Saathi clamps blanket ban on funds for new projects
New Delhi, August 22
Fed up of the Department of Public Works’  ‘chalta hai’ attitude to projects, which are getting delayed by “six months to five years or more,” Finance Minister Mahender Singh Saathi has put a blanket ban on sanction of funds for new projects. “Complete the projects first, seek funds later,” is the terse message from Mr Saathi’s office.

YMAI makes clemency plea for unwed mom
Rewari, August 22
Mr Amit Swami, President of the Young Men’s Association of India, a prominent social organisation, has made a representation to the Supreme Court of Nigeria, making a fervent plea to potently or efficaciously intervene in the matter of capital punishment awarded to an unwed mother, Amisa Laval (30).

THE ACHIEVERS
He prefers to light a candle than curse darkness
New Delhi, August 22
Three years ago as Pradeep Jain, a small-time businessman of Preet Vihar, knocked at the doors of the more fortunate in the colony and asked them to donate old school books, many looked askance at him. Many of them even thought that he was perhaps diversifying into the business of ‘kabari’.

Sonia to harp on BJP scams in rally
New Delhi, August 22
The president of the Indian National Congress, Ms Sonia Gandhi, will address a rally at the Ferozeshah Kotla grounds on Saturday to protest the “unending scams and corruption” in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA Government at the Centre

Now, greeting cards for grandparents
New Delhi, August 22
There are cards for mothers, for fathers, for friends, and for all occasions, but none for grandparents. That, however, is set to change. Voluntary organisation HelpAge India, in association with Archies Greetings & Gifts Ltd (AG & G), has for the first time launched greeting cards for grandparents in the Indian market.

Garbage management project for Jhajjar
Jhajjar, August 22
The Haryana Slum Clearance Board would initiate a municipal solid waste management project for Jhajjar Municipality for which a sum of Rs 89.25 lakh would be provided as loan.

RBI to distribute coins through commercial banks
New Delhi, August 22
With increasing demand for small change and serpentine queues at the Reserve Bank of India office in the Capital, the central bank has decided to decentralise the coin distribution in Delhi and will make coins available in commercial banks located in big market places in different parts of the city on specified days.

FARIDABAD
All set for auction of 21 mines
Faridabad, August 22
The state Mining Department is all set to auction about 21 mines of Faridabad and Gurgaon zones here tomorrow. The department has already allotted 77 plots in Dhauj crusher zone for the purpose.

131 found playing hooky from office
Jhajjar, August 22
Following directives of the state government to make surprise visits in various departments in order to check absenteeism, rampant among the government employees, the district administration found 131 employees absent from their offices in the past two months.

Colonel’s body cremated with full military honours
Meerut, August 22
The body of Col H.K. Sherawat, Commanding Officer of the Eighth Rashtriya Rifles, killed in an IED blast triggered by militants in Doda on Tuesday, was cremated with full military honours in his native village near Meerut. 

NCR BRIEFS
Domestic maid raped by youth in Noida
Noida, August 22
A young maid, who had gone to a house to work in place of her mother who had fallen ill, was raped by a youth in Kala Enclave of Khoda Colony under the Sector-58 police station. The householder had gone to the sick maid’s house and asked her to send her daughter to work in her place.

Gang employing minors busted
New Delhi, August 22
With the arrest of three persons, including two juveniles, the West district police today claimed to have nabbed the members of ‘Ganga Billoo gang,’ along with its leader Ganga Ram.

Jurisdiction row stalls murder probe
Ghaziabad, August 22
The body thrown in Lodi forests 48 days ago was that of Rajpal Sharma of Baghpat, who had been done to death by his relatives due to some land dispute in the family, it has been learnt now. 

BUSINESS

Maruti ties up with Appu Ghar to woo customers
New Delhi, August 22
The slump in the economy showing no signs of receding, the corporate sector is coming up with attractive packages to woo the customers. Clearly, for the customers, it is the best time to make the killing.

Cycle company embarks on water harvesting
Sonepat, August 22
The Atlas Cycle Industries Limited, the largest bicycle manufacturing concern in the country, has embarked on an ambitious project for water harvesting with a view to augment ground water in its factory and housing complexes.

Ignou enters into agreement with banks on fee submission
New Delhi, August 22
In an attempt to facilitate the submission of fees by students, the Indira Gandhi National Open University has entered into agreements with the Indian Bank and the IDBI Bank. As per the agreement, from September 1, students of Ignou can submit their fee through the branches of the Indian Bank and the IDBI Bank across the country.

CULTURE

Cardiologist honoured by DMA
Noida, August 22
Dr Purshotam Lal, a pioneer in Inverventional Cardiology and director of Metro Hospitals and Heart Institute, was given the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the Delhi Medical Association on its 88th foundation day here.

FCI garner full points off FCI (HQ)
New Delhi, August 22
In a battle of the food giants, Food Corporation of India, North Zone beat Food Corporation of India, Headquarters 4-0 to garner full points in a Senior Division Round-Robin match of the Delhi Soccer Association Institutional League Championship at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital on Thursday.

IA ground DVB in Hockey League
New Delhi, August 22
Indian Airlines inflicted a crushing 7-2 defeat on Delhi Vidyut Board (DVB) in a league match of the Delhi Hockey League for Institutions at the Shivaji Stadium in the Capital on Thursday. Airlines led by 5-1 at the breather.

Soccer player Amarjeet Singh is no more
New Delhi, August 22
A veteran soccer player of Delhi, Amarjeet Singh, died in the Capital following a brief illness. The 45-year-old Amarjeet Singh, popularly known as Aape, leaves behind his wife and one son. He was cremated at the Manglapuri crematorium in Dwarka.

Sahara Enterprises lift cricket title
New Delhi, August 22
Sahara Enterprises beat JRA by six wickets in the final match of the Turf Sports Management Six-a-Side Cricket Cup title at the Modern School ground in the Capital on Wednesday.

Ramjas School storm into semis
New Delhi, August 22
Ramjas School No 2 defeated Ramjas No 5 by 48 runs to enter the semi-final of the first Ramjas Inter-School Under-17 Cricket Tournament at the Ramjas Sports Complex ground. Puneet Bisth, who cracked a rapidfire 56, was declared the Man of the Match.

Mayank stars in Govt School’s win
New Delhi, August 22
Mayank Tehlan’s fine knock of 74, studded with eight fours and two sixes, enabled Government Boys Senior Secondary School, Vikas Puri defeat Young Friends Club by six wickets in a league match of the Jayanti Devi Goel Memorial Cricket Tournament.

YMCA body building contest
New Delhi, August 22
The first YMCA body building contest will be held on October 4 and 5 at the New Delhi YMCA Sports Complex, Jai Singh Road, New Delhi.

Modern School record big win
New Delhi, August 22
Modern School mauled Tagore International School 5-0 in the 11th All-India Nivia Football Tournament at the Ambedkar Stadium in the Capital. Lalit, Varun, Anand (2) and Jitender were the marksmen.

ADMINISTRATION

Ghaziabad civic body budget passed amid uproar
Ghaziabad, August 22
After a lot of uproarious scenes, the Ghaziabad Nagar Nigam passed a budget of Rs 69.06 crore for the year 2002-2003. A provision for an income of Rs 65.93 has been provided in the budget. Each ward will spend Rs 10 lakh with the consent of the ward councillor.