Sunday, October 31, 2010, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Cornered, Chavan offers to resign
Housing Scam: Sonia sets up two-member probe team
New Delhi, October 30
Summoned to 10 Janpath after his justifications on controversial Adarsh cooperative society on Friday failed to impress either the people or the party high command, embattled Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan today offered to resign from his job and left his fate in the hands of party president Sonia Gandhi.

Ashok Chavan talks to mediapersons in New Delhi. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Nation page: Lobbying on for M’rashtra CM’s post

MoD to issue notice to beneficiaries
New Delhi, October 30
Even as the Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and three former chiefs of the armed forces are under fire for their alleged dubious role in the Adarsh Housing Society in Colaba Mumbai, the Ministry of Defence has decided to issue notices to serving officers and functionaries who are among the beneficiaries of the society. More than 35 of the 103 flats in the upscale society have been allotted to officers of the Army, the Navy and also functionaries of the Defence Estates Department.

No time to settle scores, says Capt
New Delhi, October 30
Pointing out that Punjab is broke, newly appointed state Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh accused the Badals of pushing Punjab to the brink. Stating that the state government now borrows Rs 8,000 crore every year merely to survive and pay salary and interest, he held out the promise that a Congress government would usher in a paradigm shift. He was speaking to The Tribune in an exclusive interview with Editor-in-Chief Raj Chengappa (See Opinions page for the complete interview).

PM: We’ll engage ‘uneasy’ neighbours in dialogue
October 30
Aiming to establish itself as a regional power, India would be engaging its “uneasy” neighbours in a meaningful dialogue.


Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Hanoi on Saturday. — Reuters

Visa on arrival for nationals of 4 countries

US likely to ease curbs on technology transfer
Issue to be discussed during Obama’s India visit
The USA is positive on relaxing certain curbs on export of technology transfer on hi-tech items to India. The issue is likely to be discussed during the visit of US President Barack Obama, beginning November 6. Sources say that both sides have made considerable progress in making changes in the US policy on supplying hi-tech equipment to India, through the Hi-Tech Cooperation Group. The two leaders will discuss other issues on how to carry the civil nuclear cooperation between US and India forward.