New Delhi, Mar 5 : The National Annual Conference of Chief Registrars of Births and Deaths began here today.

In his opening remarks, the Registrar General of India, D. K. Sikri said that National Population Policy 2000 has mandated cent percent level of registration of births and deaths by 2010.

"The current level of registration is 68 per cent for births and 63 per cent for deaths. The level of registration has steadily gone up over the years," he said.

Bangalore, Mar 5 : Former National Commission for Women (NCW) member Nirmala Venkatesh, who on Monday had criticised the government for sacking her over the Mangalore pub attack probe, joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today.

She has further expressed her interest to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections, if she is given a ticket.

Terming the rejection of her interim report on the Mangalore pub attacks as a "deep political conspiracy", Venkatesh said, " I am being made a political victim. I am deeply hurt and shocked."

New Delhi, Mar. 5 : Six years ago, the use of insulin pumps, a diabetes treatment device that promised to give insulin-dependent diabetics a normal lifestyle free from constant insulin injections, found few takers in India. The reason was the prohibitive cost.

As some doctors said then, each pump cost as much as a small car.

Pune, Mar 5 : Harleen Chopra of the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) created history today by becoming the first-ever Indian woman cadet to command a passing out parade in Pune.

Chopra, a medical cadet, commanded the parade of 103 graduates who would be commissioned into the Armed Forces Medical Services.

"Basically it is an honour and a privilege to be doing this in my college. I once again thank all those who were responsible for guiding me throughout this process," said Chopra.

New Delhi, Mar 5 : A pre-poll tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may have taken place, but the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) has denied joining the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Party chief Chandra Mohan Patowary said the relationship is confined to the sharing of seats only.

"We are not part of NDA. But we will fight elections together to defeat the UPA. It is only a seat sharing arrangement with the BJP," Patowary said.

Patowary also made it clear that both parties would have separate manifestos.