Economy / Northeast

SHILLONG, July 9? The north-eastern States have received funds totalling Rs 1,444.87 crore from the non-lapsable Central pool during the period 1998-99 to 2001-2002 for implementing various development schemes. Official sources said that an amount of Rs 121.95 crore was released from the pool during the year 1998-99, which jumped to Rs 509.92 crore the next year. The following year, the releases from the non-lapsable pool slipped to Rs 313.04 crore. During 2001-2002, funds released to the North-east from the Central pool was Rs 499.96 crore. Assam secured Rs 293.16 crore (about 20 per cent) of...

NEW DELHI, July 5 : Government today totally freed the tea sector including plantations for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with a condition that the foreign investor divest 26 per cent equity to its Indian partner within five years. A Government notification said all proposals for 100 per cent FDI in the sector would, however, require prior approval from the Centre. Opening up of the tea sector is part of government?s decision to further liberalise the FDI regime.

ITANAGAR, June 29?Arunachal Pradesh Government is making concerted efforts to re-open the traditional border trade routes with China, Bhutan and Myanmar to make this tribal-dominated state a nerve center of border trade in near future. ?My govt. is perusing the matter with utmost effort with the Center for taking up bilateral talks with the Governments of our neighbouring countries on priority basis?, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi said. The Chief Minister stated this while laying the foundation stone for circle headquarters office of Rima Putak in Changlang district of Arunachal...

NEW DELHI, June 28? In a fresh bid to market North-East in the corporate world, Department for Development of North Eastern Region (DONER) and Indian Chambers of Commerce (ICC) have joined hands to organise a ?North East Business Summit? in Mumbai on July 19 and 20. Billed as the biggest-ever initiative to woo investors to the ?resource-rich? North-East, the two-day summit would see captains of industries interacting with top policy makers. Central Ministers and Chief Ministers of the region. In attendance would be senior Central Ministers including L.K.Advani, Union Finance Minister...

GUWAHATI, June 27 ? Federation of Industries and Commerce of North Eastern Region (FINER) has moved the Union Finance Ministry protesting against setting up of a Central Excise Chief Commissioner office for North East in Shillong instead of Guwahati. Sources in the FINER informed that the Finance Ministry on March 8, 2002, had made an announcement about its decision to open a Central Excise Chief Commissioner Office at Guwahati for NE region, which was till then under the Kolkata Chief Commissionerate.

Unfortunately, even before the office could be opened at Guwahati, the Central Board of...

AIZAWL, June 18 ? Education ministers of the north-eastern States have urged the Centre to give 100 per cent funding to the States of the region under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Mizoram Education Minister, Dr R Lalthangliana said here Monday, reports PTI. Lalthangliana, who is also the chairman of the North East Education Ministers? Forum, told PTI that the forum members had submitted a memorandum to this effect to the Centre. ?We urged the Centre to give 100 per cent funding under SSA or meet the 25 per cent matching share of the States from the non-lapsable central pool of resources,? he...

Imphal, June 13: Though the Indo-Myanmar free trade agreement signed between the two countries has resulted in an import of Rs 5 lakhs items from Myanmar per day, the quantity and the category of trade items being exported from India to Myanmar still remains a big question. Following the agreement, the Myanmarese Government had constructed a massive market complex at Namphalong on the Myanmar side and selling numerous items thereby generating a big income to the Government. Above this, Myanmarese traders even descend on Moreh in the Indian territory for selling vegetables, fruits etc earning...

AGARTALA, June 2? A joint core group between businessmen of India and Bangladesh would be formed at regional level to enhance border trade and other bi-lateral relations, reports PTI. The Chambers of Commerces of Agartala and Dhaka would form the core group to explore avenues leading to enhance foreign trade, tourism, communication, towards enhancing trade trend and sign a memorandum of understanding in August in Dhaka, State Industries Minister Pabitra Kar said on Saturday. The decision was taken at the Indo-Bangla talks that ended here on Friday. Kar said business groups of two sides would...

GUWAHATI, May 30 ? The Secretary of the Department of Development of North-Eastern Region (DONER), Dr P D Shenoy today made an appeal to financial institutions to improve the credit-deposit (CD) ratio in the North-east to the national level within three years to facilitate faster economic development of the region. Delivering the key-note address at the first ever seminar on ?investment opportunities in the North-eastern region? organised by the NEDFi here, Dr Shenoy pointed out that Union Finance Ministry had issued directives to the all India financial institutions to restructure their...

GUWAHATI, May 29 ? Centre has decided to sanction Rs 33 crore for the North East in order to upgrade export infrastructure in the entire region. Highly placed official sources today said that the funds would be spent in the seven States of the region to upgrade the existing infrastructure and the border trade points. It may be recalled that the Centre has sanctioned over Rs 300 crore for upgrading infrastructure, of which 10 per cent will be spent specially in the North East with an eye to give a boost to exports with the neighbouring countries.

The sources further said that in spite of...