Creating History
Aamir Khan steers away from mushy romance in lush locations in his first production, Lagaan. The formula-busting period film on colonial arrogance, backed by good acting, promises to give Indian cinema a classy makeover.

Governance On
The Hold
Absent ministers, coalition politics and an unwell prime minister paralyse all decision making at the Centre. With business sentiments diving and industrial growth rate receding, the alarm bells have begun to ring.

Super Clinic Inc.
Patients will be treated as customers with some companies hoping to revolutionise the Rs 60,000-crore private healthcare market. They are setting up a chain of neighbourhood health clinics that will provide quality medical care.

Fostering Ill-will
The arrest of Jayalalitha's foster son may be linked
to the sour relationship.

Crescent Classroom
An organisation has given madarsa education in the state a communal slant.

THE NATION: THE GOVERNMENT

ALL WORDS, NO DEEDS

CABINET EXPANSION
Confusion over the status of George Fernandes and Ajit Singh and lobbying by allies have forced the prime minister to postpone cabinet expansion.

PSU POSTINGS
Some 50 PSUs are without executive heads. VSNL and IPCL have had acting chairmen for over a year. IDBI doesn't have a chairman. Air-India's MD was suspended on the eve of privatisation.

DOWNSIZING of MINISTRIES

The ministries of finance, coal, heavy industry, SSI and I&B are to be downsized by July 31. Except for the Finance Ministry, no ministry is known to have surrendered any posts as yet.

LAY-OFFS AND CLOSURES

To allow industries with less than 1,000 workers easier retrenchment and closure a bill to amend the Industrial Disputes Act was promised in the budget session. The bill isn't ready yet.

ABOLITION OF BSRBS

The Banking Services Recruitment Boards are to be wound up by "July 31 or earlier" to grant banks freedom in hiring. No progress so far.

CONTRACT LABOUR

Amendment in Contract Labour Act was to be tabled in the budget session of Parliament. No signs of it yet.

FCI'S DOWNSIZING

Though the budget had promised action "at the earliest", states oppose downsizing of the Food Corporation of India.

NEW ELECTRICITY BILL

Promised to be presented in the budget session of Parliament, the bill-which will lay down the framework for smooth power reforms-isn't final yet.

CEILING ON DEFICIT

The Fiscal Responsibility Act was originally supposed to come into effect with this year budget, but the bill is yet to be tabled in Parliament. Government borrowings continue unabated.

DISINVESTMENT

The Government has plans to disinvest its shares in 27 PSUs this year. In the first quarter of the year, no disinvestment has taken place.

PETROLEUM PRICES

By April 2002 government control on prices of petroleum products has to go. The Petroleum Ministry was supposed to present a roadmap to phase out plan. No news of the plan.

BUREAUCRATIC VACANCIES

Critical posts like petroleum secretary and chairman of Central Electricity Regulatory Commission are vacant. Some appointments were withdrawn.

MetroScape

Pak Unplugged
Fresh-faced youngsters were cheering through qawwalis, pop songs and poetry reading at India Habitat Centre, Delhi. The occasion? A week-long workshop, "Rehumanizing the Other", was all about promoting neighbourly feelings in a period of bad press.
more...

Looking Glass

Mumbai Exhibition:
"Potters in Peril"

Chennai Coffee Bar: Barista

Bangalore Resort: Angsana Oasis Spa and Resort

The Delhi Government's campaign to clean up the Yamuna was impressive but needs to backed up by measures that can weed out the root causes of the pollution. INDIA TODAY's Special Correspondent Sayantan Chakravarty reports in Long Drive