North-east India

North-East India becoming a place of opportunity today, says VP Dhankhar

He remarked, We are seeing a phase of Purvodaya that was never imagined, even by the people of this land

North-East states, J&K lead in adopting Aadhar-enabled transactions: Report

North-eastern states and Jammu & Kashmir are increasingly adopting Aadhar-enabled financial services, according to a report. Meghalaya topped the list with a 1000 per cent growth in AePS (Aadhaar Enabled Payment System) transaction value and a 712 per cent increase in the number of transactions, followed by Nagaland and Assam, the report by fintech firm PayNearby said. Retail stores in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a growth of over 134 per cent in value and 89 per cent in the volume of Aadhar-enabled payment transactions in FY24. The Atmanirbhar Bharat Digital Empowerment' report by PayNearby, a company that offers branchless banking and digital network, drew insights from transactions across 12 lakhs plus retail touchpoints throughout the country. The findings are based on business data gathered for the fiscal year 2023-24 compared to the previous fiscal year. Transaction value at MicroATMs of Mizoram and Meghalaya grew by 55 per cent and 43 per cent respectively, whereas volume ..

Search ops conducted, illegal bunkers destroyed, curfew relaxed in Imphal

The Manipur Police on Friday said joint forces have conducted search operations in vulnerable and fringe areas of the strife-torn state and destroyed seven illegal bunkers after fresh violence broke out across various districts. The state government, however, relaxed the curfew in Imphal East and West districts for seven hours from 5 am to facilitate common people to purchase essential items, officials said. "Security Forces conducted search operations in the vulnerable and fringe areas of the State. Joint security forces conducted operation in Koutruk hill range and destroyed 07 (seven) illegal bunkers," the state police said on Twitter. Following the violence in several districts of the ethnic riot-hit state, the administration had on Thursday imposed a total curfew in the twin districts of Imphal as a precautionary measure, withdrawing relaxations announced earlier. The curfew was relaxed on Friday from 5 am to 12 pm "to facilitate the general public to purchase essential ...

Cyclone Mocha to cause 'heavy' rainfall in most northeastern states

IMD said that cyclone Mocha over southeast Bay of Bengal is likely to cause 'heavy' to 'very heavy' rainfall in Tripura, Mizoram, Nagaland, southern Assam and parts of Manipur

Projects worth Rs 1.76 trillion to be completed by 2025 in NE: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said that connectivity projects comprising road, rail and air worth Rs 1.76 lakh crore would be completed by 2025 in the northeastern region

Assam, Arunachal Pradesh hold border talks; likely to resolve disputes

The third round of regional committee-level border talks between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam succeeded in resolving certain issues along the interstate boundary, ministers of the two states said. Addressing a press meet on Wednesday, Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora and Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein said a "threadbare discussion was held in a cordial atmosphere" to find a solution to disputes involving three districts along the boundary. Mein said the committee members had visited the disputed areas in Namsai and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh and Tinsukia in Assam, and interacted with various stakeholders before attending the meetings. "We have come to the conclusion that there are no longer any issues in these areas," he said. Bora said the committee will submit the report of the meeting to the chief ministers of both the states, and they in turn will hand it over to the Centre. "People of both the states want to live in peace. It is usually some

Over 2,000 Bru community voters removed from Mizoram's electoral roll

The names of more than 2,000 Bru voters have been deleted from the electoral roll of Mizoram following their enrolment in neighbouring Tripura's voter list, an election official said. Mizoram Joint Chief Electoral Officer David Liansanglura Pachuau said the state election department has received the deletion request of over 3,000 names from its Tripura counterpart so far. Of this, the names of 2,091 Bru voters have been removed from Mizoram's voter list to date and deletion of the remaining voters is underway, he said. The official said the Bru voters, who resettled in Tripura after not returning to Mizoram during repatriations, were electors of nine assembly constituencies in three districts of Mizoram. Among the disenfranchised Bru voters, 1,643 hailed from Mamit, 187 from Kolasib and 262 from Lunglei district, he said. He said the deletion was done as per the requests sent by the Tripura election department through Electoral Roll Officer Net (ERONet). Pachuau said they have ..

Amit Shah assures proactive steps to address demand for 'Frontier Nagaland'

In a landmark development, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that steps will be taken to address the grievances of the far-flung region

Act East Policy to boost NE India's ties with ASEAN countries: Mizoram Guv

Mizoram Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati said on Saturday that implementation of India's Act East Policy will improve the relations of the northeast region with the ASEAN countries

CM Sarma announces additional Rs 5 crore for Assam Agitation Welfare Trust

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday announced an additional Rs five crore for the Assam Agitation Welfare Trust. The trust was formed with an initial corpus of Rs five crore and with the chief minister's announcement of additional Rs five crore, the total amount at its disposal will be Rs 10 crore. A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting, chaired by the chief minister, to discuss matters related to future tasks as well as measures required for strengthening the trust, an official release stated. Sarma said the amount would be utilised to provide various relief measures to family members of martyrs of Assam Agitation and those grievously injured during the agitation. The chief minister also directed the Assam Accord Implementation Department to make an online database of those who were hit by bullets or were seriously injured during their participation in Assam Agitation. The state had witnessed a six-year agitation against illegal migrants from neighbouri

Mizoram stone quarry collapse: Toll rises to 10, PM announces ex gratia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh to the next of kin of each of those who lost their lives in the stone quarry collapse in Mizoram. He also said the injured persons in the tragic incident would be given Rs 50,000 each. The death toll rose to 10 in the stone quarry collapse in South Mizoram's Hnahthial district as two more bodies were recovered from the site, an official said earlier in the day. My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones due to the tragic stone quarry collapse in Mizoram. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh would be given from PMNRF (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund) to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PM said on Twitter. Of the deceased, five were from West Bengal, two each from Jharkhand and neighbouring Assam and one from Mizoram's Lunglei district, the official said. Overall 12 people were confirmed to have been trapped after the stone quarry caved in at Maudarh village,

Cabinet approves Rs 6,600 crore scheme 'PM-DevINE' for North-Eastern states

Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), a Rs 6,600 crore scheme to support infrastructure, industries and other livelihood projects in the Northeastern states, was approved on Wednesday by the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The new scheme, to be implemented during the remaining four years of the 15th Finance Commission from 2022-23 to 2025-26, is a 100 per cent Central government-funded plan and will be administered by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), an official statement said. Efforts will be made to complete the PM-DevINE projects by 2025-26 so that there are no committed liabilities beyond this year and this implies front-loading of the sanctions under the scheme in 2022-23 and 2023-24 primarily, it said. While expenditure would continue to be incurred during 2024-25 and 2025-26, focused attention will be given to completing the sanctioned PM-DevINE projects. The PM-DevINE will lead to the .

President Murmu to arrive in Tripura for two-day visit from Oct 12

President Droupadi Murmu will inaugurate several development projects in Tripura during her two-day visit to the northeastern state on Wednesday, officials said. The President is scheduled to land at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport here on Wednesday at 11.15 am. It will be Murmu's first visit to the state after becoming the President. During the visit, Murmu will flag off Guwahati to Kolkata express up to Agartala and extension of Agartala-Jiribam-Agartala Jan Satabdi express up to Khongsang (Manipur) with new LHB rake and Vistadome coach, they said. She will also dedicate the trans-shiftment yard which was built at Nischintapur, crossing point of Indo-Bangla railway project to the nation, six km away from the state capital by video link. The President is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of Pushbanta Palace Museum and National Law University at Narsinghgarh in West Tripura district. The state government plans to develop Pushbanta Palace which was built by Maharaja Birendra Kishor

Assam cops made huts in disputed inter-state border area: Mizoram Police

Amidst the parleys between the two northeastern states to find an amicable solution to the vexed border issue, the Mizoram police alleged that Assam policemen have constructed two temporary huts in the disputed Zophai area. Kolasib superintendent of police Vanlalfaka Ralte told PTI over the phone that the Assam police erected two temporary huts in Zophai area on October 2 at a place opposite to Mizoram's first chief Minister Ch Chhunga's paddy field where a border clash had occurred in 2018. The huts were, however, dismantled on Monday by the Assam police itself, he said. The authorities in Assam could not be contacted for comments. The tension in the area due to the construction of the huts dissipated after the huts were razed demolished. The area is contiguous to Hailakandi district in Assam. The Assam police dismantled the two huts after Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga and state Home Minister Lalchamliana spoke to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is also its home

Unification of Naga inhabited areas, separate flag non-negotiable: NSCN-IM

A day before resuming peace talks with the government, insurgent group NSCN-IM said the outfit stands by its demand for unification of Naga inhabited areas and a separate flag and these are non-negotiable. Both the NSCN-IM and the government representatives have agreed to resume their peace dialogue on Wednesday here to find a permanent solution to the vexed issue. In an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Nagalim Voice', the NSCN-IM also said it is ironic to point out that Prime Minister Narendra Modi who loves to advertise his achievements is expected to take the Naga issue to logical conclusion as the stalled Indo-Naga talks pick up the threads with focus on the Framework Agreement (FA) and formulated papers. The editorial said seven years ago, when Modi took the initiative to supervise the high-profile FA signing ceremony on August 3, 2015 at his residence, it generated much hype and hope going by the tone of his highly enchanting speech. The prime minister took pride in announcing to

Footballer Bhaichung Bhutia becomes new president of Hamro Sikkim Party

Legendary footballer Bhaichung Bhutia was on Tuesday elected as the new president of the Hamro Sikkim Party (HSP). The 45-year-old former India captain was elected unanimously by party leaders and members at a national conference held here, HSP general secretary Biraj Adhikari said. "The HSP is confident that Bhutia will now carry the mantle of leading the fight to rid Sikkim of the present corrupt misrule and provide a transparent and responsive government to the people if elected to power in the future," he said. Bhutia said he will strive to serve the people of Sikkim and represent their hopes and aspirations. "We will work tirelessly towards ensuring social equality and justice and create endless opportunities for every Sikkimese to achieve the true potential of our state," he said. Bhutia thanked outgoing HSP president Bina Basnett for successfully completing her tenure of three years.

Clash between police, locals during eviction in Manipur's scheduled land

A clash broke out between Police and protesters during an eviction drive of local structures in Chingmeirong on Wednesday

Naga groups commit to hold dialogue for overcoming political disagreements

The NSCN-IM and Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) on Wednesday committed to hold dialogues in order to move forward and live in peace by overcoming the distrust and disagreements between them on the Naga political issue. The two groups also resolved to guard themselves against rifts. The assertion was made as part of the September Joint Accordant' signed by member of the Collective Leadership of NSCN-IM, V S Atem and the coordinator of Working Committee of NNPG, Alezo Venuh during a meet facilitated by the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR) here. They also agreed to honour the 'Covenant of Reconciliation' (CoR) of June 13, 2009 signed by the late Isak Chishi Swu of NSCN(I-M), late S S Khaplang of the insuregnt group NSCN(K) and Brig (retired) S Singnya in "letter and spirit". We are committed to holding dialogue in order to move forward, live in peace and overcome the cynicism, anxiety and disagreements that have caused us to see each other as foes and ..

CM Sangma launches 'Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act' portal

The Meghalaya government launched a multi-purpose online portal, Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA), to ensure the safety and security of the residents

More than 8 lakh additional hospital beds required in North-east Region

Two-day summit discussed on various problems in the health sector in the north-eastern states