New Delhi, Aug 13 : The Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council has lowered the GDP growth projection to 7.7 percent during 2008-09 as against 9 percent in last fiscal.

EAC chairman C Rangarajan said that inflation could shoot up to beyond 13 percent. Agricultural and industrial growth rate projection has also been brought down.

New Delhi/Srinagar, Aug 13 : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) combine on Wednesday began its nationwide protest against the cancellation of land transfer to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) by blocking roads and disrupting train services across the country.

VHP general secretary Pravin Togadia said: "The Centre must give the land to the Amarnath shrine board, otherwise our protest will continue."

VHP activists began their protest in the national capital at about 9 a. m., blocking roads in at least 20 places, including ITO, Moolchand, Dwarka, Pitampura and Deepali Chowk. Vehicles heading to schools and hospitals have been exempted.

The Government hopes to finalise the process auctioning the next generation 3G mobile spectrum by September 30.

Telecom Secretary, Sidhharth Behura said, “Technical and financial details are being discussed. Once that is done, this e-auction process for 3G spectrum would be finalised by September 30.”

Before allocating the 3G spectrum, the government will invite request for the proposals for rolling out mobile number portability (MNP).

The government has also allowed the foreign players to take part in the next generation telecom arena and is thus expecting a good response from the bidding process as it hopes to raise it up to a level of Rs 40,000 crore.

The union government is all set to bring in new content code for television (TV) programs. The government feels that the current one is not effective.

While addressing the News Television Summit 2008 Secretary in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, Sushma Singh said, “We are contemplating a review of the existing Content Code as it needs to be at par with changing times.”

This is the third time since the present UPA government is proposing to bring a new draft on the content code. Both the government and the public broadcasters could not reach to a consensus on the earlier two occasions.

New Delhi — World Trade Organization (WTO) chief Pascal Lamy Tuesday met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to gauge whether India wanted to resume the Doha global trade negotiations, news reports said.

Lamy, according to sources quoted by PTI news agency, sought Singh's views on whether India wanted to keep working or wanted to take time out.

The prolonged Doha negotiations on a new global trade pact collapsed during ministerial talks in Geneva in July over differences between the United States and India on a proposed safeguards mechanism which would allow developing countries to protect their farmers by raising tariffs if there was a surge in imports.

New Delhi, August 12 : India today sharply reacted to attempts by Pakistan to link the ongoing protests in Jammu and Kashmir to the peace process between the two countries.

Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister, said that the current situation in Kashmir has affected the environment for talks with India.

He also said that the ongoing Indo-Pak peace process is likely to be hindered if violence in the Valley persisted.