Telangana is country�s 29th state
* K Chandrashekar Rao takes oath as maiden CM
* 11-member Cabinet inducted
Hyderabad, June 2
After leading the statehood movement for 13 years, Telangana Rashtra Samithi founder president Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao (60) was today sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the new state of Telangana amidst massive celebrations.

THE BEGINNING: Telangana first Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao waves to the crowd at the state's Formation Day celebrations in Secunderabad on Monday. AFP

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Post-euphoria, many challenges await Telangana
Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao needs to tackle backwardness, joblessness and fund crunch
Hyderabad, June 2
A complex web of challenges lies ahead for the newly-born Telangana state. Barring Hyderabad, the region is largely backward and cannot boast of any major industries. (Details on Nation page)

UP rape horror
Akhilesh sacks Home Secy
Lucknow, June 2
The Badaun rape case threatens to snowball into a political crisis for the Akhilesh Yadav government. The axe has now fallen on Principal Secretary (Home) AK Gupta, who has been removed from his post and has been put on the waiting list.

Water cannons being used to disperse BJP Mahila Morcha workers during a protest in Lucknow on Monday. PTI

Akali MLA Jain, family get 1-yr jail for raising illegal colony
Moga, June 2
In an embarrassment to the SAD-BJP government, a local court today sentenced Akali MLA and chairman of the Punjab Warehouse Corporation Joginder Pal Jain, his wife, younger son and daughter to one-year jail for developing an illegal colony in Moga.


Moga MLA Joginder Pal Jain (L) with his family outside a Moga court on Monday.

Monsoon delayed, sowing likely to take a hit
New Delhi, June 2
The agriculture sector is expected to be under duress due to a �less than normal� monsoon rains this year. Experts fear if the monsoon is not as strong as it normally is the first spell may be insufficient for farmers� sowing needs. Its arrival has already been delayed and the El Nino factor and current climatic conditions prevailing in the northwest indicate a weakened current and drought in some areas.

Kharge to lead Congress in LS
New Delhi, June 2
The Congress today announced senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge as the Leader of the party in the Lok Sabha. The 72-year-old leader represents the Gulbarga Lok Sabha constituency and has the distinction of having been both a Deputy Leader and Leader of the Opposition in his home state Karnataka.

Punjab�s Drug Menace - II The flourishing supply chain and its deadly effect Chandigarh, June 2 The boom in the synthetic drugs business in Punjab has seen addiction among the youth reach menacing levels in the state. An indication is the mushrooming of chemist shops even in villages.