GUWAHATI, July 29 ? Devastating floods seriously affected agriculture and according to preliminary estimates, more than 60 percent of the standing crop was damaged in the current wave of floods. This was disclosed by the Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Dr Nazrul Islam, who was replying to the debate on the cut motions on the demand for grant for the Agriculture Department for the current financial year in the State Assembly today. Dr Islam informed the House that more than 12 lakh farm families were affected in floods this year and standing crop in more than eleven lakh hectares of land were...

GUWAHATI, July 29: Transport Minister Anjan Dutta today announced his decision to resign from the post of Minister and also from membership of the Assembly till the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the crude oil theft scam is completed following a heated debate in the Assembly. The Assembly today witnessed noisy scenes and heated exchange of words between the ruling and opposition party members over the issue after AGP member Zoii Nath Sarma moved a motion of breach of privilege against the Transport Minister.

Moving the Motion, Sarma alleged that the Transport Minister had...

IMPHAL, July 28 ? The Court of Inquiry instituted by Assam Rifles for investigating into the custodial death of 30-year-old Th. Manorama Devi has found ?some lapses? by the personnel of the paramilitary force in implementation of instructions issued to them by the Army authorities.

A defence release said today the Court of Inquiry unearthed some lapses on the part of the Assam Rifles personnel regarding the implementation of instructions issued to them by the authorities.

The Court of Inquiry has completed its findings after inquiring into the circumstances that led to the killing of Manorama...

HAFLONG, July 28 ? Incessant rain followed by heavy landslides and erosion throughout the entire district of NC Hills has created havoc. Till the filing of this report, 44 villages were directly affected due to erosion and landslides,five villages were evacuated due to flood and three relief camps were opened at Diyungmukh area. A total of 793 houses were damaged leaving more than 7120 people homeless. A total of 300 cattle died and other properties worth more than four crore of rupees were lost. Crops areas measuring 205.20 hectare were damaged.

Major roads like the Dehangi-Diyungmukh...

SHILLONG, July 28 ? The Meghalaya Government has roped in the Indian Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) to help promote and develop tourism and tourism-related activities so as to effectively tackle the growing problem of educated unemployment in the state. Meghalaya Chief Minister D D Lapang told newspersons at the Secretariat Conference Hall here today, ?We are aware that lack of employment is behind the rise of insurgency in the state. It is also evident that tourism holds the key in generating a lot of employment potential in the state.?

It is in this context that an Memorandum of...