KOKRAJHAR, June 15 – The State Government has released Rs ten crore for rehabilitation of 10,000 families of relief camp inmates who are languishing at different relief camps in Dhubri, Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar due to the Bodo-Adivasi ethnic violence in 1996-1998, informed Binkanta Soren, vice-chairman of Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam here recently.

Soren further informed that the State Government also sanctioned 15 days ration to the camp inmates which will be distributed within this month along with rehabilitation grants. After proper rehabilitation of these 10,000 families, the Central...

SHILLONG, JUNE 15 – Conceding to the demands of the north-eastern Chief Ministers, the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) has withdrawn the draft Cabinet note seeking exemption from earmarking of 10 per cent of gross budgetary support for the region. The decision was announced at a press conference by HRD Minister Arjun Singh on the concluding day of the review meeting of HRD schemes with the Chief Ministers of the region at Hotel Pinewood here this evening. Singh had presided over the meeting.

Singh also announced that an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) would be set up...

Agartala, June 14: The mass abductions by the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT)’s Biswamohan Debbarma group this morning belied speculation about the outfit planning to follow the path shown by the two factions which suspended hostilities in April.

The Nayanbasi Jamatya and Mantu Koloi-Kamini Debbarma factions signed tripartite agreements with the Centre and the state government in New Delhi on April 15 and surrendered thereafter, giving insurgency-scarred Tripura something to cheer about after a long time.

Most people thought the stronger Biswamohan faction would follow suit, but...

Shillong, June 14: Meghalaya is all set to experiment with new innovations to redraw the state’s — and the country’s — tourism map. Leading the way is chief minister D.D. Lapang, who recently unveiled plans that promise to add a new dimension to the hamstrung tourism sector in the state and bring it back on track.

“We want to start off with a number of projects. We want to make Umroi (near Barapani) Park look like the Brindavan Gardens with cable cars. A water sports centre would be set up in the Umiam lake for tourists,” the Meghalaya chief minister said.

“All this will happen in record...

Kohima, June 14: Naga insurgent leader S.S. Khaplang might follow rivals Isak Chisi Swu and Th. Muivah to India this year. NSCN (K) deputy kilonser (minister) Kughalu Mulatonu said on his return to Nagaland from New Delhi that Khaplang, the Myanmar-based chairman of the militant group, was planning to come out of self-imposed exile to lay the foundation for a dialogue with the Centre. However, he declined to divulge Khaplang’s travel plans, citing “security concerns”.

Mulatonu, who admittedly did not meet any political leader during his stay in the capital, said he made the trip simply to...