Political updates | Mehbooba Mufti signals thaw after meeting Narendra Modi

New Delhi: While the uncertainty over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir continues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti may have helped the alliance as Mufti described the meeting as being “good”. Separately, Modi has called for stringent quality standards for rural roads. He has also decided to continue with his visit to Brussels on 30 March which saw two bomb attacks on Tuesday. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the suicide bomb attacks on Brussels airport and a metro train.

J&K deadlock: Mehbooba Mufti meets Modi, signals thaw

A meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti could resolve the deadlock over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. The nearly 30-minute meeting, described by Mufti as good, could revive the prospects of an alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and PDP. The previous BJP-PDP alliance that was ruling the state collapsed after the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in early January.

Modi to go ahead with Brussels visit as Islamic State claims responsibility for attacks

Modi will not cancel his Brussels visit on 30 March for the 13th India-European Union (EU) summit, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday, a day the Belgian capital was rocked by multiple blasts that claimed 26 lives and injured many more, including two Indians.

Islamic State claimed responsibility for suicide bomb attacks on Brussels airport and a rush-hour metro train in the Belgian capital on Tuesday.

Modi calls for system to ensure quality in rural roads programme

Modi called for putting in place an effective mechanism to ensure stringent quality standards for roads built under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) or the rural roads programme, a government statement said on Tuesday. Modi also called for monitoring loans being given to self-help groups under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) at a meeting called to review the progress of rural development schemes. Read more

Maharashtra AG resigns, says will continue to support Vidarbha statehood

Maharashtra advocate general Shreehari Aney resigned on Tuesday, following a controversy over his support for statehood for Vidarbha region. Aney met governor C. Vidyasagar Rao in the morning and submitted his resignation. In a statement released to media, Aney denied he was asked to resign by the chief minister. He also said that shooting the messenger does not solve the problem and there was a clear pattern in the continuous disruption of the state legislature over his statement.

India to host eighth BRICS summit in Goa

India will host the eighth summit of BRICS countries—Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, which together represent 42% of the world’s population and more than $16 trillion in gross domestic product or GDP—in Goa in October.This was announced by Indian external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday. She also unveiled the official logo of the summit—a lotus in the national colours of the five member countries.

Centre to have a new transport department soon: Nitin Gadkari

The government will set up a transport department, which will tie up with green funds and aid in converting buses into bio-diesel-, bio-ethanol-, electric- and CNG (compressed natural gas)-run vehicles, said Union transport minister Nitin Gadkari, while outlining the major focus areas of his ministry at the “Infra Ministerial” event organized by CNBC TV 18 and Mint in New Delhi on 21 March. Read more

World Bank, railways to collaborate for pension funds: Suresh Prabhu

The Indian Railways is in talks with the World Bank to create a new fund, in which both would be core investors and approach different financial institutions for long-term investments, said railway minister Suresh Prabhu.

Prabhu outlined the major focus areas for the railways at the “Infra Ministerial” event organized by CNBC TV 18 and Mint in New Delhi on 21 March. Read edited excerpts of his address.

From roads to telecom, the state of India’s infrastructure

Five top government officials—economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das, coal secretary Anil Swarup, steel secretary Aruna Sundararajan, telecom secretary J.S. Deepak and National Highways Authority of India chairman Raghav Chandra—talk about the state of the infrastructure in India at the “Infra Ministerial” event organized by CNBC TV 18 and Mint in New Delhi on 21 March. Edited excerpts.