Page 21 - Northeast India

Meghalaya launches shared school bus system, prime tourism vehicles schemes

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma launched the shared school bus system, prime tourism vehicles and agriculture response vehicle scheme. The chief minister on Wednesday flagged off shared school buses and hoped that it will help to minimise traffic congestion in Shillong. "A bus ride today with our students in the launch of the Shared School Bus System which we are hopeful to minimize traffic congestion & create a mode shift in school travel from private four-wheelers to school buses in Shillong city," Sangma tweeted on Wednesday. The buses are part of Sustainable Transport and Efficient Mobility Society (STEMS) programme focussed on mobility and overall transportation to decongest the city. The chief minister said the prime tourist vehicles are a step to improve the overall tourism sector and to provide good transportation services to tourists and at the same time provide job opportunities to our entrepreneurs. The Meghalaya government is providing financial assistance to ..

Congress says confident of forming govt in Nagaland over anti-incumbency

The Congress is confident of forming the next government in Nagaland as there is an anti-incumbency in the state, a senior leader said on Saturday. The ruling BJP-NDPP combine is exposed through their deliberate non-implementation of the Naga political solution, said Congress's in-charge of Nagaland Ranajit Mukherjee. "There is an anti-incumbency across the state and we are confident that Congress will form the next government," he said. Asserting that the Congress stands for an immediate solution to the Naga political issue, he claimed, "Being the only party opposing the BJP and NDPP in the state, we are sure that the electorate will grant their votes to us." Asked if the Congress will contest all the 60 seats, Mukherjee said his party has floated the vision of a secular alliance to all other like-minded parties to contest all the seats. He said the party's leadership will hold a crucial meeting with state Congress office-bearers on January 10 in Dimapur to formulate an electoral

Centre, states working together for development of Northeast: NS Tomer

Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar has said that agriculture is the country's fastest growing sector and there will be no constraint of central funding for its development. Referring to the northeast, he said the Centre and the northeast states governments are working together to develop the agriculture sector given its potential for organic farming. Agriculture is the fastest growing sector in the country and the Center is making continuous efforts to make farming profitable. There will be no constraint of central funding for development of agriculture sector, the union minister said inaugurating the newly constructed administrative and academic buildings of Pasighat Agriculture College in East Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday. The Centre has endeavoured to establish a link between research and farming and provide scientific advice to farmers at the ground level. The setting up of the institute as visualised by Prime Minister Narendra

Bad weather hits operations in northern, central India; flights delayed

Bad weather prevailing in the Northern and Central parts of India on Friday disrupted flight operations at Indira Gandhi International Airport with over eight flight departures delayed

74% dip in insurgency in Northeast, civilian deaths down by 89%: Minister

There has been a 74 per cent reduction in insurgency-related violence, 60 per cent reduction in attacks on security forces and 89 per cent decrease in civilian deaths in the Northeast, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said on Thursday. Addressing a press conference here, the Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) said about 8,000 youths, who were involved with insurgent groups, have surrendered and have joined the mainstream, welcoming a better future for themselves and their families. "There has been a 74 per cent reduction in insurgency incidents, 60 per cent reduction in incidents of attacks on security forces and 89 per cent reduction in civilian deaths in the Northeast," he said. Reddy said the development of the Northeast has been made a major priority by the central government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has visited the region more than 50 times in last eight years and 74 ministers have also visited the region over 400 times. "The Northeast was previou

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrives in Manipur to inaugurate projects

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit to Manipur during which he will inaugurate and lay foundation stone of several projects in the northeastern state. Shah was received at the airport here by Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Education R K Ranjan and senior government and police officers. Shah will inaugurate the Churachandpur Medical College, the first medical college in the state on Friday. He will unveil the 120 feet statue of a polo player riding a pony being developed at Heingang Marjing Hill in Imphal East district. The Home minister will hoist the national flag at Heritage site of INA headquarters in Moirang area in Bishnupur district. Moirang village is where INA soldiers during the fag end of World War II hoisted the tri colour for the first time on Indian soil. Shah is also scheduled to inaugurate and lay foundation stones of various other projects at Chingei Lampak area in Bishnup

Govt okays Rs 12,882-cr for continuation of Northeast's development schemes

The Centre has approved the continuation of schemes of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) with an outlay of Rs 12,882 crore for the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission (2022-23 to 2025-26). Addressing a press conference here, Minister for DoNER G Kishan Reddy said the decision to extend the approved schemes for the balance period of the 15th Finance Commission was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday. This would enable better planning for the implementation of the schemes in terms of project selection and front-loading of projects during the scheme period, he said. Reddy said efforts will be made to conclude the maximum number of projects by 2025-26 so that there are minimum committed liabilities beyond that year. The minister said based on the Expenditure Finance Committee's (EFC) recommendations, the outlay for the North East Special Infrastructure Scheme (NESIDS) will be Rs 8,139.5 crore,

5 companies of Central paramilitary forces arrive in Tripura ahead of polls

Central paramilitary forces have started arriving in Tripura as Assembly elections are due in the northeastern state early next year, a senior police officer said on Wednesday. Five companies of CRPF arrived on Tuesday and they will be deployed in the districts to perform election related duties while 50 more companies are expected to arrive by next 48 hours. As many as 100 companies of central paramilitary forces - CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP and SSB will be deployed in the northeastern state to ensure free and fair elections. "Five companies of central forces have arrived and 50 more companies are on their way to the state. By next week, around 100 companies of central forces will be available in the state", the officer said. The Centre has earmarked 100 companies of forces for conducting free and fair elections, he said, adding all the central forces will be deployed district wise to beef up security arrangements for the elections. The officer said, "the district administrations have

Ujjwala scheme: Rs 200 subsidy per cylinder to be extended one more year

The main motive of the extension is to improve the penetration in north-east India, a government official said

Govt spending Rs 7 trn for development in northeast now, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Meghalaya and Tripura on Sunday to unveils several infra projects

Indian Air Force to carry out 2-day exercise in Northeast from Thursday

The Indian Air Force will carry out a two-day exercise in the Northeast involving almost all its frontline fighter jets and other assets deployed in the region amid the fresh tensions between Indian and Chinese troops in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh following the last week's face-off in the area. Sources said the exercise is aimed at checking the IAF's overall combat capability and military preparedness in the region. They, however, said the exercise was planned much before the face-off between the Indian and Chinese armies and it is not related to the incident. The sources said IAF's frontline fighter jets including Sukhoi-30MKIs and Rafale jets will be part of the exercise besides several other platforms deployed in the region. All frontline air bases and some key Advanced Landing Grounds (ALGs) in the Northeast are set to be involved in the exercise, said a source. The sources said the top brass of the Eastern Air Command will also undertake a comprehensive review of

IMD forecasts warm winter, crop yields likely to feel the heat this year

Both the minimum and maximum will remain below normal in Southern Peninsular and Central India in these winter months.

Centre working to improve connectivity, infra in Northeast: Jaishankar

He added that India's G20 presidency will be celebrated at various places across the country, including Manipur

NE DGPs meet begins, drug trafficking concern for Northeast: Tripura CM

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said drug trafficking from across the border is a major concern for the north east region. Inaugurating the two-day meeting of DGPs and heads of Central Police Organisations (CPOs) of northeast region, Saha said enforcement agencies including state police will work together to uproot the menace in the days to come. "The drug supply chain from Myanmar through Mizoram and Assam border has emerged as a major problem for northeastern states. The two-day meeting of DGPs and heads of CPOs of Northeast region will throw light on the problem and find ways for tackling it effectively", he told reporters after inaugurating the conference at Prajna Bhavan here. He said that Tripura is being used as a corridor for drug trafficking from Myanmar to Bangladesh through Mizoram and Assam. Saha said there will also be discussion on how to curb ganja smuggling from the northeastern state (Tripura) to mainland states with law enforcement agencies seizing ..

Centre to spend Rs 50,000 cr on infrastructure development of Arunachal: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the central government is going to spend Rs 50,000 crore in near future for the infrastructural development of Arunachal Pradesh. The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the Donyi Polo Airport at Hollangi near here and dedicated the 600 MW Kameng Hydro Power Station to the nation, underlined the natural beauty of Arunachal Pradesh and said that the state has great potential for tourism. He stressed the need for proper connectivity to remote areas of the state and said that 85 per cent of villages in Arunachal Pradesh are linked with Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna. Giving the example of highway construction in remote and inaccessible areas, he said that another Rs 50,000 crore will be spent on the development of infrastructure in the large northeastern state. The development of the new airport will create huge opportunities in the field of cargo services. As a result, farmers of the state can now sell their produce to bigger markets, h

G20 presidency would be a big boost to investment in tourism: Kishan Reddy

Reddy said that Mizoram is a beautiful state with huge potential in adventure and eco-tourism and that ITM plans to facilitate interaction between government agencies and stakeholders.

Many G20 representative meetings planned in Northeast: Tourism minister

India is set to host over 200 meetings of the G20 between December 2022 and November 2023. Some of these meetings are to be held in northeastern states

Modi govt fully committed to develop tourism in Northeast: G Kishan Reddy

Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy says Modi government is fully committed to make Northeast a world-class tourism hub

Conclave to celebrate indomitable spirit of Northeast: Army official

The valour of the celebrated as well as the unsung heroes of Northeastern states will be commemorated by the Indian Army at a special event here, a top official said on Saturday. The two-day conclave, Purvottar Swabhiman Utsav', from November 22 will honour kin of soldiers killed in combat, display weaponry of the armed forces and present the diversity of the region through a cultural function, the official said. Addressing a press conference at Narangi Military Station here, Lt Gen KC Panchanathan, General Officer Commanding, 101 Area, said, The NE region has seen many upheavals, from insurgency to cross-border terrorism to natural calamities. But the last decade has been of peace and development, and the region is now the cornerstone of the country's Act East Policy'. The conclave is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of the people of NE and symbolises a perfect synergy among all stakeholders in the region, the top official said. The programme is being held under the aegis of t

CAA enactment in Northeast, WB should not be a problem: MoS Rajkumar Singh

'The inner line permit and CAA should not be a problem in the nation, especially in northeast India and West Bengal'