Wednesday, October 30, 2002, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

RBI cuts bank rate, CRR Mumbai, October 29 The Reserve Bank of India today lowered its GDP growth projection by 1 per cent for this fiscal and put more liquidity in the system by announcing a 0.25 per cent cut each in the bank rate, cash reserve ratio and the repo rate.  In video (28k, 56k)	RBI Governor Bimal Jalan
Highlights   GRAPHICS: Bank rate and Cash reserve ratio

Nation page: Get talking with Pak, USA advises India Indian soldiers rest as they wait to catch a train at Amritsar station on Tuesday after spending nearly 10 months on the border with Pakistan. — Reuters

PM not to campaign in Gujarat
New Delhi, October 29
Amidst strong indications of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s decision of not going to Gujarat for campaigning in the coming Assembly elections in December, the BJP high command has chalked out an elaborate strategy to project Chief Minister Narendar Modi as “the most towering leader of the party” in the state.

Punjab cops ‘kidnap’ Sikh judicial panel member
Amritsar, October 29
Punjab police cops in mufti “kidnapped” Mr Dara Singh, member of the Sikh Judicial Commission, from his office-cum-residence late this evening, according to sources. 

  Punjab page: Tohra faction moves Sikh judicial panel
  Badungar’s plea: PSHRC orders inquiry

Mufti elected leader of PDP
Coalition partners to meet Governor today
Srinagar, October 29
Asserting that the PDP had a “programme-based alliance” with the Congress, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said here today that his government would persuade the Centre to hold unconditional talks with militants in Jammu and Kashmir.

MMA for talks under Simla pact
Islamabad, October 29
In an apparent policy shift, an alliance of six hardline religious parties in Pakistan has said it prefers the settlement of Kashmir and other disputes with India under the ambit of the Simla Agreement. 
In video: (28k, 56k)

Gen can’t end militancy: Bhutto
Washington, October 29
Gen Pervez Musharraf is a person who tries to project a Pakistan that is free of militancy but there is room for doubt if he can really deliver it, according to Ms Benazir Bhutto.
In video (28k, 56k)

20 killed in Kinnaur mishap
Shimla, October 29
At least 20 persons were killed and one injured when a maxi-cab fell into the Satluj river near Purbani in Kinnaur district today.

Speaker formalises BJD split
New Delhi, October 29
In a setback to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the rebel Biju Janata Dal leader Prasanna Acharya was today recognised as the leader of the BJD Parliamentary Party in the Lok Sabha by Speaker Manohar Joshi.

Farmers block rail, road traffic Patiala, October 29 On a call given by seven farmer associations, including the Bharatiya Kisan Union (Ekta), the All-India Kirti Kisan Sabha and the Punjab Kisan Sabha, hundreds of farmers blocked GT Road and railway track at Rajpura in protest against ‘indifferent attitude’ of the Central Government towards their demands. Farmers raise anti-government slogans as they protest on a rail track in Amritsar on Tuesday. —  Reuter photo   Punjab page: CM cheated farmers, says Akali leader