DIBRUGARH, March 21: Preliminary work on the ambitious integrity complex (sanhati bhavan) of the Asam Sahitya Sabha has commenced with the construction committee getting shape at a meeting of the Sabha which was held here on Monday. The idea to have such a complex in the city was mooted last year, and was taken up as a permanent project of the 66th session of the Sabha, which was held here last month. As part of the project, the old Saharia Town Hall would be thoroughly renovated to transform it into a hi-tech auditorium. Side by side, another building would come up, to house the country's...

NEW DELHI, March 21: The Union Government today ordered the restructuring of the Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL) by clearing transfer of Indo-Burma Petroleum (IBP) stake in the Refinery to the Bharat Petroleum Chemical Limited (BPCL). By the same order the Government also cleared sale of Government's stake in the Bongaigaon Refinery Petro-chemical Limited (BRPL). The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) would pick up Government's entire holding in the Petro-chemical unit turning it into its subsidiary. The Union Cabinet cleared both the proposals earlier. According to the order issued by the...

NEW DELHI, March 21: The Union Cabinet has approved establishment of 22 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) in the Northeastern States and Sikkim through a Centrally sponsored scheme at a cost of nearly Rs 50 crore and upgradation of 35 existing ITIs at an estimated cost of Rs 49 crore, reports PTI. Stating that the Cabinet took the decision last night, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters today that Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee had recently announced an agenda for the socio-economic development of NE region which included doubling of the number of ITIs for...

SHILLONG, March 21: Meghalaya Finance Minister, AH Scott Lyngdoh has hinted that he would be presenting a tough budget on March 27 next with a view to bringing down the level of deficit in the state's finances. While justifying deficit financing as a normal practice for any government, he cautioned, "there is a limit to it." He was responding to grave concerns expressed by Opposition members in the State Assembly during question hour on Wednesday over the huge gap between the income and expenditure of the state government. He informed that against the income (actuals) of Rs 1120.23 crore in...

AIZAWL, March 21: Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga presented a tax-free deficit Budget for the third consecutive year before the state legislative assembly today. Zoramthanga promised to mop up more revenue during the next fiscal keeping the "avoidable" expenditure under check. However, no fresh taxes were announced by the Chief Minister. It will be the endeavour of the taxation department to collect more revenue in 2001-2, he said, adding that the department managed to mop up Rs 908.77 lakh as revenue against the target of Rs 685 lakh. Zoramthanga also sought supplementary demands for grant...