GUWAHATI, March 15 ? Tourism in Assam in particular and the North-East in general is set to get a fresh lease of life following the operation of Air India flights to Bangkok beginning from April 4. This is the view shared by tour operators, travel agents, government departments and other agencies connected with tourism in the State. The mood in the tour operators? circle in the city is upbeat and they are working overtime to cash in on the business prospects that the new development is offering.

Jungle Travels India Pvt Ltd, a leading tour operator of the North-East which is also a member...

GUWAHATI, March 14?Three premier organisations connected with Buddhist and tribal people of North East India have moved the Centre to ?name and designate? the international flights of Air India on the Guwahati-Bangkok via Kolkata sector as ?Moung Dun Sun Kham? international flights, stated a release. Lauding the Centre for operation of the flights between Guwahati and Bangkok from April this year, the organisations stated that such step would give due importance to medieval relationship between Assam, Myanmar and Siam Thailand. Referring to the Centre?s ?Look Eastward? policy and the flight...

NEW DELHI, March 14 ? A proposal is under consideration to declare the North-east as a free trade zone, highly-placed official sources disclosed today. The sources further said that the move has been initiated in order to give a boost to the industrial sector and to encourage the young entrepreneurs to set up industries in the region. Despite immense potential for industries, no pragmatic steps has yet been initiated and hence several organisations have been demanding declaration of the region as a free trade zone, they added. In this context, the sources expressed the view that if the...

SHILLONG, March 15 ? Suspected NSCN (IM) and Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) militants struck again today killing three policemen and two civilians in an ambush in West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The incident took place barely two kms from the Indo-Bangladesh border confirming fears of security forces that extremist outfits in the North East are actively operating on either side of the international border. Briefing newsmen, State DGP L Sailo disclosed that the victims, travelling in a privately-owned Shaktiman truck were totally taken by surprise when the militants opened fire...

Imphal, March 15: Despite senior leaders ruling out internal dissension within the newly installed Secular progressive Front (SPF) ministry, not all seems to be well within the coalition Front and the lingering dissatisfaction among Congress MLAs has put a big question mark on its life span. Hardly has the controversy over the ?unanimous? election of O Ibobi as the Congress legislature leader died down, the allocation of portfolio may turn out to be the Achilles heels of the SPF government. Though the Governor approved the portfolio list submitted by O Ibobi yesterday, it could be only...