Good Economics,
Risky Politics
Defying the pressures of politics, Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has come forth with a bold, hard budget. He has committed the Government to a slew of daring economic reforms through this year's budget. But, beyond the initial euphoria generated by sheer promises, lies a rough road to fulfilling them. Will the pressures of coalition politics and an irrational Opposition allow him to deliver?

Interview:
Yashwant Sinha
"It is my budget,
not the PMO's."

Smeltdown
The NDA Government handsomely wins a vote moved by the Opposition in the Lok Sabha against the privatisation of Bharat Aluminium Company (BALCO), but it should now start worrying about the poor response to bidding for strategic partnership of public-sector units.

Progress Report
With an overwhelming response from readers, the CARE TODAY society had funds flowing in from all quarters to aid it in its efforts to help those rendered homeless and jobless by the devastating earthquake of January 26.

Reeling Estate
Gujarat is witnessing a strange phenomenon with the two hands of the Sangh Parivar, the RSS and the VHP, earning public goodwill and the BJP leadership finding itself in the hot seat over links with the building mafia.

Bust to Dust
International outrage doesn't deter the Taliban militia from pushing ahead with its plan to destroy historical statues, including the 2,000-year-old Buddha statues in Bamiyan.

Piecing the
Ahar Puzzle Excavations of sites from the 4,500-year-old Ahar culture provide clues to the link between the Harappans and their predecessors.

CAPLOOKS

Move Over

Delhi: The equations in 10 Janpath are undergoing a sea change. That the clout of Vincent George is on the wane is evident from the fact that the once powerful personal assistant will no longer control access to the Congress President Sonia Gandhi. For years he had occupied a room adjacent to the Congress president's study-cum-office, but soon will be moved out to a cabin alongside the offices occupied by the rest of Sonia's support staff. George's bunch of supporters claim their leader has been done in by Ambika Soni, the new No. 2 in the Congress. The overwhelming feeling is that he deserved it.

Clear Cut

Thiruvananthapuram: It was an unexpected blow from an unexpected quarter at a very inopportune time. With assembly elections due soon, the CPI(M) in Kerala found itself on the defensive as K.P.P. Nambiar, a former Union secretary, charged Arun Kumar, son of V.S. Achuthanandan, a CPI(M) politburo member, of demanding a Rs 75-crore commission for clearing Nambiar's Rs 1,500-crore power project. Nambiar is a close relative of Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar, who, at one time, didn't see eye to eye with Achuthanandan.

Gift Drive

Bangalore: If Maharashtra can do it, why not Karnataka? That's the logic that prevailed as the state Government last week decided to give laptop computers to all legislators-224 in the Assembly and 75 in the Council. Officials in the chief minister's office say this would "go well in keeping with the Silicon Valley image of Bangalore". Most legislators, however, do not know what to do with these gizmos. They would have been a far happier lot if the Government had helped them replace their ageing Ambassadors with shiny new Lancers.

Graft Craft

Raipur: Ajit Jogi keeps himself up to date with all graft cases. He had once accused Digvijay Singh of taking Rs 50 crore in a diamond deal. But after 'Diggy' helped him become the chief minister of Chhattisgarh, he denied he ever said it. Insiders wonder how long will it be before he withdraws his Rs 100 crore graft charge against the PMO.

MetroScape
Personality Matters Those behind the Grasim Mr India contest think it is one up over other male pageants.
But is it?
more...

Looking Glass

Mumbai: Swarovski Boutique

Delhi: Colours 'n' Spice

Delhi: Mindscapes

The Keoladeo National Park Sanctuary in Bharatpur gets an unprecedented number of migratory birds due to the dry spell last year. But experts feel another drought could be disastrous, writes INDIA TODAY's Supriya Bezbaruah in
Despatches.

"The only obvious competition is in bhangra," say the Pakistani duo of the music group, Strings, in conversation with INDIA TODAY's Sonia Faleiro in
Interviews.