NEW DELHI, Dec 21— Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga is yet to begin the process of opening dialogue with the outlawed outfits of Assam including the ULFA and NDFB. The Chief Minister has been entrusted by the Central Government to initiative dialogue with the underground outfits in the North-east. Talking to this newspaper on the sidelines of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting here today, the Chief Minister said that he is yet to receive any feelers from ULFA or from any other outfits in Assam.

In this connection, he sought to play down his aborted Bangladesh visit saying that...

NEW DELHI, Dec 21 — The Assam Government has given up hope of achieving the 10th Plan projected growth rate of 6.2 per cent unless the Centre bankrolls its resources gap to the tune of Rs 17,000 crore. Addressing the 50th meeting of the National Development Council (NDC), Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi cautioned the Central Government that the 10th Plan is bound to get derailed, if it does not come forward to solve the acute financial difficulties faced by most of the States. At the outset, he pointed out that given the past track record of Assam in the last two five year plans in which it...

TURA, Dec 21 — West Garo Hills police have made a major breakthrough with the arrest of the publicity secretary of the militant group, People’s Liberation Front (PLF). The arrest follows the killing of two hardcore PLF militants at Burny Hills locality of Tura on December 14 night. Sengwat T Sangma and Lastbind Sangma were gunned down in a gunbattle on that night. Police now claim that the house, in which the two militants were killed, was the house of the publicity secretary. The house owner Niosril Sangma has been arrested on the grounds that he is the publicity secretary going by the name...

AGARTALA, Dec 22 – Tripura has recorded satisfactory rate in disposing of consumer related cases under the Consumer Protection Act, 1986. There are four courts in the state- State Commission, Agartala nd three district fora of North, West and South Tripura districts- that look into the consumer rights protion. In all the district fora total 1192 cases were registered from 1989 till June this year. Among these 1009 cases were redressed. According to official data available, in WEst Tripura district forum out of 969 registered cases, 818 cases were redressed while in South Tripura district...

GUWAHATI, Dec 20— The Union Commerce Ministry has decided to conduct a detailed survey on the border trade points in the North East. Highly-placed official sources today informed that the decision was taken in order to improve the present condition of the trade points. Though there are 32 trade points in north east India, 16 are functioning normally while rest are in bad shape. The commerce ministry has been focussing on the North East to accelerate trade with the neighbouring countries. The sources further revealed that the survey is aimed at harnessing the potential in the region. “We...