Development / Northeast

GUWAHATI, Feb 14 ? The introduction of international flights from the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport to Bangkok from April will give a big boost to the overall development of the North-Eastern region, said the Union Civil Aviation Minister, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain. Addressing a Press conference here today, the Union Minister said that the introduction of the North-East in the international air map would definitely give a big boost to tourism in the region and the hotel industry will also be developed. He pointed out that apart from other places of tourist attraction, the golf courses...

AGARTALA, Feb 13 — Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A Sangma has said that the MPs and chief ministers of the seven north-eastern States, Sikkim, West Bengal an Orissa will form a ‘forum’ to lobby for the development programmes in the Eastern India in New Delhi. Sangma who came here for one day tour to take stock of the party position in the State said, he along with CPI(M) MP Somnath Chatterjee will call a meeting of the MPs of the 10 States as soon as the next Parliament session begins on February 25 next.

“I have already talked to West Chief Minister...

SHILLONG, Feb 13 —Union Minister of State for Development of Northeastern region Arun Shourie on Saturday asked its chief ministers to think of development in an innovative way and safeguard natural resources. Development does not mean implementing new schemes only if the respective states ignore the protection of the natural resources, he said and specially referred to the wanton destruction of forests in the name of development. Shourie, who was addressing the conference of chief ministers of the north-east said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had directed all the departments to monitor...

GUWAHATI, Feb 11 – Opening up of all the trade routes with the neighbouring countries, particularly reopening of the Stilwell Road was the main thrust of the presentation of the Minister of State for Home and Industries, Sri Pradyut Bordoloi in the South East Asia trade conference held at Dhaka recently under the Kunming Initiative. In his speech in the inaugural session of the conference, Sri Bordoloi said that along with the Moreh-Tamu-Kalmeyo road, stress should be given on reopening of the Stilwell Road connecting Ledo in Assam to Kunming in China, covering vast areas of Myanmar to boost...

SHILLONG, Feb 9 — The Chief Ministers of the north-eastern States today strongly urged the Centre to open up the trade routes with neighbouring Bangla-desh and Myanmar to boost the sagging economies of the States. Speaking at the meeting of the Chief Ministers convened by the Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) here, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and his Tripura and Nagaland counterparts Manik Sarkar and SC Jamir highlighted the acute funds crunch faced by the States in the region and the need for expanding trade with the neighbours as a solution to the problem...

DIBRUGARH, Feb 8 — Just days before Wireless in Local Loop (WLL) services of the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) was to start off in Assam, the defence and frequency allocation mandarins have decided that the facility has to be kept under wraps in the State. The reason? These “specialists” think that the militants would use the technology for subterfuge! Before going into a bit of a detail, it would be pertinent here to note that the Government of India had declared earlier that all the villages of the country would be linked by telephones by March 2002. Given the dismal track record of...

NEW DELHI, Feb 6 — Even as the amended North Eastern Council (NEC) Bill is pending clearance in the Parliament, the agency has sought an enhanced role for itself in the region seeking stiff hike in allocation of Rs 6,075 crore for 10th Five Year Plan period. The revised allocation for the Ninth Five year plan was fixed at Rs 2,450 crore. The NEC’s plan projections for the 10th Five Year Plan would be finalised at the 46th meeting of the Council scheduled to be held in Shillong on February 8. The meeting would be followed by a conference of Chief Ministers of the North Eastern States including...

GUWAHATI, Feb 3 – Since its inception, the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) has been playing a vital role in meeting the power demand of the North-Eastern States, but this organisation today is facing crisis due to the apathetic attitude of the Central government. The major hardship the NEEPCO is facing is that this organisation is functioning without a regular chairman and managing director (CMD) since May, 1998. NEEPCO sources said that for the past eleven months, the joint secretary of the Ministry of Power has been officiating as the acting CMD but he is not in a position...

GUWAHATI, Feb 2— The need to develop the north-eastern region, particularly Assam, as the business hub centre of the South-East Asian countries will be the main thrust of the presentation to be made by the Minister of State for Home and Industries, Pradyut Bordoloi, who is a member of the Indian trade delegation to attend the international conference of the SE Asian countries to be held at Dhaka on February 6 and 7 under the Kunming initiative. Talking to The Assam Tribune here today, Bordoloi said that the Kunming initiative for regional cooperation was launched following the visit of the...

LUCKNOW, Jan 02 – Air connectivity in North East is all set for a grand takeoff, with some of the major airlines making a beeline to start small aircraft service in the region. The latest to jump into the bandwagon is Air Sahara. With the Civil Aviation Ministry and the north eastern States gearing up to make operational airports in farflung State capitals and smaller towns, North East has suddenly become the most happening destination among air operators. Of particular interest are the concessions expected to the dolled out by both the Centre and the State Governments to attract the airlines...