Plan for Modern Facilities

The Central government of India is preparing to provide modern facilities in 28 more cities in addition to the existing 65 cities under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission in the first 100 days of the UPA government. This process will surely lead to the upliftment of indian cities and thereby can provide a positive impact on the country's stature that is increaing day by day.

"Infrastructure will also be developed in small and medium towns. In order to lessen pressure on large cities the government will launch the scheme for satellite town around mega cities to address basic infrastructure problems such as drinking water , sewerage, drainage and solid waste management. To provide better transport facilities in the growing urban areas, the government will provide all assistance to metro project in Bangalore, Chennai, Kochi and Delhi," Union Urban Development Minister S. Jaipal Reddy said on Monday in the national capital. Besides, the government will also make substantial assistance for the purchase of fifteen thousand 220-Modern Buses for city transport in 118 cities along with 61 mission cities.

Reddy informed that he has requested the Finance Ministry for removal of excise tax on buses made for public transport services. He said states will also be persuaded to waive local taxes on buses made for public transport. To address the urban infrastructure deficit in north-eastern region , the Asian Development Bank - assisted North Eastern Region Urban Development Programme will be launched for implementation at a cost of about 1,371 crore rupees. Five cities of Agartala, Aizawl, Gangtok, Kohima and Shillong will be taken up in the first phase. States of Arunachal Pradesh Assam and Manipur will be taken up next year.

DMK Gives Green Signal!

DMK chief M. Karunanidhi has finally softened his stand and sent out a message here on Saturday, clearly indicating that his party was ready to participate in the Manmohan Singh government. Before leaving New Delhi on Friday morning, Karunanidhi reiterated his "dissatisfaction" with the number of berths being offered to his party.

He said he would stick to his decision of providing outside support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. What softened the 85-year-old Karunanidhi was Manmohan Singh's remark after his swearing-in ceremony last evening, expressing hope that "our valued colleagues will reconsider their decision".

Karunanidhi thanked the Prime Minister profusely for "clearing the air" over the corruption charges against two of the DMK's former Cabinet ministers - T.R. Baalu and A. Raja - "by some New Delhi-based television channels in the run-up to the government formation." "These TV channels deliberately ran a mud-slinging campaign against the two former ministers," Karunanidhi said, adding that Singh had rejected the charges against the ministers in his remarks to the media on Friday evening.

Congress to form Government in India

UPA after acquiring major seats in India is all set to form a government under the Congress party. The election results clearly demonstrated that people are more favorable to UPA led by Congress rather than to NDA led by BJP. So its UPA again who clerly indicated their power in this election and the indian people are also satisfied with the performance of congress party in the last five years.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the party had the support of 322 MPs, giving it a clear majority. President has invited Dr. Manmohan Singh to form the new cabinet. Congress and its allies were only 10 seats short of a parliamentary majority when election results were declared. They won 262 seats, while the BJP-led group got 158.

Analysts say the formation of the Congress cabinet should be smooth as it will not have to rely on difficult coalition partners. Several ministers were defeated including those for steel, women and child development and minority affairs and so there will be fresh faces.