No decision yet on conferring of 'Bharat Ratna' this year: PM

{image-pm manmohan singh_16012008.jpg news.oneindia.in}
New Delhi, Jan 16: The government has not yet taken any decision on conferring of the country's highest civilian award 'Bharat Ratna' this year.
"There is still time to take a decision", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told reporters on his way back to Delhi from Beijing late last night. He was replying to a pointed question about the increasing demands for the coveted award, and the government's stand on the issue.

The debate regarding the award picked up momentum early this month when Leader of the Opposition L K Advani proposed to the PM to confer Bharat Ratna on the BJP patriarch Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Soon after that, names of other prominent leaders were proposed by their parties for the honour.

UNI