Development

KOLKATA, July 22 ? The post-portem report of Manorama Devi, whose alleged killing in the custody of Assam Rifles has led to mass protests in Manipur, has said that ?there has not been any rape and molestation?, a Defence spokesman said here today, reports PTI. Giving this information the spokesman at the Eastern Command Headquarters here told PTI that the post-mortem was conducted at the Civil Hospital in Imphal and its report was made available today.

He said with the receipt of the post-mortem report, the Court of Inquiry will expedite its process. At least six to seven Assam Rifles jawans...

ITANAGAR, July 22 ? Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Kameng Dolo, Home Minister L Wanglat and PWD Minister Lichi Legi retained their portfolios when Chief Minister Gegong Apang reallocated portfolios of 12 ministers on Wednesday, a notification from the Department of Cabinet Affairs said, reports PTI. TL Rajkumar who earlier held law, justice and parliamentary affairs was given public health engineering and animal husbandry.

Rima Taipodia who held information and public relation has been made minister for education, irrigation and flood control. Relief and rehabilitation minister Dorjee...

GUWAHATI, July 22 ? The GOC 4 Corps, Lt Gen Anup Jamwal, yesterday told media-persons at the LGBI Airport that 30 columns of the Indian Army were engaged in rescue and relief operations all over

Assam. The Army engineers have been engaged in bridge construction and Army personnel engaged in rescue operations with Boat Assault Universal Type (BAUT). Altogether 100 BAUTs and 86 Out Boat Models (OBM) of the Army have been pressed into service. Thousands of lifejackets of the Army have also been used during the operations. Over 4,000 marooned people have so far been rescued by the Army in the...

DIBRUGARH, July 22 ? Oil India Ltd and Numaligarh Refinery Ltd signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on July 15 for supply of one MMSCMD (million metric standard cubic metres per day) of natural gas to Numaligarh Refinery Ltd for a period of 15 years. The gas will be delivered at Duliajan and will be transported by Assam Gas Co Ltd from OIL?s off-take point at Duliajan.

NRL is also discussing with Assam Gas Co Ltd for finalisation of this transportation of natural gas from Duliajan to Numaligarh. The natural gas delivered at Numaligarh will be utilized for its Captive Power Plant and...

GUWAHATI, July 22: Devastating floods totally smashed the road network in Assam and according to a conservative estimate, an amount of Rs 510 crore will be required to restore the damages. With the present financial position of the State Government, it will not be possible to completely restore the road network without liberal assistance from the Centre. State Public Works Department (PWD) sources told The Assam Tribune today that more than 3600 kilometres of roads including the National Highways were damaged in the current wave of floods. In fact, about 95 kilometres of the Highways are still...

NEW DELHI, July 22 ? The issue of illegal Bangladeshi nationals has turned into a major political controversy with BJP today deploring Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi for writing to the Prime Minister questioning the figures. Briefing newsmen, BJP spokesman Vijay Malhotra termed the Chief Minister?s action as most unfortunate, asserting that there was ample evidence of presence of a large number of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in the country.

In this connection, he referred to the previous Governor, Lt General (retd) SK Sinha?s ?thought provoking? report to the Centre on the issue of illegal...

NEW DELHI, July 22 ? Former State Industries Minister, Bhubaneswar Kalita was today appointed president of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), it was formally announced by the AICC here today. Sri Kalita?s appointment came after Paban Singh Ghatowar submitted his resignation following his defeat in the recent Lok Sabha polls. It was accepted early this week and AICC president, Sonia Gandhi cleared Sri Kalita?s appointment yesterday, sources said.

Appointment of a new president of Assam Congress also going to lead to re-constitution of the APCC, senior Congress leader here said. A...

NEW DELHI, July 22 ? The Railway Ministry has set the target of 2008-2009 to complete the Rs 1,767 crore Bogibeel rail-cum-road bridge, while it is yet to set a time-frame for completion of Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion project. Minister of State for Railways, R Velu disclosed this in a statement in a written reply to a question tabled by Dr Arun Kumar Sarma in the Lok Sabha. The Rangiya-Murkongselek gauge conversion project is estimated to cost Rs 915.70 crore and this fiscal only Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for the project. For the Bogibeel Project sum of Rs 60 crore has been...

NEW DELHI, July 22 ? The Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has clarified that the issue of funding the subsidy for LPG to make up for the shortfall in feedstock for the mega gas cracker project was yet to be sorted out. Uncertainty over implementation of the Project continues even as Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has shown keen interest to take up the Project. However, the Union Minister did not mention the possibility of the Project being handed over ro GAIL.

LPG would be supplied by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to make up for the shortfall in the supply of gas. Substantial...

GUWAHATI, July 22 ? The overall flood situation in the State remained grim today too. The mighty Brahmaputra and five of its major tributaries are still flowing above the danger levels. In the Barak valley, the Barak, the Katakhal and the Kushiyara are also flowing above their respective danger levels. Today was the 29th day since the State was hit by the second wave of the floods this year.The flood related death toll in the state has gone up to 101 with reports of four more fatalities received today.

Meanwhile, according to an official press release here this evening, the State...