SHILLONG, Nov 5 ? The MS Swaminathan Research Foundation has said that the foodgrain production in the gross cropped area in Meghalaya has declined over the past decade, coming down from 57.27 per cent in the triennium ending 1990 to 51.32 per cent in the next ending 2000.

The Chennai-based foundation, in its discussion paper for Meghalaya on the 'mission 2007 initiative for hunger-free India' said that share of wheats and coarse cereals has also declined and more significantly rice production has decreased by about 4.61 per cent. The place of foodgrains has been taken by vegetables which saw...

KOHIMA, Nov 5 ? The NSCN-IM yesterday assured the people that the outfit would not enter into any agreement with the Centre without their views and opinions and sought support of all sections of Nagas to end the protracted conflict.

The NSCN-IM collective leadership also extended ?a hand of friendship? to all Nagas, irrespective of their past and standing (on Naga issue) and appealed to all of them to join in working together for ?a peaceful and honourable solution? to the problem.

In a message to the Naga people, the collective leadership assured them that NSCN-IM was committed ?to the fact...

GUWAHATI, Nov 5 ? The 12-hour Guwahati bandh called by the VHP, the Bajrang Dal, the RSS and the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Marcha in protest against the demolition of a Hanuman temple on the riverfront at Uzanbazar by the district administration, paralysed normal life in the city. The bandh was from 5 am to 5 pm.

Shops and business establishments remained closed and private city buses were off the road. While educational institutions and Government offices were open, attendance was thin. Private vehicles, however, continued to ply on the city roads as well as the national highways. No untoward...

GUWAHATI, Nov 4 ? Reliance Telecom Limited (RTL), the mobile phone licensee for the North-east circle, will be launching its services in Agartala town shortly. Reliance will have two service providers, M/s Air Waves and M/s Connoisseurs Technologies Pvt Ltd, who have opened customer service centres at HG Bask Road and Jagannath Bari Road respectively, an RTL press release said here.

RTL will initially offer only the Talk Light 99 tariff plan in Agartala. Due to non-receipt of point of interconnect (POI), from Agartala Tax of BSNL, all calls made from Reliance Mobile at Agartala shall be routed...

DIMAPUR, Nov 3 ? The Inquiry Committee on October 2 twin bomb blasts is yet to receive Forensic experts? reports till date. Nagaland Commissioner TN Mannen who heads the three member state inquiry committee on the twin blasts, which submitted its report to the state government on October 28 last, revealed today.

Due to the delay in receiving the forensic expert?s report, the commission had delayed submission of its report, said Mannen. ?Probably they are examining. Hopefully they will send us the report soon,? said Mannen.

Referring to the various claims of arrests being made so far, he said...