Another slew of sops from FM
New Delhi, February 4
The Lok Sabha today passed the Interim Budget with Finance Minister Jaswant Singh adding another appendix to the pre-election sop story through a slew of measures including the continuation of exemption on dividend distribution tax to open-ended equity oriented mutual fund schemes, a subsidy of Rs 8 per kg for tea growers and a Rs 100 crore fund for small scale industrial (SSI) units.

Khan offers public apology, says govt not involved
Islamabad, February 4
The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, today offered a public apology for his involvement in leaking the country’s nuclear secrets to other nations, while giving a clean chit to the Pakistani government.

Malika Pukhraj dead
Islamabad, February 4
Malika Pukhraj of “Abhi to main jawan hoon” song fame died in Lahore today after a protracted illness. She was 90. She is survived by a daughter.

Nation page
Malika of all times

Dyeing units emit slow death 10,000 TB cases in Ludhiana’s Budha Nullah area LUDHIANA: Foul smell of chemicals, clouds of black smoke and blackish water of Budha Nullah — the drain passing through city — welcome you as you enter this industrial hub of Punjab. The blackish water of the Budha Nullah speaks of the amount of untreated industrial waste pumped into it at Balmiki Ghatti in Ludhiana. — Photo by Inderjit Verma