Development

GUWAHATI, Oct 30 ? The much-awaited Indo-ASEAN Car Rally that would be flagged off by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the city on November 22 may be a pathbreaking initiative in the present economic backdrop of the region. It is hoped that the event would help establish economic ties between the North East of India and other South East Asian countries.

The Assam Chief Minister has taken unprecedented steps for initiating a public-private partnership to beautify the city before the mega event. The city is already undergoing a facelift following deployment of men and materials.

Several...

SILIGURI, Oct 30 ? Growth of fundamentalist elements including Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) backed armed outfits in neighbouring Bangladesh may pose a serious security threat to India, particularly in the North Eastern region in the days to come and to add to the problem, most of the militant outfits based in NE have their bases in the neighbouring country.

Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune here that in recent years, Bangladesh witnessed growth of fundamentalist elements spreading anti-India feelings and the Pakistani agency has taken advantage of the...

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 ? Flight of capital from the North Eastern Region (NER) has forced Centre to review the new industrial policy, with the Union Finance Ministry mulling withdrawal of the special incentives given to three States of Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal by 2007.

However, the heartening piece of news has to be taken with a pinch of salt because by then large chunk of investments would have been withdrawn from the NER, experts here believe. As it were, investments in North-east started plummeting after the previous NDA regime sanctioned similar incentives for the two States in 2003...

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 ? Even as threats of joint army operation by India and Myanmar looms large against armed rebels of North-east, a delegation of Khaplang faction of NSCN is likely to land in the Capital next week to ratify the ground rules of the ceasefire.

The signing of the modified draft ground rules has been overshadowed by Myanmar Government?s nod to conduct flush out operations and impending arrival of the rival NSCN (I-M) leaders in India. The Khaplang faction is likely to be hit the most by the junta?s action and is keeping a close watch on developments in Delhi.

Finance minister of...

IMPHAL, Oct 29 ? As a bond of love and affection, hill and valley people exchanged gifts in the age-old brotherly co-existence festival of Manipur ? Mera Hou Chongba ? which was observed at three different venues ? the royal palace (Sanakonung), Kangla (the first royal palace of Manipur) and Gandhi Memorial Hall here on Thursday with the Manipur titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba as the chief guest.

The festival to foster communal harmony and promote the culture and tradition of each and every community living in the north-eastern states was also observed in Aizawl on the day. A traditional and...

SHILLONG, Oct 29? Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh will inaugurate the 50th meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC) at New Delhi on November 16 next. The meeting is expected to open a new chapter for the Council as a regional planning body. NEC sources here revealed that though the agenda of the meeting is yet to be finalised, the 50th meeting of the NEC is likely to finalise the ?roadmap? for the development of the North Eastern States, which now includes Sikkim.

Strengthening of the NEC and more autonomy will also figure in the meeting which will be attended by the Chief Ministers of all...

GUWAHATI, Oct 29 ? A crucial meeting of the Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs will be held in New Delhi on November 5 to discuss important issues like the security scenario in the north-eastern region, situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the Naxal-affected States.

Talking to newsmen here today, Member of Parliament Sarbananda Sonowal, who is a member of the Committee, headed by the Union Home Minister, said that the meeting assumes significance for the North Eastern Region in view of the latest developments in the security scenario as the National Democratic Front of...

NEW DELHI, Oct 29? Confusion prevailed following reports of arrival of top NDFB leaders in the capital for talks with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today and the CM in turn clarifying that there was no such development.

The Chief Minister as well as officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were taken aback, this morning, when they saw news reports that five top NDFB leaders have arrived in the capital last night from Bangkok for talks with the Government. Soon frantic phone calls were made to Dispur and anxious officials got in touch with the Chief Minister here.

Talking to this newspaper...

GUWAHATI, Oct 29 ? Disillusioned with the progress of the police investigation into the abduction of businessman Pratul Deb, his United Kingdom (UK)- based family now wants the CBI to take up the case. The eldest daughter of the family, Sipra Deb, visiting India for the second time in search of her father, has urged Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to intervene in the matter.

Sipra, who is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi in Delhi, will ask him to hand over the case to the CBI. Though she has not directly criticised the Assam Police for its sloppy work, this move is a clear-enough...

GUWAHATI, Oct 28 ? The Kolkata-based Maulana Abul Kalam Azad Institute of Asian Studies (MAKAIAS) has taken up a major initiative to expand socio-cultural research activities in the North East. It has funded several research projects on the region in the past few years apart from publishing books relating to the region.

MAKAIAS director Mahavir Singh told newspersons here today that since the past three years the institute has been involved in research activities in the region in a big way. MAKAIAS is funded by the Union Department of Culture and is expected to spend ten percent of its funds...