Assam

At least 18 people from Assam's Tinsukia district have been killed and three others are missing as the truck they were travelling in fell into a remote gorge in neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Thursday. The incident took place on Hayuliang-Chaglagam Road in Anjaw district in the eastern part of the hill state on December 8 when a truck was carrying 22 labourers from Tinsukia district, Defence PRO Lt Col Mahender Rawat said, citing the lone survivor's version. The accident site, approximately 12 km from Chaglagam, lies in difficult terrain with limited connectivity and had not been reported by any local agency, contractor or civil representative until the survivor's arrival, Rawat said in a statement. "Eighteen bodies have been sighted and are being retrieved using belay ropes. ADC of Hayuliang has informed SP of Anjaw, who has reached the site, while the District Medical Officer is moving to facilitate evacuation of casualties and mortal remains," he said. Rawat s

A massive fire that broke out at a commercial complex in Guwahati remained untamed for over 33 hours even as more than two dozen fire tenders have been struggling to douse the blaze, a senior official said on Thursday. The fire broke out at Swagata Square Complex in ABC Point around 12.30 am on Wednesday. The multi-storey building houses SBI's zonal office, commercial branch and the premium banking branch, and a shopping mall, 'Sohum Emporia'. More than 25 fire tenders have been struggling for more than 33 hours. Water tenders from the Indian Air Force, Indian Army and Guwahati Refinery also joined the efforts to douse the blaze, while NDRF was called in to assist with their high-tech smoke reduction machine. Apart from Guwahati, fire tenders came from Morigaon, Kamrup and Nalbari districts, as well, while more vehicles were on the way from Darrang. "The fire is still raging on the sixth floor. We are trying to douse it," a senior official of the Fire & Emergency Services ...

The Swahid Diwas is celebrated every year on December 10 to pay tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Assam movement

Guwahati has emerged as Northeast India's commercial powerhouse, with major infrastructure investments set to reshape the region's real estate landscape through 2028, according to a report. The report titled 'Beyond the metros: Insights into India's emerging real estate stars' by leading commercial real estate and investment management company JLL pointed out that the city's strategic positioning as the gateway to eight northeastern states, combined with world-class educational institutions and a thriving business ecosystem, is attracting unprecedented investor interest across office, retail, and logistics sectors. "Guwahati represents one of India's most compelling real estate investment opportunities today, combining strategic location advantages with transformational infrastructure development and exceptional market fundamentals," said senior managing director, East and Emerging Markets, India, JLL, Surekha Bihani. "The convergence of 80 per cent office stock growth, declining ..

Report looks at how the Sarma government's pitch for reform and transparency through three key decisions could open wounds in the state right before it goes to the polls

Investigation into the death of Assam's cultural icon Zubeen Garg is almost complete, and the charge sheet will be filed on December 12, a senior police officer said on Saturday. Garg died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. Special Director General of Police of Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Munna Prasad Gupta, while addressing a press conference here, said, "The investigation is almost complete. The details will be given in the charge sheet." Gupta, who is leading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Garg's death, said seven arrests have been made so far and over 300 witnesses examined. He refused to share further details, adding that more will be known once the charge sheet is submitted.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma chaired a meeting to review the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed two-day visit to the state from December 20. Sarma said the PM, during his visit, will "herald a new wave of development" in the state. "Assam is all set to welcome Adarniya Shri @narendramodi ji on 20th December as he will herald a new wave of development in the state," the chief minister posted on X on Wednesday. "Reviewed preparations for his welcome and the marquee events which will take place during the visit," he added. The prime minister, during his visit, will inaugurate the new terminal building of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and also unveil a statue of Bordoloi, Assam's first chief minister, at Borjhar. Modi is also scheduled to address a public meeting at Guwahati. He will also lay the foundation stone for a new brownfield ammonia-urea complex of 12.7 lakh metric tonnes annual capacity at Namrup, and address a public

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has termed the Assam government budgetary assumptions for 2023-24 "unrealistic and overestimated," pointing out that in several cases supplementary grants were approved where expenditure of the original allotted funds was not even done. It also highlighted non-submission of Utilisation Certificates (UCs) and annual accounts of several autonomous councils and other bodies. The CAG report on state finances for 2023-24, laid in the Assembly on Saturday, said the budgetary assumptions of the state government "continued to be unrealistic and overestimated" during the fiscal year, as it incurred an expenditure of Rs 1,39,449.66 crore against grants and appropriations of Rs 1,69,966.13 crore, resulting in overall savings of Rs 30,516.47 crore. These savings stood at 17.95 per cent of total grants and appropriations made for the year. The report said that "the savings were notional, as the funds were not actually available for expenditure", since t

Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday questioned the timing and intent of the state government's decision to grant land rights to tea garden workers, alleging it could be an election gimmick. Speaking on the sidelines of a party meeting here, Gogoi said, "There are deep doubts on the timing of this decision and whether it will remain on paper or actually be implemented." 'If the government truly intended to give land rights to the tea community, why didn't they do it in the last 10 years? Why has this law been brought just four months before the elections?," the Congress leader questioned. Gogoi asserted that if the government really intended to do so, it could have been done either during Sarbananda Sonowal's tenure or immediately after Himanta Biswa Sarma assumed the chief minister's office. Alleging that the CM and his family had acquired multiple tea gardens over the past five years, Gogoi said, "If the government genuinely wished to provide

The Assam Assembly on Saturday passed six bills related to the Education department amid a walkout by opposition members who alleged that ruling party legislators had entered the House after the Speaker ordered closure of all doors for voting on amendments moved by them. After over four hours of debate on four bills moved by Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, Congress, CPI(M) and Independent legislator Akhil Gogoi expressed dissatisfaction that not even a single amendment brought by them was accepted by the government. Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia of the Congress demanded voting on the amendments, supported by CPI(M) MLA Manoranjan Talukdar and the Independent member. As Speaker Biswajit Daimary began the process of passing the bills, Saikia said they will not be withdrawing the proposed amendments. Daimary ordered immediate closing of all doors of the House, barring any MLA from leaving or entering. However, the opposition benches alleged that about 10 ruling BJP legislators

The Assam assembly on Thursday passed a bill to ban polygamy, making it an offence which may lead to a maximum of 10 years of imprisonment, barring some exceptions. It kept people belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and areas under the Sixth Schedule out of the purview of the legislation. During the passage of the Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who also holds the portfolio of the home and political departments, said the law is "irrespective of religion and not against Islam as being perceived by a section". "The Hindus are not free from polygamy. That's also our responsibility. This bill will cover people from Hindu, Muslim, Christian and all other societies," he added. Despite the CM's request to all opposition members to withdraw their respective amendments to send a message from the House that the bill is passed unanimously to empower women, AIUDF and CPI(M) went ahead with their modification suggestions, which were defea

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said in the assembly on Tuesday that singer Zubeen Garg's death while swimming in the sea in Singapore is a case of "plain and simple murder". The special investigation team (SIT) that has been probing into the circumstances of Garg's death have added murder charges to the case. Sarma was speaking in the assembly during a discussion under an adjournment motion moved by the opposition on the singer's death. The motion was allowed by the Speaker at the request of the chief minister. "After preliminary probe, the Assam Police was sure that it was not a case of culpable homicide, but it was a plain and simple murder," Sarma said. "That is why, section 103 of BNS was added to the case within three days of his death," he added. The SIT under the CID of the state police has so far arrested seven people, examined 252 witnesses and seized 29 items in connection with the case, he said. "One of the accused killed Garg and others helped him. Four to

The five-day winter session of the Assam assembly began on Tuesday, during which two reports on the 1983 Nellie massacre, which claimed over 2,000 lives and displaced nearly 3 lakh people, will be placed. 'Big changes coming this winter session. From safeguarding families to modernising laws. Assam is gearing up for one of its most transformative legislative sessions," Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma posted on X. The reports of the Tewary and the Mehta commissions, which had probed into the Nellie massacre in the backdrop of the six-year-long Assam agitation against foreigners, will also be placed in the House during the current session. Sarma had earlier said that the state cabinet had decided to circulate the report among the members of the legislative assembly, and copies would also be provided to the assembly library. The House will, however, not table or hold discussions on the report, he said. The then government of Asom Gana Parishad had constituted the commissions to ..

Assam's Sonitpur district administration has ordered five people, including four women and one man, who were declared foreigners by a tribunal, to leave India within 24 hours

During the SIR drive being carried out in other states, the Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are tasked with conducting house-to-house verification using blank forms

The state is learning that the loss of a cultural icon can be more politically potent than any promise in an election manifesto

Adani Power Ltd (APL) would invest around Rs 48,000 crore to set up a greenfield power plant while Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) would put in approximately Rs 15,000 crore for the two PSPs

The Adani Group will invest about Rs 63,000 crore in Assam to build major power projects, including the Northeast's largest private coal-fired plant, and new pumped-storage facilities. In a statement, the conglomerate run by billionaire Gautam Adani said its energy companies have received Letters of Award from the state government for two large power projects in Assam. Adani Power Ltd will put in roughly Rs 48,000 crore to build a 3,200 MW greenfield ultra-super-critical thermal plant under the Design, Build, Finance, Own and Operate (DBFOO) model. The company won the project with a tariff bid of Rs 6.30 per kWh (per unit) and has secured coal linkage under the Centre's SHAKTI policy. The plant will be commissioned in phases from December 2030 and is expected to generate 20,00025,000 jobs during construction and about 3,500 in operations. Adani Green Energy Ltd, the group's renewable energy company, will invest around Rs 15,000 crore in two Pumped Storage Projects (PSPs) with a ..

Amid apprehensions of increased cross-border crimes, activities by fundamentalist groups and alleged attempts by the Bangladesh caretaker government to create pressure on the chicken's neck' corridor that connects the North East with the rest of India, the upcoming army base in Assam has assumed special significance, experts said. Such a facility will boost border security and help the authorities concerned enhance intelligence, they said. Barely 40 km from the international border with Bangladesh, the Lachit Borphukan Military Station is being set up by the Indian Army at Bamunigaon in Assam's Dhubri district the first one in the western sector of the state. Lieutenant General RC Tiwari, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, laid the foundation stone for the facility last week during a visit to forward areas. The decision to set up the camp is a welcome one due to the prevailing situation in Bangladesh, Brigadier (retd) Ranjit Kumar Borthakur told PTI. The closes

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said that the state cabinet has approved a Bill to ban polygamy, for which convicts may face up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. However, there may be some exceptions for the Sixth Schedule areas. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma said the government will also create a new fund to compensate the women victims of polygamy so that they do not face hardship in continuing with their lives. "The Assam cabinet today approved a Bill to ban polygamy. The Bill will be called 'The Assam Prohibition of Polygamy Bill, 2025'. It will be tabled in the assembly on November 25," he added. Sarma said that if an accused is convicted of polygamy, he may face rigorous imprisonment of up to seven years. "We have also decided to create a fund to give compensation to the victim women. The government will help with financial support in the required cases so that no woman faces hardship in her life," he added.