Cap on stock holdings may roll beyond Nov 30

With food inflation showing little signs of slowing down, the Cabinet is expected to extend a power which would allow state governments to impose stock holding limits on edible oil, oilseeds, rice and paddy beyond Saturday by one more year.

An official said the order under the Essential Commodities Act was to expire on Saturday. It could have led to a tendency among traders to hoard these essential commodities. "Which is why it is being extended," he said.

GoM finalises draft Telangana Bill
The group of ministers (GoM) , set up to look into the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, has finalised its report along with the draft Telangana Bill but remained non-committal on when it will be submitted to the Cabinet.

After a four-hour marathon meeting, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, who heads the GoM, said they had discussed various issues concerning the bifurcation and distribution of assets between the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Cabinet is also likely to take a decision on relaxing FDI norms for the housing sector and reducing foreign investment limit to 49 per cent in rare and critical areas in the pharma sector.