Govt all set to scrap VVIP copter deal with Agusta
New Delhi, November 19
The government has decided to cancel a scandal-tainted chopper deal with Anglo-Italian firm AgustaWestland, prejudging the outcome of a meeting on Wednesday between company executives and Defence Ministry officials to discuss the contract, three sources said.

Punjab lets off 12 babus facing disciplinary action
Chandigarh, November 19
Twelve Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officers in Punjab, whose files pertaining to disciplinary action to be initiated against them for acts of omission and commission had gone missing from the Personnel Department, have been let off by the Punjab Government.

Country’s first bank by women, for women opens in Mumbai
Mumbai, November 19
Bharatiya Mahila Bank, India's first women’s bank, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. The bank’s chairperson Usha Ananthasubramanian said the institution would lend exclusively to women. “Our target customers are individual women, self-help groups and business establishment owned by women,” Ananthasubramanian said after the inauguration function.
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi hands over documents to a bank account holder as PM Manmohan Singh looks on in Mumbai. PTI

Centre approves Army corps along China border
New Delhi, November 19
The government has given its final go-ahead to the Army for raising a corps along the China border. It will involve deployment of 50,000 additional troops along the border at a cost of Rs 65,000 crore.

Punjab Land Grab: Justice Kuldip Singh Special Tribunal Report Part XI
Continuing with the series, The Tribune today reproduces operative portions of the report pertaining to Hoshiarpur village
GMADA compensated illegal occupants
Chandigarh, November 19
The Special Tribunal headed by Justice Kuldip Singh has pointed out a piquant situation relating to Shamlat land in Hoshiarpur village, near here. When the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) acquired huge chunks of shamlat deh, it gave compensation to those illegally occupying the land.

Punjab page: Punjab Government to probe loot of public lands

pay-off remarks
VK Singh files reply to J-K Assembly notice
Jammu, November 19
Former Army Chief Gen VK Singh has filed his reply to the breach of privilege notice issued to him by the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Sibling revelry: Her brother did BCA at 14, she’s pursuing masters at 13! Rohtak, November 19 Tej Bahadur Verma, who belongs to a village of Rae Bareli district in Uttar Pradesh, used to work as a farm-labourer. Reading the Ramayana has been an essential part of his daily routine. But now, Verma is a proud father of not one, but two prodigious children. Thanks to his extraordinarily talented daughter Sushma, he is now employed at a Central university in Uttar Pradesh.