India has the highest rate of road accident deaths in the world - one every four minutes

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

The top headline of today's Hindustan Times reads, "Government Readies for Big Next-Generation Reforms Push". The paper says that 'the UPA government is poised to introduce a slew of long pending second-generation economic reforms such as permitting Foreign Airlines to invest in domestic aviation companies, to put the economy back on a strong growth trajectory, to create millions of new jobs and to protect the country from economic slow down. The Indian Express writes "Government moves a step closer to FDI in Retail, allowing 51% Foreign Direct Investment in multi brand retail."

The Economic Times writes that the Reserve Bank of India declared on Thursday that it may be hard to shore up a falling rupee, suggesting that any attempt to do so was fraught with great risk. The paper goes on to say that the RBI Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn reminded those calling on the central bank to use its foreign currency reserves that the Indian unit was a floating currency and hedging options were available to prevent losses.

"Government, Opposition warm up for winter session", writes the Hindustan Times, along with a photograph of Lok Sabha Speaker - Meira Kumar and leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj caught during a moment of bonhomie at a meeting of leaders of all political parties. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal sought the Opposition's help to pass 21 Bills during the Winter Session, with the opposition leader laying down conditions for allowing peaceful passage of key government agenda.

The Asian Age reports that "Stepping up pressure on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has shot off a 14 page letter to her, giving details of 'irregularities' in the implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in the State.

The Times of India writes that MPs in the Rajya Sabha who have declared the highest remuneration incomes, include Abhishek Manu Singhvi who tops the charts at 50 crore rupees per annum, Vijay Malaya at 41.4 crore rupees per annum, and Arun Jaitley with 8.41 crore rupees.

And finally, Hindustan Times informs us that as India has the highest rate of road accident deaths in the world - one every four minutes - the Government is one step closer to amending a law that will come down heavily on traffic violation, with hefty fines and even jail terms for offenders.