-Rediff.com In a move that shows the urgency and seriousness with which the UPA 2 is planning the execution of first phase of direct cash transfer scheme before the January 1, 2013, deadline it has set for itself, the Union government has notified formation of two core committees -- called Mission Mode Committees -- tasked with rollout of the scheme. One can IMAgine the urgency and importance accorded to the direct...

-The Times of India After over a year of campaigning, dozens of protests and exposes against ministers, Arvind Kejriwal officially entered the political arena on Monday. Negating the perception that only big parties can draw hefty funds, the newly launched Aam Aadmi Party collected more than 1.10 crore on the day of the launch, with former law minister Shanti Bhushan alone donating Rs 1 crore. Day one also saw supporters pitching in...

-The Economic Times A publicity campaign by the Gujarat Congress meant to show the NarendraModi government in poor light has boomeranged on the party.   Congress was caught on the wrong foot when it was revealed that the photograph it used in its posters to portray alleged malnutrition among Gujarati children was that of an emaciated Sri Lankan child. The advertisement, which appeared recently in various newspapers and websites, said, "proper nutrition to 45%...

-Outlook Hoogly (West Bengal): Seven persons have died after drinking illicit liquor at Payradanga village in this district, police said today. About 20 villagers drank liquor on Sunday night and fell sick, following which they were brought to Panduah rural hospital. After their condition deteriorated, they were shifted to the IMAmbara Sadar Hospital at Chinsurah. While one person died on way to Chinsurah, two others died during treatment there, officials said. As some of...

-The Times of India CHANDIGARH: As Nasa satellite IMAges over the past few days show, Punjab is literally on fire. In the IMAges, the state is pockmarked with red dots which correspond to blazes deliberately lit by farmers to get rid of their paddy stubbles after harvest. It's an environmentally disastrous practice that the state government has shown little urgency in tackling. Among the fallout of this mass-burning is smog that spreads...