PM launches Sakshar Bharat
n To educate 70 million by 2012
n 60 million women to be taught
n $1billion to be spent
n 2017 target: 80 pc literacy
New Delhi, September 8
Jhajjar’s 49-year-old neo-literate Roshni Devi today emerged as the most powerful symbol of female literacy — a goal to which India rededicated itself under the brand new Sakshar Bharat Mission, which was launched by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.

PM Manmohan Singh with HRD Minister Kapil Sibal at the launch of ‘Sakshar Bharat’ on International Literacy Day in New Delhi on Tuesday. A Tribune photo

Along with millions of readers and admirers, The Tribune pays homage to its founder, Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia,who passed into eternity on this day 111 years ago.

Pilots’ strike cripples Jet flights
Mumbai, September 8
Nearly 200 flights of Jet Airways were cancelled or combined as 363 pilots, including 163 captains and 198 first officers affiliated to the National Aviators' Guild, reported sick in protest against the management’s decision to sack two of their colleagues who played a major role in forming the union.

Nation page: Govt may invoke ESMA

Power shock to Punjab consumers
Chandigarh, September 8
The domestic consumer in Punjab is being made to pay for the extravagant power purchases made by the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) during the paddy season with the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission (PSERC) today hiking power tariff of all categories, hurting domestic consumers, particularly the low-income group category, the most.

Farmers unleash terror in city
Chandigarh, September 8
A protest by the Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta) and the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB) Employee Joint Forum against the privatisation of the board today led to violent clashes between the police and the protesters, leaving one dead and over 80 persons, including 34 police personnel, injured.

Members of BKU (Ekta) arguing with injured cop during a major lathi charge in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: S. Chandan Details in Chandigarh Tribune

Ministers told to give up 5-star luxury
New Delhi, September 8
Having being exposed by media reports for splurging public money for staying in luxurious five star hotels, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee today ordered external affairs minister SM Krishna and his junior Shashi Tharoor to vacate their five-star suites.

Assembly Bypolls Maximum criminals contesting in Bihar New Delhi, September 8 Criminalisation of politics continues unabated, with political parties fielding several tainted candidates for the forthcoming assembly by-elections to the states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Delhi.