Panel Recommends Revamp of Venture Fund Regulations (July 24, 2006)
A Planning Commission sub-Committee has suggested a slew of fiscal incentives to encourage more domestic venture capital funds (VCF) and has included a proposal to set up an Early Stage Venture Fund (ESVF) through public-private partnership. <More>

Increased Food grain Output Likely (July 24, 2006)
The Federal Agriculture Ministry (AM) said that food grain production is expected to be 5.01% higher at 208.3 million tons (mt) in 2005-2006 versus 198.36 mt a year ago because of better output from rice and oilseeds but wheat production is only marginally higher. <More>

Inadequate Response to NMCC Recommendations (July 24, 2006)
National Manufacturing Competitiveness Council (NMCC) has recommended that a new National Manufacturing Initiative to further 20 key labor-intensive sectors that net USD 10 billion from domestic markets alone to facilitate a quantum jump in the near future. <More>

BHC Asks Railways to Revamp Disaster Management (July 24, 2006)
The Bombay High Court (BHC) has directed the Central and Western Railways to upgrade their disaster management system and submit a comprehensive process for review by August 16. <More>

Sachar Commission Targets Judiciary (July 24, 2006)
The controversial Sachar Panel created by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and criticized by many for its divisive charter of counting the presence of Muslims in different arms of the Government, has apparently started targeting the Judiciary. <More>

Government to Respond to Reservation Lawsuit (July 24, 2006)
The Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry is to file an affidavit in the Supreme Court (SC) justifying the Government’s decision to reserve seats for the so-called Other Backward Classes (OBC) in higher educational institutions under the 93^rd Amendment. <More>

Nepal Talks Deferred Briefly (July 24, 2006)
Talks between the interim Government and Nepalese terrorist group was deferred but to meet in the near future and focus on the interim constitution content, constituent assembly formation process, constituencies redraw plan, and arms management. <More>

LTTE Insists on Change in Monitors (July 24, 2006)
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has reiterated to the visiting Ambassador-at-Large of Swedish Foreign Ministry that there is no change in its demand for withdrawal of EU monitors  from the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) by September 1. <More>