Imphal, March 01: Pioneer o sports movement in Manipur and life president of Manipur Olympic Association, MOA, RK Madhuryyajit Singh passed away at RIMS hospital this morning. He was 90. The sports pioneer, who donned many a mantle during his long and cherished life, was admitted to RIMS hospital on February 10 following a fall at his Yaiskul residence. He underwent an operation on February 18 but his condition worsened and he breathed his last early morning today. He was born in 1912. The mortal remain of Madhuryyajit was first taken to the office of the MOA where sports lovers, sportspersons...

Imphal, March 01: At least six residents of Nongda village under Lamlai police station in Imphal east district were seriously hurt and several other youths got minor injuries after they were assaulted by personnel of the 8th Assam Rifles Yangangpokpi post this morning following a bomb attack on an 8th AR column in between Leimakhong Mapal and Nongda this morning by unknown UGs. According to an official source, the IED bomb which was planted by unknown UGs was first detected by an Army dog named Miss Mala which was accompanying an AR column on foot patrol along the Nongda road this morning...

Imphal, March 01: Although the Congress led Secular Progressive Front, SPF, is set to form the next government, there is still no assurance of a hiccup free passage. The 9-member SPF steering committee meeting today could not arrive at any conclusive decision as to how the front should proceed and another meeting of the committee is scheduled for tomorrow morning. There seems no trouble so far, but the number balance is so precarious that any of the major constituents can seriously rock and even capsize the SPF boat. The total strength of the front is at the moment 36 and can still be held at...

AGARTALA, Feb 27 — One of the largest power project of the North East region, the 500 megawatt combined cycle power project will come up at Monarchok in Sonamura, South Tripura district. Union Power Minister Suresh Prabhu will lay the foundation stone of the project on March 1, Power Minister of Tripura Badal Choudhury said yesterday. He said, the project will be made operational within the next 33 months. Speaking to the reporters in a joint press conference at the secretariat today, General Manager NEEPCO, Tripura project PK Ghosh said, the gas turbine generator will become operational...

GUWAHATI, Feb 28 — The Union Budget presented by the Union Finance Minister Sri Yashwant Sinha carries a few measures which are relevant to the North East. Some of these are directly relevant and the others are indirectly so. Take the directly relevant ones first. The budget provides for the continuation of subsidies to the refineries in the North East on a national basis. Now that the administered price mechanism (APM) for oil is going to be dismantled from April 1, 2002, making the oil prices market centric, this proposal should come as a relief measure to the refineries. Moreover, excise...