Putting an end to all rumours and speculations, Prime Minister Theresa May’s spokesperson on Monday said the proceedings to start the Brexit process will officially begin on March 29.

Britain’s envoy to the European Union, Tim Barrow notified the office of European Council President Donald Tusk of the plan early morning, spokesperson James Slack said.

The official proceedings for Brexit that UK will invoke Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty will be done by letter, he said.

“After we trigger, the 27 will agree their guidelines for negotiations and the Commission’s negotiating mandate,” Slack said.

“President Tusk has said he expected there to be an initial response within 48 hours. We want negotiations to start promptly but it’s obviously right that the 27 have an opportunity to agree their position." he added.

Medical services in 17 government hospitals were disrupted on Monday when over 4,000 resident doctors went on a mass Casual Leave to protest growing incidents of attacks by patients' relatives.

There have been at least five attacks on resident doctors in one week, including two in the past 24 hours, said Indian Medical Association (Youth) state President Sagar Mundada.

"Today we met Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar but we have not got any concrete assurances on our physical safety while on duty," Mundada said, hinting at continuing the agitation on Tuesday.

While assuring that it was the duty of the civic body to ensure security, Mahadeshwar appealed to the medicos to resume duty by this evening failing which the civic body would consider taking action against them.

Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) President Yashowardhan Kabra said the sudden spate of attacks on medicos had left shattered them and "it was difficult to work under such life-threatening conditions".

"There have been attacks on medicos in Mumbai Sion and Wadia hospitals after which our members decided to go on individual action of availing CL," Kabra told IANS.

Simultaneously, the MARD is filing an affidavit in the Bombay High Court to highlight how its orders on doctors' security and related aspects have allegednly not yet been implemented by the state government.

"In fact, last Friday we had planned a day's mass bunking which we cancelled after assurances from the government. But that same night medicos were attacked in Sion Hospital followed by another attack yesterday," Kabra said.

In Mumbai, the government hospitals hit are KEM, Sion LTMG, Nair and Sir JJ Group where a large number of resident doctors work.

Their counterparts in Kolhapur Government Hospital continued to work but sported black bands.

Several thousands of patients were deprived of medicare in the absence of resident doctors though senior doctors and others were handling serious or emergency cases.

Medical services in 17 government hospitals were disrupted on Monday when over 4,000 resident doctors went on a mass Casual Leave to protest growing incidents of attacks by patients' relatives.

There have been at least five attacks on resident doctors in one week, including two in the past 24 hours, said Indian Medical Association (Youth) state President Sagar Mundada.

"Today we met Mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar but we have not got any concrete assurances on our physical safety while on duty," Mundada said, hinting at continuing the agitation on Tuesday.

While assuring that it was the duty of the civic body to ensure security, Mahadeshwar appealed to the medicos to resume duty by this evening failing which the civic body would consider taking action against them.

Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) President Yashowardhan Kabra said the sudden spate of attacks on medicos had left shattered them and "it was difficult to work under such life-threatening conditions".

"There have been attacks on medicos in Mumbai Sion and Wadia hospitals after which our members decided to go on individual action of availing CL," Kabra told IANS.

Simultaneously, the MARD is filing an affidavit in the Bombay High Court to highlight how its orders on doctors' security and related aspects have allegednly not yet been implemented by the state government.

"In fact, last Friday we had planned a day's mass bunking which we cancelled after assurances from the government. But that same night medicos were attacked in Sion Hospital followed by another attack yesterday," Kabra said.

In Mumbai, the government hospitals hit are KEM, Sion LTMG, Nair and Sir JJ Group where a large number of resident doctors work.

Their counterparts in Kolhapur Government Hospital continued to work but sported black bands.

Several thousands of patients were deprived of medicare in the absence of resident doctors though senior doctors and others were handling serious or emergency cases.

If the UP government fulfils its farmer loan waiver promise, banks are likely to take a hit of Rs.27,420 crore and the scheme will lead to some stress on the state's fiscal arithmetic, warns a report.

The BJP had in its UP election manifesto promised to waive farmers' loans if elected to power. The party and its allies won a whopping 325 seats in the 403-member House.

An SBI Research report on Monday said schedule commercial banks together had an outstanding farm credit of Rs.86,241.20 crore in UP with the average ticket size of Rs.1.34 lakh, as of 2016, most of which is to small and marginal farmers.

According to RBI data (2012), 31 per cent of the direct agriculture finance went to marginal and small farmers (landholdings upto 2.5 acre).

"Taking this as a proxy for UP as well, around Rs.27,419.70 crore will have to be waived off in case the farm loan waiver scheme is implemented for the small and marginal farmers, for all banks," the report said.

As per the Socioeconomic and Caste Census of 2011, 40 per cent of rural UP households are engaged in cultivation.

When it comes to landholdings, 92 per cent are marginal and small farmers in the state, according to the 2010-11 Agriculture Census.

The report said the UP government's total revenue for 2016-17 is Rs.3,40,255.24 crore, according to revised estimates, and if Rs.27,419.70 crore are to be written off, this is around 8 per cent of the total revenue.

"This will definitely cause some amount of stress for the state's fiscal arithmetic in the coming year," the report warned and said the UP government will have to go beyond the traditional solutions and find innovative ways of adding to its revenue.

The country's farm sector faces a lot of issues like raising farm productivity which need attention, it noted.

"Efforts should be made so that the farming community is covered by formal banking system so that they can easily avail crop loans," it said.

The report said the Jan Dhan scheme has ensured that almost all UP households now have bank accounts but only a small proportion of those into agriculture have availed the agriculture advances from banks.

If the UP government fulfils its farmer loan waiver promise, banks are likely to take a hit of Rs.27,420 crore and the scheme will lead to some stress on the state's fiscal arithmetic, warns a report.

The BJP had in its UP election manifesto promised to waive farmers' loans if elected to power. The party and its allies won a whopping 325 seats in the 403-member House.

An SBI Research report on Monday said schedule commercial banks together had an outstanding farm credit of Rs.86,241.20 crore in UP with the average ticket size of Rs.1.34 lakh, as of 2016, most of which is to small and marginal farmers.

According to RBI data (2012), 31 per cent of the direct agriculture finance went to marginal and small farmers (landholdings upto 2.5 acre).

"Taking this as a proxy for UP as well, around Rs.27,419.70 crore will have to be waived off in case the farm loan waiver scheme is implemented for the small and marginal farmers, for all banks," the report said.

As per the Socioeconomic and Caste Census of 2011, 40 per cent of rural UP households are engaged in cultivation.

When it comes to landholdings, 92 per cent are marginal and small farmers in the state, according to the 2010-11 Agriculture Census.

The report said the UP government's total revenue for 2016-17 is Rs.3,40,255.24 crore, according to revised estimates, and if Rs.27,419.70 crore are to be written off, this is around 8 per cent of the total revenue.

"This will definitely cause some amount of stress for the state's fiscal arithmetic in the coming year," the report warned and said the UP government will have to go beyond the traditional solutions and find innovative ways of adding to its revenue.

The country's farm sector faces a lot of issues like raising farm productivity which need attention, it noted.

"Efforts should be made so that the farming community is covered by formal banking system so that they can easily avail crop loans," it said.

The report said the Jan Dhan scheme has ensured that almost all UP households now have bank accounts but only a small proportion of those into agriculture have availed the agriculture advances from banks.

A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP on Monday strongly remarked that "India will be saved if cows are allowed to survive".

"Gai bachegi to Hindustan bachega. (India will survive only if cow survives)," BJP MP Shankarbhai N Vegad said.

The MP also claimed that cow urine can be used to cure cancer if used in a proper manner.

“Gaumutra" (cow urine) wards off germs. We will have to save the cow,” Vegad said.

The BJP Rajya Sabha member from Gujarat made the remarks while taking part in the 2017-18 budget discussion.

The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Railway Appropriation Bills and supplementary demands for grants for this year, with the total proposed outlay for 2017-18 pegged at Rs.1,31,000 crore.

The Demands for Excess Grants 2013-14 and the Supplementary Demand for Grant 2016-17 for Railways, presented in the Lok Sabha on March 16, were also passed by a voice vote.

The total proposed outlay for 2017-18 stood at Rs.1,31,000 crore, 8 per cent up from the 2016-17 budget estimates of Rs.1,21,000 crore.

The Railways' revenue for 2017-18 is estimated at Rs.1,78,350 crore, a 9 per cent increase from the revised estimates of 2016-17. The total revenue in 2016-17 undershot budget estimates by Rs.6,300 crore, according to PRS Legislative Research site.

The Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2016-17 was sought for additional budgetary support of Rs.1,355 crore extended by the Finance Ministry in the current year, consisting of Rs.200 crore for taking up certain works relating to video surveillance system at identified stations from the Nirbhaya Fund and Rs 1155 crore from fitting bio toilets in coaches, the Ministry explained.

The Railways' finances were presented Finance Minister Arun Jaitley along with the Union Budget 2017-18. This was the first time since 1924 that the Railway Budget was merged with the Union Budget.

Inspired by a belligerent century from seasoned keeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik, Tamil Nadu outshone Bengal by 37 runs to clinch the domestic 50-over competition, the 2016-17 Vijay Hazare Trophy for the third time at the Feroz Shah Kotla here on Monday.

Monday's final resembled the 2008-09 and 2009-10 finals, when Tamil Nadu got the better of the Bengal side.

Electing to bat after winning the toss, Karthik (112) used all his experience to guide the Southern side to a decent 217 after Bengal pacers Mohammed Shami (4/26) and Ashoke Dinda (3/36) ripped through the Tamil Nadu line-up to bundle them out in 47.2 overs.

Tamil Nadu were straightway in a spot of bother after losing four quick top order wickets of Kaushik Gandhi (15), Ganga Sridhar Raju (4), Baba Aparajith (5) and skipper Vijay Shankaar (2) with only 49 runs on the board.

But Karthik and Baba Indrajith (32) put the Tamil Nadu team back in the hunt with a 85-run fifth-wicket stand before Washington Sundar (22) came up with a cameo to take the side past the 150-run mark.

Karthik, who consumed just 120 balls for his knock, slammed 14 boundaries before being dismissed hit-wicket by Shami.

In reply, Bengal too got off to a devastating start, losing opener Abhimanyu Easwaran (1) and Agniv Pan (0) in the same over to find themselves at 4/2.

Stumper Shreevats Goswami (23) and skipper Manoj Tiwary (32) fended off good starts as Bengal found themselves tottering at 68/4 by the 21st over.

Middle order batsmen Sudip Chatterjee (58) and Anustup Majumdar (24) then added 65 runs for the fifth wicket to bring the Bengal side back into contention before Aparajith broke the partnership by sending back Majumdar. Aamir Ghani too fired a 30-ball 24 but it was not enough to get his team over the line.

Thereafter, it was one-way traffic for the Southern giants as they picked wickets at regular intervals, including the last five scalps within a space of 37 runs to bundle the rivals out for 180 in the 46th over.

For Tamil Nadu, Aswin Christ, M. Mohammed and Rahi Shah picked two wickets each while Shankar, Aparajith and R. Sai Kishore took one wicket apiece.

Brief Scores: Tamil Nadu 217 (Dinesh Karthik 112, Baba Indrajith 32, Washington Sundar 22, Mohammed Shami 4/26, Ashoke Dinda 3/36) beat Bengal 180 (Sudip Chatterjee 58, Manoj Tiwary 32, Aamir Gani 24, Aswin Crist 2/23, M.Mohammed 2/30) by 37 runs.

Scientists have developed the world's first liquid biopsy for blood cancers that could lead to less invasive, more precise and effective treatments.

The test developed by researchers from Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Australia monitors tiny fragments of DNA emitted from cancer cells into the blood stream, called circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA).

The study shows how liquid biopsies can be applied in clinical cases of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Unlike traditional biopsies, ctDNA tests track disease status throughout the body, can be used at any time over the course of cancer treatment and enables rapid adjustments if a patient relapses or fails to respond to a particular therapy, researchers said.

"This world-first ctDNA test for blood cancers will also help to more rapidly advance the availability of new precision medicines and targeted therapies as these are developed," said Sarah-Jane Dawson of Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

"Not only does this new test promise clinicians and patients a more timely and accurate understanding of whether a cancer treatment is working, it gives scientists the ability to quickly and effectively evaluate how clinical trial patients are responding to new life-saving therapies," she added.

The emergence of liquid biopsies as precision cancer trackers has the potential to significantly reduce costs to our health system, researchers said.

The study was published in the journals Nature Communications and Blood.

In a major development to the Narada sting operation case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday registered a preliminary enquiry into the sting operation that purportedly showed TMC leaders taking bribes.

In the preliminary enquiry, the CBI named MPs, West Bengal ministers, police officers, ex-MLA and seized laptop, spy cams used by Narada.

The CBI team was at at SBI bank in Kolkata on Saturday to collect evidence on the same issue. On Friday, the Calcutta High Court had ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary probe into the Narada sting operation.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborty had asked the CBI to complete its preliminary inquiry in 72 hours.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Calcutta High Court order, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday had said that her government will challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

"Will challenge before the Supreme Court against Calcutta HC order directing preliminary inquiry by the CBI on Narada sting operation," the chief minister had said.

In a major development to the Narada sting operation case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday registered a preliminary enquiry into the sting operation that purportedly showed TMC leaders taking bribes.

In the preliminary enquiry, the CBI named MPs, West Bengal ministers, police officers, ex-MLA and seized laptop, spy cams used by Narada.

The CBI team was at at SBI bank in Kolkata on Saturday to collect evidence on the same issue. On Friday, the Calcutta High Court had ordered the CBI to conduct a preliminary probe into the Narada sting operation.

A Division Bench of acting Chief Justice Nishita Mhatre and Justice T Chakraborty had asked the CBI to complete its preliminary inquiry in 72 hours.

Meanwhile, reacting to the Calcutta High Court order, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday had said that her government will challenge the order in the Supreme Court.

"Will challenge before the Supreme Court against Calcutta HC order directing preliminary inquiry by the CBI on Narada sting operation," the chief minister had said.

Australian batsman Peter Handscomb, who hasn’t scored an impactful knock thus far in the ongoing series, shone to the maximum on Monday when he scored unbeaten 72 runs while batting resolute on the fifth day of the third Test against India at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi.

The 25-year-old Victoria-born batsman helped the visitors escape a defeat and the match ended in a draw.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s 202-run knock, unbeaten 178 runs by Steve Smith and Ravindra Jadeja’s nine wickets from two innings were the most cherished moments of the intense Test.

Besides all this, we present you a list of talking points from the fifth and the final day of Ranchi’s debut Test match.

Ishant’s temper on turf

The Delhi-born pacer Ishant Sharma exhibited typical temper of a boy from the National Capital when an heated exchange between him and Australian opener Matt Renshaw ended up with a humiliating dismissal.

It all started with a furious throw by the Indian pacer when Renshaw pulled out a bit from the batting crease. The ball didn’t hit the Aussie but the incident led to some verbal exchanges between the two cricketers.

Captains from both the sides, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli intervened to defuse the argument. However, Sharma decided to answer through some fiery deliveries when he resumed his over.

Following two short-pitch deliveries that daunted the young hitter, Sharma deceived him as he bowled a full-length delivery to tap him LBW.

Jadeja keeps India on driver’s seat

Spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed two big wickets late on Day 4 to give India a strong start, continued his dominance on the fifth and final day of the Test.

On Monday, Jadeja dismissed Australian captain Steve Smith, who scored a splendid 178-run knock (not out) in the first innings, misjudged Jadeja’s delivery pitching middle and leg stump.

This was the third time when Jadeja has dismissed the visiting captain in the ongoing series. Smith has manged to score just 105 runs off 320 balls at the strike rate of 32.82, while facing Jadeja. While playing against others Indian bowlers, his willow smashed 266 runs off 506 at the strike rate of 52.56 with two dismissals.

In all, the 28-year-old orthodox spinner claimed five and four wickets respectively in two innings of the Ranchi Test.

Resolute pair of Handscomb and Marsh

A determined pair of Peter Handscomb (72*) and Shaun Marsh (53) helped Australia avoid a close defeat as they put a 124-run partnership stand for the fifth-wicket, second longest in the ongoing series after 199-run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha.

The partnership came to rescue Australians after early blows on the final day of the Test as Australia appeared struggling at 83/4 earlier at lunch.

Calling the pair “resilient”, the Australian skipper Steve Smith hailed them in the post-match ceremony, “A pretty good test. Proud of the way the boys stuck it out. That's what we want to be – resilient,” he said.

Australian batsman Peter Handscomb, who hasn’t scored an impactful knock thus far in the ongoing series, shone to the maximum on Monday when he scored unbeaten 72 runs while batting resolute on the fifth day of the third Test against India at the JSCA International Stadium Complex, Ranchi.

The 25-year-old Victoria-born batsman helped the visitors escape a defeat and the match ended in a draw.

Cheteshwar Pujara’s 202-run knock, unbeaten 178 runs by Steve Smith and Ravindra Jadeja’s nine wickets from two innings were the most cherished moments of the intense Test.

Besides all this, we present you a list of talking points from the fifth and the final day of Ranchi’s debut Test match.

Ishant’s temper on turf

The Delhi-born pacer Ishant Sharma exhibited typical temper of a boy from the National Capital when an heated exchange between him and Australian opener Matt Renshaw ended up with a humiliating dismissal.

It all started with a furious throw by the Indian pacer when Renshaw pulled out a bit from the batting crease. The ball didn’t hit the Aussie but the incident led to some verbal exchanges between the two cricketers.

Captains from both the sides, Steve Smith and Virat Kohli intervened to defuse the argument. However, Sharma decided to answer through some fiery deliveries when he resumed his over.

Following two short-pitch deliveries that daunted the young hitter, Sharma deceived him as he bowled a full-length delivery to tap him LBW.

Jadeja keeps India on driver’s seat

Spinner Ravindra Jadeja, who claimed two big wickets late on Day 4 to give India a strong start, continued his dominance on the fifth and final day of the Test.

On Monday, Jadeja dismissed Australian captain Steve Smith, who scored a splendid 178-run knock (not out) in the first innings, misjudged Jadeja’s delivery pitching middle and leg stump.

This was the third time when Jadeja has dismissed the visiting captain in the ongoing series. Smith has manged to score just 105 runs off 320 balls at the strike rate of 32.82, while facing Jadeja. While playing against others Indian bowlers, his willow smashed 266 runs off 506 at the strike rate of 52.56 with two dismissals.

In all, the 28-year-old orthodox spinner claimed five and four wickets respectively in two innings of the Ranchi Test.

Resolute pair of Handscomb and Marsh

A determined pair of Peter Handscomb (72*) and Shaun Marsh (53) helped Australia avoid a close defeat as they put a 124-run partnership stand for the fifth-wicket, second longest in the ongoing series after 199-run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Wriddhiman Saha.

The partnership came to rescue Australians after early blows on the final day of the Test as Australia appeared struggling at 83/4 earlier at lunch.

Calling the pair “resilient”, the Australian skipper Steve Smith hailed them in the post-match ceremony, “A pretty good test. Proud of the way the boys stuck it out. That's what we want to be – resilient,” he said.

With a view to bringing in transparency and quality governance in the state, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday issued a series of stringent directions to the district administrative and police officers to crack down on corruption and ensure strict adherence to rule of law, setting a three-day deadline for filing of the charge sheet against the corrupt.
 
Chairing a meeting of DCs and SPs, CM asked them to ensure that rules are followed and to work according to statutory procedures. He urged the officers to go digital in order to speed up work and monitor delays,
 
Directing the officers to take quick and decisive action against the corrupt, he directed them to issue notice and charge-sheet promptly, within a maximum of three days. Asking them to be fair and to hear each party, while following due process, CM directed the officers monitor the actions of their juniors and, at the same time, report their own actions to their seniors.
 
Observing that his government had decided, in its first cabinet meeting, to implement various measures to improve the delivery of public services and welfare of the government employees, CM said that he expected all district officers to get cracking immediately and ensure expeditious action for the welfare of the people. The impact of these changes, he said, should be visible in their public dealing.
 
The CM ordered a clean work culture to be imbued immediately in the seven main cutting edge officers dealing with the public, namely Sub Registrar, Tehsil, Sub-Division, Transport, Food and Supplies, Police Stations and Power Com. Officers should be present in their offices from 9 am to 5 pm on all working days, with tours to be announced on website and notice board.
 
Further, he said, appointment hours should be fixed and appointments should be given on phone or Web, and all applications should be scanned and followed up on the computer. Reply should promptly be sent to the applicant on email, SMS or through the post, within the RTS Act time limit.
 
CM further directed that all registrations should be returned the same day, with refusal, if any, to be recorded in writing. All mutations would now have to be decided within seven days, and mutation application with full names and addresses of parties should be forwarded by Sub Registrars (SR) to Fard Kendra the same day.

In a bid to clean up the transport system, he ordered online payment of all transport taxes, with computerised recovery of arrears. All power connection applications should be made online, and pendency should be displayed on the website and monitored by DC, CM said.

Urging the officers to give the citizens their due respect, CM directed them to ensure good seating, cooling, sufficient space and drinking water. Information boards, pamphlets, kiosks, counters should be provided to the public, along with assistance in filling up forms and applications and response through SMS.

Urging them to interact politely, and to be courteous and kind to the people, Captain Amarinder asked the officers to try and understand the problem of the taxpayer even if they could not immediately resolve it.

With a view to bringing in transparency and quality governance in the state, chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday issued a series of stringent directions to the district administrative and police officers to crack down on corruption and ensure strict adherence to rule of law, setting a three-day deadline for filing of the charge sheet against the corrupt.
 
Chairing a meeting of DCs and SPs, CM asked them to ensure that rules are followed and to work according to statutory procedures. He urged the officers to go digital in order to speed up work and monitor delays,
 
Directing the officers to take quick and decisive action against the corrupt, he directed them to issue notice and charge-sheet promptly, within a maximum of three days. Asking them to be fair and to hear each party, while following due process, CM directed the officers monitor the actions of their juniors and, at the same time, report their own actions to their seniors.
 
Observing that his government had decided, in its first cabinet meeting, to implement various measures to improve the delivery of public services and welfare of the government employees, CM said that he expected all district officers to get cracking immediately and ensure expeditious action for the welfare of the people. The impact of these changes, he said, should be visible in their public dealing.
 
The CM ordered a clean work culture to be imbued immediately in the seven main cutting edge officers dealing with the public, namely Sub Registrar, Tehsil, Sub-Division, Transport, Food and Supplies, Police Stations and Power Com. Officers should be present in their offices from 9 am to 5 pm on all working days, with tours to be announced on website and notice board.
 
Further, he said, appointment hours should be fixed and appointments should be given on phone or Web, and all applications should be scanned and followed up on the computer. Reply should promptly be sent to the applicant on email, SMS or through the post, within the RTS Act time limit.
 
CM further directed that all registrations should be returned the same day, with refusal, if any, to be recorded in writing. All mutations would now have to be decided within seven days, and mutation application with full names and addresses of parties should be forwarded by Sub Registrars (SR) to Fard Kendra the same day.

In a bid to clean up the transport system, he ordered online payment of all transport taxes, with computerised recovery of arrears. All power connection applications should be made online, and pendency should be displayed on the website and monitored by DC, CM said.

Urging the officers to give the citizens their due respect, CM directed them to ensure good seating, cooling, sufficient space and drinking water. Information boards, pamphlets, kiosks, counters should be provided to the public, along with assistance in filling up forms and applications and response through SMS.

Urging them to interact politely, and to be courteous and kind to the people, Captain Amarinder asked the officers to try and understand the problem of the taxpayer even if they could not immediately resolve it.

Indian and Pakistani officials will attend a two-day meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) starting here on Monday.

A 10-member Indian delegation led by Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena arrived here yesterday to attend the the meeting. The delegation comprises of Ministry of External Affairs officials and technical experts.

The Pakistan side will be headed by Indus Water Commissioner Mirza Asif Saeed and he will be assisted by officials of Ministry of Water and Power and other experts.

Sources said that Pakistan would highlight concerns about the three Indian hydro projects being built on the rivers flowing to Pakistan.

They are 1000 MW Pakul Dul on Chenab, 120 MW Miyar, located across Miyar Nalla which is a right bank main tributary of River Chenab, and the 43 MW Lower Kalnai hydro project on Lower Kalnai Nalla, a tributary of river Chenab.

Pakistan contends that the projects were violating the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, which has come under strain during the current tension between the two sides.

Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai are being built in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 7,464 crore (November 2008 price level) and Rs 396 crore respectively. Miyar hydroelectricity project, located in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul Spiti district, is estimated to cost Rs 1,125 crore.

Today's meeting is the 113th session of the Permanent Indus Waters Commission which was established in 1960.

The last meeting of the commission was held in 2015.

Another meeting planned in September 2016 was cancelled due to tension due to Uri terror attack by Pakistan-based outfits.

Indian and Pakistani officials will attend a two-day meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) starting here on Monday.

A 10-member Indian delegation led by Indus Water Commissioner P K Saxena arrived here yesterday to attend the the meeting. The delegation comprises of Ministry of External Affairs officials and technical experts.

The Pakistan side will be headed by Indus Water Commissioner Mirza Asif Saeed and he will be assisted by officials of Ministry of Water and Power and other experts.

Sources said that Pakistan would highlight concerns about the three Indian hydro projects being built on the rivers flowing to Pakistan.

They are 1000 MW Pakul Dul on Chenab, 120 MW Miyar, located across Miyar Nalla which is a right bank main tributary of River Chenab, and the 43 MW Lower Kalnai hydro project on Lower Kalnai Nalla, a tributary of river Chenab.

Pakistan contends that the projects were violating the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, which has come under strain during the current tension between the two sides.

Pakal Dul and Lower Kalnai are being built in Jammu and Kashmir at a cost of Rs 7,464 crore (November 2008 price level) and Rs 396 crore respectively. Miyar hydroelectricity project, located in Himachal Pradesh's Lahaul Spiti district, is estimated to cost Rs 1,125 crore.

Today's meeting is the 113th session of the Permanent Indus Waters Commission which was established in 1960.

The last meeting of the commission was held in 2015.

Another meeting planned in September 2016 was cancelled due to tension due to Uri terror attack by Pakistan-based outfits.