-The Hindu Delayed payments to poor households threaten to scuttle scheme to build toilets under Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan Churu (Rajasthan): Three years ago, Churu, a town of 1.2-lakh people in the Thar desert, was ranked India's dirtiest town by the Planning Commission. Two years ago, the overall district had over 40 per cent households with no toilet of their own. Today, the district is close to its goal of becoming open defecation-free,...

-The Hindu Says State government is doing a stellar job to ensure social security and welfare of the poor THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi said here on Monday that the UPA government at the Centre and the United Democratic Front government in Kerala would work together to provide a responsive government and fulfil the aspirations of the people. She was inaugurating the first phase of the distribution of title deeds to...

-The Times of India NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi on Friday announced his emergence as the new Congress boss rejecting as "complete nonsense" the ordinance to save convicted legislators from disqualification. In a powerful intervention he sealed the fate of the contentious legislation, embarrassed PM Manmohan Singh hours before his meeting with Barack Obama in Washington DC and publicly rebuked the party old guard. "I'll tell you what my opinion on the ordinance...

-The Hindu Second year of scheme to include distribution of 50 lakh seed kits in schools THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a bid to maintain the momentum towards self-sustainability started last year through the State Agriculture Department's comprehensive vegetable cultivation development scheme, funds to the tune of Rs.56.25 crore are being set aside for the purpose this financial year. The inauguration of the second year of the scheme and a prize distribution ceremony based on last...

-The Times of India DEHRADUN/ NEW DELHI: The official number of the missing in the Uttarakhand disaster sharply rose from 350 to 3,000 on Thursday, intensifying fears that the death toll is likely to eventually be much higher than what was earlier estimated. Unofficial estimates place the figure at the double the current official estimate. The missing figure was given out by Uttarakhand chief secretary Subhash Kumar, who said, "The objective is...