New Delhi, Aug 14: The Union Cabinet as an Independence Day bonanza for the civil servants, armed forces, paramilitary personnel and central government employees, approved the Sixth Pay Commission recommendations on Thursday.

The revised pay structure will ensure that there will be a 40 percent increase in the salary of government as well as defence employees.

The Sixth Pay Commission, which was headed by Justice B N Srikrishna, had in March submitted its report to the government, recommending an average 28 per cent hike for central government staff and defence personnel.

New Delhi, Aug 14 : In the wake of recent serial blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, unprecedented security measures have been put in place to ensure a trouble free 62nd Independence Day celebrations on Friday.

An invincible ground-to-air security apparatus is in place, when Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will address the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort.

A no-fly zone will be enforced and movement of trains near the Red Fort will be suspended during the function.

New Delhi, Aug 14 : Vice President Hamid Ansari today greeted the people on the occasion of Independence Day and Rakshabandhan.

In his message, Ansari has said that every Independence Day is a milestone in the history of our republic.

"Our country rejoices with pride at our national achievements. Let us take a pledge on this occasion to strive towards realising the dream of a developed India, where all citizens have the opportunity to live with dignity and fully develop their potential."

New Delhi - At least seven children drowned and 19 others were missing Thursday after their school bus fell into a river in Mangalore, a coastal district of the southern Indian state Karnataka, news reports said.

More than 30 people, most of them children, were in the bus when it plunged into the Phalguni river about 270 kilometres west of the state capital Bangalore after the driver lost control, PTI and IANS news agencies reported.

Fourteen people had been rescued and admitted to hospitals in Mangalore town, the police said.

New Delhi, Aug 14 : Following the financial crisis due to the rising fuel prices, the Cabinet Secretary will chair a maiden high-level committee meeting today to look into the problems faced by aviation industry.

Constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on July 9, the panel will recommend measures for sustained growth and healthy development of the industry.

Indian air carriers have jointly suffered an estimated loss of Rs 4000 crore last year, which is expected to double in this fiscal.

Some of the panel members are: Secretaries of the Ministries of Finance, Civil Aviation, Revenue, Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Planning Commission, IDFC Chairman Deepak Parekh and IIM Ahmedabad Professor, Dr Raghuram.

New Delhi, Aug 14 : The Union Cabinet is likely to put its seal on the Sixth Pay Commission Report, which was tabled in the Parliament earlier this year, but not implemented till now.

A high level meeting chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh last evening discussed the pay panel report and the recommendations of the empowered committee of Secretaries that went into the anomalies and other issues.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister AK Antony and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram attended the meeting. 

The Prime Ministers is likely to make an announcement regarding the implementation of the Pay Commission Report during his Independence Day speech on Friday.