NEW DELHI, July 5 ? Yet another hurdle in setting up of the mega gas cracker project is likely to be cleared shortly, with the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) all set to sign the much-delayed Gas Supply Agreement (GSA) by the month-end. The signing of the pact may bring the project one step closer to execution but Assam Government is still awaiting a response from the Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry (P&NGM), which was entrusted with the responsibility to identify the alternate source of gas supply to meet the shortfall in supply of...

GUWAHATI, July 5? The Sanmilita Jana-Gosthiya Sangram Samity, an umbrella organisation of 19 groups, has criticised the State Government for granting approval to creation of the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC). In a statement, the leaders of the Samity said that the State Governemnt is trying to fragment the lower Assam by granting the BTC. ?Our demand is that more autonomy should be given to the Bodo people as per the recommendations of the Bhupinder Committee report, but we will not accept BTC,? the leaders said.

Reacting sharply to the State Government?s move to include 3,070 villages...

NEW DELHI, July 5 : Government today totally freed the tea sector including plantations for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with a condition that the foreign investor divest 26 per cent equity to its Indian partner within five years. A Government notification said all proposals for 100 per cent FDI in the sector would, however, require prior approval from the Centre. Opening up of the tea sector is part of government?s decision to further liberalise the FDI regime.

AGARTALA, July 6? Planning Commission has pegged an outlay of Rs 4500 crore for Tripura under the 10th Five -year Plan. The State government?s demand was Rs 6908.25 crore. Earlier, the Planning Commis-sion sought to allocate Rs 3080 crore without any discussion with the State government. During 9th Five Year Plan period the plan size for the State was Rs 2577.39 crore. The increase in the plan allocation from that of previous plan period stands at Rs 1922.61 crore. The 10th Five Year Plan size was finalised yesterday at a meeting between Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and Planning...

SHILLONG, July 4?Stung by the charges of extortion levelled by the Meghalaya Government, the Khasi Students? Union (KSU) and the Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) today hit back at Chief Minister Dr F A Khonglam and Deputy Chief Minister accusing them of amassing assets and properties worth crores of rupees. KSU president Samuel Jyrwa and KHNAM president Paul Lyngdoh strongly refuted the charges terming it as ?a pack of lies and innuendos?. They demanded ?the Government must substantiate the allegations. The charges are all baseless and without any grain of truth.?

Addressi...