It was little over a month ago that I saw Amita Malik painfully walking up the few steps to the lounge at the India International Centre, Delhi's watering hole for the culturati. She let out a long sigh, greeting me with a feeble smile and said: 'I don't know how long I can do this.' This doyenne of women journalists — one whose scathing pen had those on its receiving end trembling and often in tears — could barely speak. Her shoulders showed signs of resignation: it was not a happy shrug, even though her 87 years did not sit too badly on her.

New Delhi, Feb 27: The 14th Lok Sabha has ended its tenure with the United Progressive Alliance-led by Congress claiming several achievements to its credit and criticising the Opposition for creating hurdles in the passage of several bills.

Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi spelt out UPA''s achievement during its five-year rule by stating that they had a vision which they carried out successfully.

He highlighted the passage of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill despite the walkout staged by the Opposition.

Union Commerce Minister Kamal Nath on Thursday announced the interim Foreign Trade policy, which offers sops to exports in leather, textile, gems and jewellery and food product sectors.

The government has scaled down the export target to 175 billion dollar for this fiscal from the earlier target of 200 billion dollar.

Keeping in mind the global slowdown, the government on Thursday decided to relax the fiscal gap target of states to 3.5 percent.

Talking to reporters Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said, "In view of the slowdown and pressure on resources, this gap was first relaxed to 3.5 percent for the present year, 2008-2009. But the slowdown is likely to continue next year. So, the gap has been relaxed to 3.5 percent also for 2009-10."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, on Thursday assured that India would not suffer extensively from the ravages of the global economic meltdown.

In a statement, read out by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha, Singh, who is recuperating from a cardiac bypass surgery, said," Today we are addressing the global downturn with the same resolve and imagination. Let me assure this House, that India would emerge the least affected among the countries of the world from the current economic crisis."

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and the son of former Prime Minister I. K. Gujral, Naresh Gujral, on Thursday described the interim budget announced by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee as deficient and failing to address the hardships faced by the 'Aam Aadmi'.

He also condemned the UPA Government for squandering away the economic gains made by the country.