NEW DELHI, Dec 19 — The Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) owes a whopping Rs 993.73 crore to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) even as the power company’s outstanding dues have touched an all-time high of Rs 1,474.92 crore. Even as the tussle among the State electricity boards and NEEPCO for payment of dues continues, interest on oustanding has been piling. Assam for instance owes Rs 795.63 crore as on November but its interest component has touched Rs 198.10 crore. The interest on outstanding dues of all the seven States has been estimated at Rs 259.52 crore.

Assam...

NEW DELHI, Dec 19— The Rajya Sabha today unanimously passed the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Orders (Second amendment) Bill, 2002 without any discussion, paving the way for modification of the ST and SC lists in 20 states involving 140 communities. The Bill was passed by the Lok Sabha here yesterday after a thorough discussion that saw tribal members from Assam opposing the entry of Koch-Rajbongshi community in the ST list. The case of the Kochi-Rajbongshi community has been strengthened by recommendations of the National Commission for SC and ST and the Parliamentary Standing...

SHILLONG, Dec 19 — Members of the Meghalaya Assembly, cutting across party lines, today expressed strong reservations against the draft proposals of the Delimitation Commission. Participating in a discussion on a private member’s motion, members warned that the arbitrary exercise of delimitation carried out without taking the State Government and the elected representatives into confidence would result in grave consequences. The proposals, which are yet to be received officially by the State Government, seek to restructure the Assembly constituencies to bring parity as per population.

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NEW DELHI, Dec 19 — The Ministry of Home Affairs today directed the Assam government to immediately settle the tangle over the demarcation of the boundary of the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). The MHA directive came in a tripartite meeting on the Bodo issue held here this evening. Official sources said that though the Assam government sought time till January 10 to finalise the boundary of the BTC. The MHA directed that the issue should be settled within this month. Sources said that the boundary of the proposed BTC is the only point left to be settled and all other points have...

Imphal, December 19: Ngaranphung Shining Youth club today organized the first cultural meet at Ngaranphung village, Senapati district. It was sponsored by United Committee of Manipur (UCM). Konsam Langamba VP of UCM was the Chief Guest of'the function. Thomas head man of the village presided over the function. Lalit Singh of Romi Bags was the Guest of Honour. The chairman of NSYC giving the welcome address said the cultural meet is organized to preserve the culture though it is declining day by day. Langamba said organization of such festival will inculcate the feeling of living together...