Development

NEW DELHI, Dec 14 ? Unfazed by attacks on UPA Government?s stand on illegal influx from across the border, Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil today strongly defended the contentious IMDT Act, arguing that it was needed to protect the genuine Indian citizens from harassment.

In a policy statement of sorts, the Union Home Minister today clarified the UPA Government?s position on the illegal infiltrators, explaining that Central Government differentiated between infiltrators who entered the country with guns to create terror and those who sneaked in because of economic compulsions.

In the same...

IMPHAL, Dec 13 ? Attired in traditional mourning dresses, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh led thousands of people, mostly womenfolk, in paying floral tributes to the statues of the brave Manipuri women at the Nupilal Memorial Complex here where a state function was held to mark the 65th observation of the Women?s War Day (Nupilal Day ) on Sunday last.

Floral tributes, exhortation speech, call for peace and demand for withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act 1958 from the state marked the observation which was held in memory of those brave women who fought against the British on...

KOHIMA, Dec 13 ? Amidst tight security, top leaders of the NSCN-IM are arriving in Dimapur tomorrow in their second visit to Nagaland in two years to hold consultation with different groups in an attempt to find a lasting solution to the Naga political problem, reports PTI.

Security measures have been beefed up around NSCN-IM?S camp at Hebron, near Dimapur, where the two leaders Chairman Issac Chieshi Swu and general secretary Th. Muivah would be staying, and along the road from the airport to the camp, official sources said.

They, however, said once the leaders arrived in the camp, it would...

AGARTALA, Dec 13 ? Tripura Government has made it clear that it would not be able to pay the pending Dearness Relief to the pensioners of the state. In a gazette notification issued by the additional secretary of Finance Department RK Dey Choudhury on November 16 said that due to cash crunch the state government is unable to pay DA to the pensioners.

It came barely four months later of the Supreme Court?s order directing state government to pay pending DA to the pensioners within one month of the court?s order.

Recently, state Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury categorically stated that there...

KOKRAJHAR, Dec 13 ? The problem of equal status to Bodos residing under the jurisdiction of the three autonomous councils in Assam will be resolved by March, 2005, said Minister of State for Finance, Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Addressing a gathering at the Kokrajhar Government HS and MP School field on the occasion of the celebration of the first anniversary of Bodoland Territorial Area Development (BTAD), on Tuesday, Sarma said the BTAD meet be integral to the vision of the ?State Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi to make Assam a resourceful state. The State government is committed to implementation of...

DIBRUGARH, Dec 13 ? The 24-hour upper Assam bandh, called by the Muttuck Students? Association passed off with mixed response in the region. The bandh had no impact in the Sivasagar and Jorhat districts, while it was observed in the Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.

The Muttuck Students? Association, which has a limited presence in the city, enforced the bandh here forcibly, even as the district administration and the police looked the other way. About a dozen youths have been arrested for resorting to arson and pelting stones at passing vehicles and trains.

In the city, the bandh had limited...

GUWAHATI, Dec 13 ? The Trinamul Gana Parishad, Purbanchaliya Loka Parishad (PLP) and Jatiya Aikya Mancha Asam today merged to form the Asam Gana Morcha. The objective of the merger is to provide a common platform for like-minded regional political and apolitical organisations to press for a lasting solution of the problems plaguing the State.

In a dharna organised near the Dighalipukhuri today, several leaders of the organisation elaborated on the Mancha?s agenda. The Morcha said that it would adopt a common programme to secure the legitimate rights of the people. Some of the issues identified...

NEW DELHI, Dec 13 ? Assam?s cry for assistance after the devastating floods did not have much impact, with the Centre releasing only Rs 171.87 crore for flood relief, while rest of the Rs 345 crore were adjusted.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources, Jai Prakash Narayand Yadav said after taking into account the report of the Central team?s recommendations and the Inter-Ministerial Group and norms of assistance, the High Level Committee sanctioned Rs 345.37 crore for flood relief of which Rs 171.87 crore was released after adjusting funds available under Calamity Relief Fund (CRF).

The...

SHILLONG, Dec 12 ?The Centre would review the ceasefire agreement with the Achik National Volunteers Council (ANVC) militant outfit in Meghalaya before the expiry of its six-month term on January 23 next, reports PTI. Union Home ministry?s joint secretary Rajiv Agarwala would visit Tura in West Garo Hills district, where the liaison camp is located, on or before January 23 to review the adherence of the ceasefire ground rules, State Home minister H D R Lyngdoh said on Sunday.

The ANVC had signed a ceasefire agreement with the Centre and State government on July 23 this year for an initial...

GUWAHATI, Dec 12 ? The Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), formed under the provisions of the amended Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India following the signing of a peace accord between the State and Central Governments and Bodo Liberation Tiger (BLT), completed one year of existence on December 7, but till date it has not received the funds promised by the Centre for infrastructure development of the area and the schemes submitted by the Council are still pending with the Department for Development of the North Eastern Region (DoNER).

Talking to The Assam Tribune, the Deputy Chief of...