Development

NEW DELHI, Aug 24 ? In a scathing remark on functioning of the Ministry for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER), a Parliamentary panel has asked it to play a proactive role in development of the north-eastern region (NER) and fix a timeframe for revamping the North Eastern Council (NEC). The role and functioning of DONER have come under scrutiny. Upon closer examination, it was noticed that the role played by the Ministry appears to be inadequate in that it has been playing the role of a mere funding agency for the States. The Ministry should conceptualise and initiate developmental...

GUWAHATI, Aug 24 ? The war of words between the All Assam Students? Union (AASU) and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) continues today with the students? organisation calling upon the militant outfit to first ?liberate Assam from the grasp of Bangladeshi nationals? before demanding sovereignty of Assam. Talking to newsmen here today, AASU president Prabin Boro and adviser Samujjal Bhattacharya asserted that the students? organisation never compromised on the issue of illegal migration of people from Bangladesh. They pointed out that the ULFA is now demanding that all foreigners who...

GUWAHATI, Aug 23 ? The State Forest department has prepared a Rs 16-crore scheme for immediate restoration and reconstruction of the infrastructure inside the national parks and wildlife sanctuaries damaged in the last wave of floods. The Minister of State for Forest, Pradyut Bordoloi, said that the scheme has been submitted to the Central team, which visited the State for assessing the damages caused by floods. He also expressed the hope that the State Government, on its own, would be able to release some funds for immediate restoration of the infrastructure inside the national parks and...

GUWAHATI, Aug 23: A public interest litigation (PIL) has been filed at the Gauhati High Court calling for the appointment of a high power commission to suggest appropriate ways and measures to keep the Kopili dam, at Umrangshu in North Cachar district, intact so that it cannot create artificial floods any more. The PIL has also demanded punishment to the persons guilty for the havoc that the dam caused and for adequate compensation to the affected people after assessment by an independent committee and free relief. It has additionally demanded repair of all roads, bridges and culverts while...

GUWAHATI, Aug 23 ? Gauhati University (GU) Academic Council has approved 12 new degree programmes and 32 PG diploma/diploma/certificate courses for the University departments and the colleges affiliated to the University. Besides, the Council has also approved ten career-oriented courses. The decision in these respects was adopted in the Academic Council meeting on June 19 last.

The degree programmes include a five-year LLB course, Bachelor of Computer Application, BSc biotechnology, BSc microbiology, MSc instrumentation, MSc information technology, MD psychiatry, MD/DPM, M Phil clinical...

GUWAHATI, Aug 23 ? The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the All Assam Students? Union (AASU) seem to be heading towards a collision course as the militant outfit today strongly reacted to the student union?s allegations against it and asserted that it had never compromised on the issue of presence of foreigners in Assam. Talking to The Assam Tribune over phone from an undisclosed location, the ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah said, ?We have ideological difference with the AASU and that is why we do not attach much importance to the statements of the leaders of the students...

NEW DELHI, Aug 23 ? An outrageous plan to engineer blasts in Congress and AGP head offices in Guwahati, besides a few district offices of the ruling party, by the outlawed ULFA was thwarted in the nick of time on the eve of the Independence Day celebrations, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi disclosed this here today. The revelation came after a rattled State Government requested the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Home Affairs for additional forces, enhanced co-ordination in anti-insurgency operations, more equipment for police force and restraining of the NSCN (I-M) from extending shelter to...

NEW DELHI, Aug 23 ? The Commerce and Industry Ministry is expected to announce a comprehensive package for the bailout of the ailing tea industry. Commerce Minister Kamal Nath gave an indication to this effect to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi. The Chief Minister was assured that the Ministry was in the process of working out a package for revival of the tea industry. The Commerce Minister has hinted at a package of around Rs 500 crore, he added.

Kamal Nath has agreed to visit Assam next month to take part in a conference organised by the State Government on the tea industry, Gogoi said. In this...

SHILLONG, Aug 22 ? Close on the heels of being pulled up by the Centre for failing to set up a State commission for women, the Meghalaya Government has processed the setting up of a forum to address key issues relating to women, including violence against the fairer sex. The Union Minister for Women and Child Development Kanti Singh on August 12 last in New Delhi came down heavily on seven States, including Meghalaya, for their failure to constitute State commissions for women.

State Social Welfare Minister Martle Mukhim said he had instructed the State Social Welfare department to prepare...

AGARTALA, Aug 22 ? Two MLAs of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) had a narrow escape when insurgents of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT-BM) fired on their vehicle at Ratannagar area of Dhalai district, police said today. Rabindra Debbarma, MLA and general secretary of the INPT, along with legislator Rajeswsar Debbarma were on their way to Tuichakma village in the district for party work yesterday when NLFT-BM faction militants hiding in jungle fired at their vehicles, police said.

The security personnel escorting the duo retaliated and the covoy managed to...