NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — Amidst strong opposition by tribal MPs of Assam over the move to accord schedule tribe status to Koch-Rajbongshi community, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram clarified that the proposal was pending clearance by the Union Cabinet. The discussion on the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes Order (Second Amendment) Bill 2002 in the Lok Sabha, this afternoon, witnessed heated exchanges between Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi and CPI(ML) MP Dr Jayanta Rongpi, and SK Bwismutiary, both of whom protested the move to accord ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshi community. The two...

Imphal, December 18: The Manipur Zoological Garden, Iroishemba is today in a pitiable condition thanks to long years of neglect and apathy with its wall developing cracks at many points and crumbling even at some parts. The cages are also in no better shape with many bearing tell-tale signs of neglect. A number of cages have been eaten away by rust and the ravages of time. When The Sangai Express contacted DFO Dr L Puni, who is in charge of the Zoological garden, he said that the Central Zoo Authority released a sum of Rs 7.5 lakhs for wall maintenance last year. The amount has been utilized...

Kohima, Dec. 17: Major political parties in Nagaland have accepted the Church?s proposal ruling out house-to-house campaigning during the coming polls. However, they have little hope that such a directive would be implemented.

The Nagaland Christian Forum (NCF) today addressed an all-party meeting here to deliberate on several points discussed at a similar conference on November 28. However, the ruling Congress was absent at the earlier meet. Today?s meeting was attended by the Congress, the Nagaland People?s Front, the Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP.

According to the two major...

Guwahati, Dec. 17: The Bodo Liberation Tigers (BLT) today rejected Dispur?s appeal to extend the term of its truce with the Centre, saying there was no question of waiting beyond December 21 for a ?positive decision? on the proposed Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC).

?We will not extend the term of the ceasefire. Having said that, I believe the state government can put the peace process back on track by taking a positive decision on the council before the truce expires on December 21,? BLT vice-chairman Kamal Muchahari told The Telegraph.

The pro-talks insurgent leader warned of a situation...

Guwahati, Dec. 17: Alarmed at the increasing number of non-performing assets, the board of directors of North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) has decided to take action against defaulters

The board has decided to take recourse to the Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest Act, 2002, passed recently. Under the act, a financing institution can take over the assets of defaulting units. Action under this Act has already been initiated against a tea-processing unit and a cold-storage project.

In view of the amendment of the...