The economic growth rate of India may moderate to 8% during the current (2008-09) fiscal year.

Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said that the 13-year high inflation rate of 11.42 percent may result into a little lower growth rate but if necessary steps to control inflation are taken, the growth objective of 9% will not be difficult to achieve.

On the other hand the central bank expects the economy to clock a 8-8.5 percent growth in 2008/09.

New Delhi - India's truck operators called off their countrywide strike to protest high taxes and rising fuel bills after talks with the government on Friday, officials said.

The All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) which has the support of freight haulers with a fleet size of 4.8 million trucks went on strike Wednesday to press for the abolishment of the toll tax and rationalization of duties on diesel.

"We have called off our strike since the government has assured that our demands will be met," Charan Singh Lohara, president of AIMTC told reporters early on Friday.

He said the government had agreed to freeze the toll tax on highways for a year, resolve a service tax issue and set up a committee to look into their grievances.

Nearly three-day-old fuel crisis in Chennai is over with
starting of normal distribution of petroleum products on pumps. Oil marketing

Medical Education & Research Minister Tikshan Sud, on Thursday, issued a

Srinagar, July 3 : The Army today claimed to have killed 11 militants in an encounter near Nasthachun pass in Karnah tehsil of Kupwara district.

A Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the Indian Army was also killed.

General Officer Commanding Chief of the 28 Infantry Division Major General J. S. Bajwa said that the Pakistani army is giving full support to the infiltrators and there are about 500 militants ready to infiltrate to the Indian side.

He also stated that the main purpose of this group was to disturb the coming Assembly elections.

The Army's 20 Rashtriya Rifles and 16 JAT were involved in the gunfight, which is still going on.

Shillong, July 3 : The first academic session of the country's seventh Indian Institute of Management (IIM), the Rajiv Gandhi Indian Institute of Management (RGIIM) in Shillong, will begin tomorrow