As Domestic Air Fares Go Perilously Low, Tickets Remain Elusive

You have a chance to match Google executive Alan Eustace’s record of travelling faster than the speed of sound. Figuratively speaking, that is. Eustace created his record jumping off the edge of space. If you are lucky enough, you may create a record by booking cheap domestic air tickets that get exhausted at lightning speed.

“We’re selling cheap tickets on domestic routes. But they’re just a few in number. So, move fast to grab the deals,” egg on the air carriers. The scramble for tickets is understandable but how many people actually get hold of one?

BJP Veteran Dattatreya To Play Big Brother Between AP, Telangana CMs

The senior BJP leader, like he established friendship among Telangana politicos, now wants to revive the bonding between the two warring sibling states—Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh.

Not many people know that the newly-inducted Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya had played a key role in strengthening the then Telangana movement, which forced the erstwhile UPA government to deliver statehood to Telangana.

Take A U-turn To UPA: Supporters Grow Anxious About Modi's 'Policy Paralysis'

There is this emerging joke in Lutyens’ Delhi that PM Narendra Modi appears to be leading UPA-3 because of his inability to steer away from the practices and policies of the Manmohan Singh era. The latest news of his endorsement of the Indo-Bangla land swap -- a 100 percent shuddh UPA stance -- is unlikely to have dented that growing reputation. The Congress party has now dubbed his government "U-Turn sarkar," or should that be a UPA-turn sarkar. Read On: http://ttamacha.blogspot.in/2014/12/take-u-turn-to-upa-supporters-grow.html

'Parliament' Getting Worn: Should A New One Be Built?

From the outside it looks imposing and its unique circular shape makes it one of the landmarks of the Indian capital and a prime tourist attraction. But the 87-year-old Parliament House, a heritage building and India's "temple of democracy", is falling into disrepair with leaking pipes, damp walls, space crunch and much wear and tear leading many to ask whether it is safe to continue in this building.

But the government said there is no proposal yet despite the fact that the idea to shift was proposed in a meeting of a committee comprising MPs and parliament officials.

Will Narendra Modi Vocabulary Translate Into Action?

The India-under-Modi strategy looks promising, but its execution has been shoddy.

During peak voting season, whenever I travelled to and from work, that annoyingly catchy tune, "Hum Modiji ko laane wale hain, Achhe din aane wale hain!", always sauntered through my ear canals with a dominance akin to an elephant stomping through its territory.

I must admit Narendra Modi did capture my political fancy at that time. I was certain, almost adamantly so, that we needed a breath of fresh air at the Centre. Along with a host of other equally hopeful individuals, let me admit, I did my bit to bring this charismatic ex-tea vendor at the helm of all things political.

Will RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan 'Bite The Bullet' Today

Amid soundbytes from the finance minister Arun Jaitley and clamour for a rate cut by the industry, Rajan has to make a tough call today on whether to continue inflation fight, or relax rates to push investments.

Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan met finance minister Arun Jaitley amid clamour for a rate cut in monetary policy review "I do not think a rate cut is very likely. It is still too early. Central banks all over the world tend to be conservative. And RBI is not confident yet about the inflation. Inflation numbers look a lot more respectable because of the last year's base. So, if I were the RBI, I would say I need to be a little more confident although I am worried about the rate of growth, which is not as good as one had expected," says Bibek Debroy, a leading economist.

Special Report: Who Among India’s Young Are Likely To Become Modern Slaves?

India has the largest youth population as well as the highest number of people trapped in forced labour and trafficking.

Last month, the United Nations Population Fund released its State of the World’s population report. At the same time, an international activist group, the Walk Free Foundation, released its Global Slavery Index 2014, which estimates the global extent of forced labour, human trafficking and other forms of slavery. In both reports, India gets the highest rankings.

Chhattisgarh Naxal Attack: Did CRPF Walk Into A Trap?

Yet another Maoist attack on security forces in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh underlines the glaring truth that security forces are waging a battle already lost in the Maoist heartland, where the latter repeatedly emphasize their supremacy by killing jawans in big numbers.

In the latest ambush in the forest of Elamgunda in the Chintagufa area in Sukma district (South Bastar), more than 400 kms from the state capital Raipur, as many as 14 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, including two key officials - deputy commandant DC Verma and assistant commandant Rajeev Kapuria – have been killed. How many more jawans will have to die before the government realises that its efforts don’t measure up to the challenge posed by the Maoists?