centre's desire to have the plant commissioned at the earliest. The development adds to Tamil Nadu chief minister...

-The Hindu   The film has nothing to do with Mullaperiyar dam, says producer-director Producer-director Sohan Roy on Wednesday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Tamil Nadu Government's ban on screening of his film Dam 999 in the State. Mr. Roy in his writ petition questioned the subjective satisfaction of the Chief Minister (on whose directions the impugned November 24 order was passed), arrived on by “narrow political objectives.” He said the order had...

-The Economic Times   The row over opening up of the retail sector escalated on Monday with Congress' Kerala unit backing the rollback demand of 12 Opposition-controlled state governments and UPA allies DMK and Trinamool Congress.  The fissures within the ruling alliance and the potential of the issue to bring disparate Opposition groups together saw Congress president Sonia Gandhi intervening to cut political losses for her party. Sonia, who held consultations with Prime...

-The Telegraph   Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa today joined the chorus against the entry of foreign capital in multi-brand retail, saying the Centre’s decision that smacked of “overweening arrogance” would affect the livelihood of millions of small-time traders. In Delhi, the under-fire UPA brought out a full-page ad in newspapers that said the move would “generate 10 million new jobs” contrary to the “mistaken belief” that it would result in widespread unemployment. The...

The Planning Commission has received a sweeping set of recommendations that proposes free health care and medicines for diverse needs to all Indian citizens, irrespective of economic means. Whether or to what extent the proposals — described as “even bigger” than the UPA’s blockbuster job scheme — will be accepted will depend on the political and executive leadership. If the government throws its weight behind the initiative, it will effectively mean...