IMPHAL, Jan 24 — Most of the political parties in the State have pledged to fight the dreaded disease — AIDS as part of its poll plank. Political parties like the Congress Party, Samata Party, Bharatiya Janata Party, Nationalist Congress Party and the Federal Party of Manipur have expressed their interest to bring out a comprehensive policy on AIDS. Former Chief Minister Radhabinod Koijam while expressing his view during the two-day workshop on “Sensitisation of political leaders and parties to HIV/AIDS issues,” urged the people’s representatives to extend cooperation for resolving the problem...

SHILLONG, Jan 23 — The 30th anniversary of the creation of Meghalaya as a full-fledged State on January 21 was held with fanfare. Meghalaya came into being on January 21, 1972. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, came herself to inaugurate the new State at a mammoth gathering, at the Polo ground, Shillong, states a release. Incidentally, the date also coincides with the raising day of the First Meghalaya battalion. This took effect with the conversion of the 7th Assam Police battalion into the 1st Meghalaya Police Batallion at Mawiong, Shillong. With the epassage of time, the small police...

AGARTALA, Jan 24 – Seven special police officers recruited from the civilians to assist regular police in combating militancy, decamped with firearms and ammunitions on Tuesday night from a camp in North Tripura district. They were housed in a camp at Gachhirampara under Kanchanpur police station. Apparently they left to join the militant organisation. A special alert has been sounded throughout the North Tripura district and adjoining Dhalai district. The incident while creating sensation throughout the State and also triggered off serious reaction in the police department itself. This is for...

GUWAHATI, Jan 24 — The Committee on Fiscal Reforms (COFR) has suggested that sanction of grants-in-aid to the State’s colleges and universities should be made contingent on the adherence to the University Grants Commission (UGC) by the colleges and universities concerned and that such grants to these institutions should be reduced at the rate of ten per cent each year, for the next five years. The COFR has also called for steps to facilitate attainment of self-sufficiency by the institutions of higher learning so that the State Government’s financial commitments to these institutions can be...

IMPHAL, Jan 24 – The advisor to the Governor of Manipur FN Rammohan will be aridashing to New Delhi shortly to meet the Union Home Ministry officials and officials of other ministries for more additional forces for the ensuing eighth State Assembly election which is to be held on February 14 and 21. Even though the central authority has agreed to provide 30 companies security forces personnel, the State administration feels that these forces would not be sufficient for the election. With the sudden rise in poll related violence in the State since the past couple of weeks, the State authority...