FM says drastic steps needed to bring down fiscal deficit
New Delhi, December 27
Finance Minister P Chidambaram today said that it was necessary to contain the fiscal deficit which may lead to some measures which may be painful. Addressing the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here, Chidambaram said it was imperative to contain the fiscal deficit by augmenting resources and controlling expenditure.

Punjab seeks Rs 5,000 cr to diversify
New Delhi, December 27
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today suggested a separate fund for states engaged in Green Revolution to help them diversify away  from the wheat-paddy cropping cycle.

Centre betrayed Haryana over water sharing: Hooda
J&K demands Rs 68,000-cr grant to meet growth targets
Virbhadra wants LPG subsidy restored to Himachal

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and his Punjab counterpart Parkash Singh Badal greet each other at the NDC meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. A Tribune photograph

A month after gang rape, Patiala teenager ends life
Family alleges police harassment DSP suspended; SHO, ASI dismissed
Badshahpur (Ghagga), December 27
A teenage victim of gang-rape committed suicide in Patiala’s Badshahpur village on Wednesday, allegedly after continuous harassment by the police and three accused.
                                       Family mourns victim’s death

10 days later, Delhi shamed again
Trio rapes woman, dumps her at Kalkaji
New Delhi, December 27
A 42-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped by three men and dumped in south-east Delhi last night.


The Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore where the 23-year-old girl is undergoing treatment.

President’s son under fire for ‘sexist’ remarks Kolkata, December 27 President Pranab Mukherjee’s son Abhijit sparked off a major controversy by describing women participating in the Delhi protests against the gang rape of a student as “highly dented and painted”, triggering an angry backlash.