CMs plead for Rs 735 as wheat price
CHANDIGARH, Jan 24 — The Punjab and Haryana Chief Ministers jointly met the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, in New Delhi this morning seeking a remunerative procurement price for wheat ignoring the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices recommendation to “lower” the minimum support price for the current year.

Crores take holy dip on Amavasya
KUMBHNAGAR, Jan 24 — Over 3 crore pilgrims took a holy dip at the Sangam today on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, the most auspicious bath of the Mahakumbh. The pilgrims started taking the dip at the start of Mauni Amavasya. Only for an hour after midnight the administration stopped the snan.

• Dalai Lama to visit Kumbh today

• After Sonia, it is Bhajan
  

A Naga sadhu rides a horse as he proceeds for a ‘shahi snan’ on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya during the Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad on Wednesday. — Reuters photo

Budget on Feb 28 likely
NEW DELHI, Jan 24 — The Budget session of Parliament would begin from February 19 and end on May 11, the Union Cabinet decided today. The session would start with the customary joint address to both Houses by the President.

Game of names begins in Majitha
Amarinder Singh wary of EVMs
MAJITHA, Jan 24 — The sudden announcement of byelection to the Majitha Assembly seat has come as a rude shock to the Majitha family. 

Day 1 of truce extension: blast claims SHO’s life
SRINAGAR, Jan 24 — A day after the extension of the ceasefire by another month in Jammu and Kashmir, a police officer was killed today in a powerful bomb blast set off by militants in the state where six more persons were killed and one person was abducted in separate incidents.

Edit: Pressing on with peace

P P Hinduja quizzed
NEW DELHI, Jan 24 — The CBI today questioned Switzerland-based P P Hinduja in connection with his alleged role in the Rs 64-crore Bofors pay-off case. “He was interrogated in two session for over three hours today by the Special Investigation Group of the agency,” the CBI spokesperson told reporters here today.

• Blair summons Mandelson

• UK minister quits (World page)

Axe to fall on 95 pc primary schools HP proposal may hit tribal areas MANDI, Jan 24 — More than 95 per cent schools in the tribal areas of Himachal Pradesh will be closed if the government implemented its proposal to close down all primary schools where the number of pupils was 20 or less.