-IANS   Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday called an emergency cabinet meeting over the leaked contents of a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report allegedly blaming her for irregularities in Commonwealth Games related contracts. "The chief minister is holding an emergency meeting at the Delhi secretariat to discuss the further course of action," said a Delhi government official. The opposition has been demanding Dikshit's resignation over the issue. The CAG report leaked Tuesday...

Mining firms have criticised the Indian government's decision to make them pay more tax to help develop tribal areas affected by the Maoist uprising. Various trade associations have denounced the bill, under which firms will pay upto 26% extra tax on profits. The new legislation is to be introduced during the new parliamentary session which started on Monday. Maoist rebels say they are fighting for the rights of indigenous tribal people and the...

-The Deccan Herald   Agriculture Minister Umesh Katti has declared that the Government will not allow trials of genetically modified (GM) crops in the State. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday in Bangalore, the Minister said Karnataka had opposed Bt brinjal, and if media reports on Bt maize and Bt paddy trials in Bijapur and Koppal were true, the Government would oppose them as well. Katti said the State is firmly opposed to testing, research...

-The Hindustan Times   Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday evaded questions on the Comptroller and Auditor General reportedly rapping her government for irregularities in Commonwealth Games projects, saying she will comment only after the report is tabled in Parliament. "I will not comment on CAG. Let it be tabled in Parliament. Then only I will say anything," Dikshit said. She was asked to comment on reported observations by CAG about irregularities in...

The announcement last weekend by the prime minister that an independent National Environmental Appraisal and Monitoring Agency (NEAMA) would shortly be set up has been welcomed in the media. The PM indicates that it would be staffed by professionals, will set up a new process for environmental appraisal of projects, and monitor the observance of environmental management plans. It would be a recommendatory body, subject to final decision-making by the...