Page 33 - Assam

Manipur violence: CBI files charge sheet against seven in armoury loot case

The CBI has filed a charge sheet against seven accused in connection with the looting of arms and ammunition from the Bishnupur police armoury during the Manipur ethnic violence last year, officials said on Sunday. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recently filed its charge sheet before the court of chief judicial magistrate in Kamrup (Metro) in Assam's Guwahati. The accused named in the charge sheet are Laishram Prem Singh, Khumukcham Dhiren alias Thapkpa, Moirangthem Anand Singh, Athokpam Kajit alias Kishorjit, Loukrakpam Michael Mangangcha alias Michael, Konthoujam Romojit Meitei alias Romojit, and Keisham Johnson alias Johnson. On August 3 last year, a mob looted more than 300 weapons and 19,800 rounds of ammunition from two rooms of the 2nd Indian Reserve Battalion headquarters at Naranseina in Bishnupur. Around 9,000 bullets of different calibres, an AK series assault rifle, three 'Ghaatak' rifles, 195 self-loading rifles, five MP-5 guns, 16.9 mm pistols, 25 bulletpro

Assam CM tells CAA protestors to approach SC for grievance redressal

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday urged those opposed to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to approach the Supreme Court for redressal of their grievance rather than taking up agitations. While voicing his support for the Act, Sarma said many are opposed to it and there is a need to accommodate both points of view. "In Assam, there are two sections of people, some support the CAA and I am one of them, and there are many who oppose it," Sarma said, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. "We have to accommodate both points of view. We don't have to criticize somebody for opposing or supporting it," he added. Citing the example of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunal) (IMDT) Act, the CM said, "A large section of people was opposed to it. It got scrapped by the Supreme Court and not by any agitation." Urging those opposed to CAA to seek legal recourse, he said, "It was already taken to the Supreme Court but was not listed as rules

Assam approved investment proposals worth Rs 1,600 cr: Health minister

The Assam Cabinet on Friday approved investment proposals worth over Rs 1,600 crore, Health Minister Keshab Mahanta said. "Four (business) groups have come forward to invest in Assam, and the cabinet approved their proposals," he told reporters. The total proposed investment is to the tune of Rs 1,612 crore, which will create employment potential - both direct and indirect - for 4,125 people, Mahanta said. The council of ministers also took several other decisions, including construction of a flyover in Jorhat district, amendment to the Right to Public Service Act, and officials taking over operations of panchayati institutions as per law.

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP to contest 11 seats in Assam, AGP 2, UPPL 1

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said the BJP will contest 11 seats in the state for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and the party's allies AGP and UPPL will field their candidates for the remaining three seats

Tata's semiconductor unit in Assam to be gamechanger for NE: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Rs 27,000-crore semiconductor plant approved for the state by the Union Cabinet on Thursday will be a game-changer for the economy of the entire North East region. The plant will trigger a new Industry 4.0 revolution in the state, he added. The Union Cabinet approved setting up three semiconductor-making units at an investment of Rs 1.26 lakh-crore as part of an attempt to cut India's dependence on imports to meet requirements of chips, of which one will be in Assam. Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (TSAT) will set up a semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam, at an investment of Rs 27,000 crore. It will have a capacity of 48 million chips per day for automotive, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, telecom, and mobile phones. Construction of the three units will begin within the next 100 days, Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw told reporters after the cabinet meeting. "People of Assam will remain eternally grateful

Assam Congress leader Rana Goswami resigns, likely to meet BJP's Nadda

Congress leader Rana Goswami resigned from the party on Wednesday, and headed to New Delhi where he is likely to join BJP. Goswami, who resigned as the working president of the state Congress recently, is the former MLA of Jorhat. Soon after sending the resignation letter to Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, he went to New Delhi where he is likely to meet BJP president JP Nadda and join the party. Asked about the speculations of Goswami switching sides, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said he had no information about it, but "he is a powerful leader of the Congress and if he joins the BJP, I will welcome it". Earlier this month, Congress MLA Kamalakhya Dey Purkayastha resigned as state Congress working president and along with another party legislator, Basanta Das, expressed support for the BJP-led government's "development agenda".

Sarma distributes land pattas to 11K families under Mission Basundhara 2.0

A total of 20,419 applicants from Lakhimpur district were found to be eligible for land pattas under Mission Basundhara 2.0 that was concluded recently

Repeal of Muslim Marriage Act to distance Muslims from their religion: Min

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday claimed that the Assam Cabinet's decision to repeal the Muslim Marriages Act is aimed at distancing Muslims from their religion and religious practices. "In Assam, the BJP government has done away with the law that was 90 years old. According to that law, the marriage of Assam Muslims used to happen through 'qazi' or registrar, and they used to get the 'nikahnama' certificate," he told reporters here. The government has removed that system,he said and asked is there a provision of 'nikah' in the special marriage act. The wedding should happen as per one's religion, he said. There is no religion in the special marriage act which is a neutral, secular law, he said. Observing that 'Mehr' which is given to bride in Muslim marriage has been removed, he asked whether it is a loss to women or not. "If marriage is registered under special marriage act, inheritance will not be available under Muslim personal law. The purpose is to distance Muslim

WATCH | 'Hear me carefully': Assam CM's angry outburst on child marriages

The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Assam, led by Himanta Sarma, has been cracking down on child marriages since February last year

PM Modi launches microbiology lab, 17 food testing vehicles for Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually unveiled a new microbiology laboratory and 17 Food Safety on Wheels (FSW) vehicles in Assam, collectively valued at Rs 13.11 crore. In a major step towards enhancing food testing infrastructure across Assam, the laboratory was set up by the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in Guwahati. In addition, 17 mobile food testing laboratories, known as FSWs, have been provided to Assam in a stride towards ensuring food safety to the last mile. All these facilities were inaugurated by Modi through virtual mode from an event at Rajkot in Gujarat, an official release said. "The microbiology laboratory will play a pivotal role in safeguarding food safety by detecting various microorganisms, including pathogens in food products," it added. The FSWs, equipped with cutting-edge facilities and expert staff, will not only enhance testing capabilities but also deliver essential training to strengthen food safety practices, the release

Assam Cabinet's nod to repeal Muslim Marriage Act welcomed by BJP

The Assam cabinet's decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935 has been welcomed by the ruling BJP, while opposition parties claimed that the move, which was 'discriminatory against Muslims', was made to polarise voters in the election year. The state cabinet on Friday night approved the decision to repeal the Act in a bid to end the social menace of child marriage as it contained provisions allowing registration of marriages even if the bride and groom had not reached the legal ages of 18 and 21 respectively, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. AIUDF Chief Badruddin Ajmal claimed that the repeal of the Act was the first step to bring in the Unified Civil Code (UCC) in Assam, but it will sound the death knell of the BJP government in the state. 'They are trying to provoke the Muslims and polarise voters in their favour,' Ajmal told reporters on the sidelines of a programme here. Congress MLA Abdul Rashid Mandal claimed that the decision i

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Assam to create blocks, belts to protect satra land from encroachment

Sarma added that land pattas (deeds) would be provided to religious institutions, educational institutions and Anganwadi centres under the state's Mission Basundhara 3.0

Assam to recognise Manipuri as associate official language in 4 districts

The Assam Cabinet has given its nod to recognise Manipuri as an associate official language in four districts of the state. It approved the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Bill, 2024 which seeks to recognise Manipuri as an associate official language in Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Hojai districts. The Bill seeks to amend the Assam Official Languages Act, 1960 by inserting a new section 5B. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the decision taken at a late-night cabinet meeting chaired by him was in the interest of protecting, preserving and promoting the cultural, social, and linguistic identity and heritage of the Manipuri people living in Assam. To protect the interests of the tribal communities, and in line with the provisions of the National Education Policy, 2020, the council of ministers also decided to introduce Mising, Rabha, Karbi, Tiwa, Deori and Dimasa languages as mediums of instruction in the foundational stage of school education. The decision will .

Assam to introduce 6 tribal languages as medium of instruction in schools

The other decisions of the state cabinet are - for the protection of land rights of indigenous communities

Assam Cabinet repeals Muslim Marriages & Divorces Registration Act

One-time compensation of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to Muslim Marriage Registrars for their rehabilitation after the Act is repealed

Assam Forest dept conducts GPS training for elephant population estimation

Apart from imparting the GPS training, the Aaranyak experts also prepared Block Maps which will be helpful for elephant population estimation

Assam Min lashes out at Cong, AIUDF for walking out together from Assembly

'My question is whether both parties are against each other or in alliance,' Assam's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika said

Assam tables bill aimed at eradicating non-scientific healing practices

The Assam Healing (Prevention of Evil) Practices Bill, 2024 has been framed to stop the propagation of the evil practices of magical healing in the name of treatment, the Bill says

Higher wage costs, lower price realisation add to tea companies' woes

Both West Bengal and Assam hiked wage rates from June and October 2023, respectively