News

Kohima, July 1: The inquiry committee set up to probe the Rs 38,000 crore Nagaland lottery scam of 1998 has ruled out misappropriation of funds but criticised the functioning of the finance department. The scam had figured in the comptroller and auditor-general?s report of 1997-98 and several Congress leaders of the state as well as the Northeast had become embroiled in the controversy.

The CAG report had stated that the entire sale proceeds from tickets amounting to Rs 38,297.32 crore had not been deposited in the government account. It had also stated that the government?s agreement with the...

Guwahati/New Delhi, July 1: Making a last-ditch effort to remain in the government, Assam PCC veterans have asked chief minister Tarun Gogoi to choose them over their younger colleagues in the new ministry because of their experience. The veterans said that as younger MLAs have age on their side, they could wait before joining the ministry.

AICC general secretary in charge of the Northeast, Digvijay Singh, today said the final list of ministers to be retained after the downsizing would be completed within the next couple of days.

?The chief minister has full liberty to decide his team and we...

GUWAHATI, July 1 ? The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, an apex bank of India working for the development of rural areas, is implemented a ?special plan? from April 1, 2004 to protect Assam from a rat-induced famine, which is likely to hit the State economy hard within two years. Conceptually, a ?famine? is a crisis period caused by low agricultural production leading to shortage of food and other necessities. Going by previous experience, it is expected that the next round of large-scale flowering of bamboo in the region will occur anytime between 2005 and 2007.

It has...

Imphal, July 1: The banned Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) pulled up three leaders of a well-known women?s organisation in Manipur for taking money from a housewife. The KYKL asked the International Manipuri Mothers? Association president Khuman Leima, secretary Tejbati Devi and publicity secretary Ashangbi Devi of the Imphal-based organisation to surrender to the outfit within a week and also return the money (taken as bribe) to the housewife. A spokesman for the outfit said the three leaders took a sum of Rs 7,500 from Warokpam Sophia Devi of Wangoi Laiphrakpam Leikai in Imphal West promising...

Nagaon, July 1: A senior Assam government official and a constable were killed when NSCN (I-M) militants attacked a team of police and civil officials on an eviction drive in the Dhansiri reserve forest in Karbi Anglong district today. Police sources said the team comprised personnel of Karbi Anglong police, commandos and the CRPF. The leader of the team, extra-assistant commissioner of Dhansiri Dipankar Das died on the spot, while the constable succumbed to his injuries later. Nine policemen were critically injured in the attack.

The militants, who had constructed at least 22 well...