At the Multi Commodity Exchange, silver for delivery in March fell by Rs 262, or 0.45 per cent, to Rs 58,415 per kg, with a business turnover of 10,013 lots.

In a similar fashion, the metal for delivery in May lost Rs 240, or 0.40 per cent, to Rs 60,060 per kg, with a business turnover of 1,678 lots.

Marketmen said profit-booking by speculators after recent gains and similar trends overseas, led to the decline in silver prices at futures trade.

Meanwhile, silver prices fell by 0.08 per cent to USD 35.34 an ounce at midday today in Singapore.

“Our stated position is that to resolve the crisis of the eurozone they will have to come out with a credible formulation and package which will resolve the issue,” Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on sidelines of diamond jubilee celebrations of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

The three-day meeting of the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors starting today in Mexico comes at a time when the efforts are being made to resolve the sovereign debt problem of the European nations.

Mukherjee, however, is not participating in the meet as he is pre-occupied with his next Budget to be presented on March 16 in Parliament.

RBI Governor D Subbarao and Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan are in Mexico to take part in the meeting.

With the eurozone debt problem impacting the global economy, Mukherjee said that BRICS (grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) are scheduled to meet next month to discuss their strategy.

“In respect of BRICS strategy, we are going to host a BRICS summit at the end of March and what will be the BRICS position in respect of that it will be discussed at the summit of the leaders,” he added.

RBI recently said the European debt crisis pose a major downside risk to country’s overall growth outlook and the continuing uncertainty there “will adversely affect Indian growth through trade, finance and confidence channels”.

The International Monetary Fund last month down projected 2012 growth in the eurozone from 1.1 to (-) 0.5 per cent, with Italy and Spain projected to be in recession through most of 2012.

The cabinet, in its last meeting before the formation of a new government next month, met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.

The cabinet opined that setting up of NCTC was against the concept of federalism and encroaches upon the rights of the state governments.

Earlier on February 17, SAD patron Parkash Singh Badal had reacted strongly against the proposal to set up NCTC describing it as “a directly collaborationist measure by the Centre in an attempt to usurp whatever is left of the states’ authority in matters of governance”.

Toughening its stand on counter-terrorism, the Union government had earlier this month, decided to operationalise the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), a body meant to coordinate operations against terror groups, from March one.

But it has since faced fierce opposition from many states across the country.

CBI sources said agency teams swooped down on 30 locations, including the medicine market in Aminabad locality in Lucknow, as part of a massive search operation this morning.

With the registration of fresh cases, CBI has so far registered 12 cases in connection with alleged embezzlement in over Rs 10,000 central funds allocated under the NRHM.

The agency has named several doctors and medicine suppliers under the new set of FIRs, the sources said.

The CBI action comes days after it questioned former Family Welfare Minister of the state Babu Singh Kushwaha, who is a prime accused in the scam, and his close aide BSP MLA Ram Prasad Jaiswal, they said.

According to sources, residences of some doctors, and medicine suppliers are also covered in the operation.

The 69-year-old actor was discharged from the Seven Hills hospital last night.

“Home….Just discharged from hospital and am back home in familiar surroundings, gently taking in all that now engulfs me. The surgery discomfort and soreness persists, but will take a while to finally erase itself from the pain glands, but in all, apart from a sluggish movement, Gods grace and prayers of the Ef have put me back on track again. My most gracious thanks to all,” Bachchan wrote on his blog.

“The staff had a satisfied look on their faces as a small traditional welcome is executed. As you stand by the entrance oil is poured out, water thrown down, the small ‘arti‘ and the ‘tika‘ and you step in to the house. Of course the first stop is at ‘Prateeksha’ and a small prayer at the temple, built by my Father before moving on,” he added.

The actor also said that the staff at the hospital bade him adieu with smile on their faces.

“The staff and the nurses at 7 Hills were all smiles and expressed sadness that I was leaving, which was rather sweet of them. They would miss me they said, but hoped I would never have to come back again in adverse circumstances,” he said.

Kareena, who is paired opposite beau Saif in the forthcoming film, has performed a mujra for the first time. The song, Dil Mera Muft Ka is choreographed by veteran Saroj Khan.

“When we were writing and discussing we all thought a Mujra would be a good idea because it might seem little fresh as compared to films that were being made of that kind time. And also to see Kareena doing a performance like that would be exciting. So, we kept all those things that would be interesting to watch and if people appreciate it we feel we will have achieved what we want,” Saif told reporters here yesterday at an event.

Saif also feels that the film, directed by Sriram Raghavan has a mix of old and new style and it has been treated differently.

“At one point of a time in the film when action comes to Pakistan..a raw agent going there seems like entering into lion den’s so there is an exciting part, there is a wedding that is on. While a lot of it is new, there is a good old fashion of 70s Hindi film towards the climax of the film and that has a lovely Hindi film song in it. I feel the film has different directorial styles, I love the way the movie is made,” he said.

The film is up for release on March 23.