Page 37 - Assam

Assam CM flags off 200 green buses from Guwahati to curb pollution

State Transport Minister Parimal Suklabaidya also attended the flag-off ceremony of 200 AC E-buses

ULFA signs peace accord with Centre, Assam govt to join mainstream

The pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Friday signed a peace accord with the central and Assam governments agreeing to shun violence and join the mainstream. The agreement, signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government, officials said. The peace pact is expected to end decades old insurgency in Assam. However, the hardline faction of the ULFA headed by Paresh Baruah is not part of the agreement. Baruah is believed to be residing at a place along the China-Myanmar border. The ULFA was formed in 1979 with the demand for a "sovereign Assam". Since then, it has been involved in subversive activities that led to the central government declaring it a banned outfit in 1990. The Rajkhowa faction joined peace talks with the government on September 3, 2011, after an agreement for Suspens

Assam invites applications for over 10000 vacancies in education sector

The education ministry of Assam releases an advertisement for about 14,223 school teacher posts across the state. Assam CM says state creating over 1 lakh jobs in the sector

NPP forming govt, border issues, ethnic strife sum up 2023 for Meghalaya

Electoral activities dominated the early part of 2023 in Meghalaya, where the National People's Party formed government with support of the BJP, as the year also remained witness to an MLA's defiant fast over a reservation policy, interstate border issues and ethnic strife. Led by its charismatic young leader Conrad K Sangma, the NPP bagged 26 seats in the 60-member House, seven more than what the party had managed in the 2018 assembly polls. The NPP got another shot in the arm in May, when the People's Democratic Front (PDF), along with two MLAs, merged with it, increasing the ruling party's tally to 28. Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top central ministers campaigning for the BJP, the saffron party could only retain the two seats it had won in 2018. The Opposition Congress and the TMC secured five seats each, while the newly floated Voice of the People Party (VPP) won four. Within months of formation of the new government, VPP chief Ardent Basaiawmoit began a fast that

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Earthquake of magnitude 3.4 jolts Assam's Tezpur, no casualties reported

An earthquake of 3.4 magnitude hit Assam's Tezpur in the early hours on Wednesday, said National Center for Seismology.The earthquake occured at 5:55 am IST (Indian Standard Time) at a depth of 20km. The epicentre of the quake was located at 42km east of Tezpur."Earthquake of Magnitude:3.4, Occurred on 27-12-2023, 05:55:35 IST, Lat: 26.70 & Long: 93.22, Depth: 20 Km ,Location: 42km E of Tezpur, Assam, India", the National Center for Seismology posted on X.No casualties were reported in the earthquake.Earlier this month, an earthquake of magnitude 3.5 hit Assam's Guwahati.

Tripartite peace accord between ULFA, Centre, Assam govt likely on Dec 29

A tripartite accord is likely to be signed on December 29 between the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), and the central and Assam governments, aiming to bring a lasting peace in the northeastern state, sources said on Tuesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and over a dozen top leaders of the pro-talks faction of the ULFA, headed by Arabinda Rajkhowa, will be present at the signing of the peace agreement here. The accord will take care of a host of long-standing political, economic and social issues concerning Assam, besides providing cultural safeguards and land rights to the indigenous people, the sources privy to the development said. The hardline faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), led by Paresh Baruah, will not be part of the agreement as he has been consistently rejecting the olive branch offered by the government. Two top leaders of the Rajkhowa group -- Anup Chetia and Sashdhar Choudh

Accelerated development in Assam due to govt initiatives: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has asserted that the state is witnessing accelerated development, with government initiatives fueling the growth. He expressed confidence that Assam will be among the top states in the country within a few years if this pace of development is maintained. Sarma was speaking after inaugurating projects worth Rs 114.17 crore in Jagiroad in Morigaon district on Sunday. Addressing a public gathering, he said the government was on track to fulfilling its promises, including providing jobs to one lakh youths. Among other measures are providing loan without mortgages to youths under the Chief Minister's Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan. With the aim of ushering in a movement of inclusive financial empowerment, an amount of Rs 10,000 each shall be credited to the accounts of the 40-lakh members of self-help groups, the CM added. He said the accelerated development is also owing to an environment that keeps strifes and strikes at bay. "Another 10 years wi

Assam cabinet approves township policy to ensure planned urban development

The Assam cabinet has approved the state township policy for ensuring systematic and planned urban development in the state. The policy will regulate and guide the growth of urban areas in an organised manner, thereby cutting down exploitation of resources, Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta said at a media briefing after the cabinet meeting on Thursday. The council of ministers gave its nod to the notification of the Assam State Township Policy, 2023 for "implementation across the state for ensuring systematic and planned urban development", he said. The policy will ensure that essential services such as roads, healthcare facilities and others are adequately planned and implemented through private capital investment. It will also address the need for affordable housing within the townships with provisions for regulation and incentivisation of such projects, he said. The cabinet also green-lighted the draft Guwahati Central Area Local Area Plan (LAP) within the ...

130,000 CM Awas Yojana houses to be built in rural areas: Ashok Singhal

The state cabinet has decided to conduct a comprehensive socio-economic assessment of Assam's indigenous minorities

Margins of North Indian tea gardens to shrink in FY24, predicts ICRA

Leading credit rating firm ICRA said that tea gardens of North India will suffer from shrinkage in the margins due to rise in input costs and wage hike in West Bengal and Assam during the current fiscal. Margins will also be affected due to low export demand and sluggish rural consumption, ICRA said adding that the outlook for the sector has been revised to negative from stable. The credit rating firm said that all-India auction prices of the orthodox variety in the first 10 months of calendar year 2023 witnessed a significant decline of around Rs 51 per kilogram on a year-on-year basis. The price drop in South India was lower at Rs seven per kilogram during the same period. ICRA said that the slump in orthodox tea realisation was due to lower export demand, primarily from Iran. Similarly, the all-India cumulative auction average of CTC variety also witnessed a decline during the first 10 months of 2023 to the extent of Rs six per kilogram. ICRA said that sluggish rural demand alo

Assam aims to attain food self-sufficiency in next two years: CM Sarma

The Assam Chief Minister said that, during the recent Assembly election campaigns in five states, he had an opportunity to see the "best practices of farmers in other states."

BTR alleges Rs 1,500 crore financial irregularities under previous regime

Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) chief Pramod Boro on Saturday alleged that financial irregularities of over Rs 1,500 crore had taken place under the previous regime in the sixth schedule area. He said a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been sought and the Assam government approached with a request to pursue the matter. "When we took over the reins of BTR, we inherited a financial liability of Rs 3,000 crore, which is a huge amount for a council like ours. We got the accounts audited, and now the liability has reduced to about Rs 1,200 crore," Boro, addressing a press conference here marking the completion of three years in office, said. Boro maintained that a work order for over Rs 1,500 crore was given by the previous BTR regime without putting it under any financial heads. "The Bodoland council had adopted a resolution last year seeking a CBI probe into these irregularities," the chief executive member (CEM) said. The BTR, then known as Bodoland Territori

Bill to ban polygamy to be introduced in assembly by Feb, says Assam CM

A bill to ban polygamy will be introduced in the next session of the Assam assembly to be held in February, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here on Friday. The bill has been formulated after months of consultations with various individuals and organisations. Talking to reporters, Sarma said, "The bill to ban polygamy will be placed on the floor of the Assam assembly which will commence from February 4." The chief minister had earlier said that some points would be incorporated in the bill with the objective to stop "Love Jihad" in the state. Officials said that the state government had received as many as 149 suggestions in response to a public notice seeking feedback on the proposed law to ban the practice of marrying multiple times. Out of these, 146 suggestions were in favour of the bill, indicating strong public support, they said. Three organisations have expressed their opposition to the bill. The state government had issued a notice on August 21 inviting publ

ULFA(I) claims responsibility for blast near army station in Assam's Jorhat

ULFA (Independent) on Friday claimed responsibility for the blast near the gate of the army station in Assam's Jorhat district. The 'mild blast' had occurred on Thursday night in a dustbin near the army gate in the town's Lichubari area, a defence spokesperson said. Bomb experts have reached the spot and are ascertaining the explosives used in the blast, the spokesperson said. There was no casualty or damage due to the blast, the third such incident near security establishments after Tinsukia and Sivasagar since November 22. A massive search operation has been launched in the district and also in adjoining areas of Jorhat to nab the culprits. Security has been tightened and patrolling intensified across Upper Assam districts. ULFA(I), in the statement claiming responsibility for the blast, said the indigenous people had no cause to panic as the outfit is not against them but are carrying out the blasts due to the alleged efforts by the Director General of Police GP Singh to esta

Assam's multicultural identity

Through her exploration of Assamese identity, culture, cuisine, and politics, journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty's book paints a full portrait of a state and its people

'Will try to delete forged names from NRC list': Assam Chief Minister Sarma

The Assam Chief Minister made this statement at the time when there was an allegation that a large number of people's names were enrolled in the NRC list by forgery

IMD issues fog alert for five states including MP, Bengal for next two days

Dense fog during the morning hours is very likely in isolated pockets over north Madhya Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim, Assam and Meghalaya on December 10 and 11

Socio-economic study of indigenous Assam Muslims to be conducted: Himanta

The Assam government said it will conduct a socio-economic assessment of indigenous Assamese Muslims of the state. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma here on Friday. "A socio-economic assessment of indigenous Assamese Muslims will be conducted through the Directorate of Minority Affairs and Char Areas," Sarma posted on X. The meeting decided that the Directorate of Char Areas Development, Assam, will be renamed as the Directorate of Minority Affairs and Char Areas, Assam. The cabinet also gave in-principle approval to the issue of detailed procedure/standard operating procedure (SOP) for permitting traditional buffalo and bullfights that are organised during Magh Bihu. The SOP aims to ensure that no deliberate torture or cruelty is carried out on the animals and their well-being is provided for by the organisers during the annual buffalo fights, an integral part of the centuries-old Assamese cultural tradition. The council of

Tata Group planning Rs 40,000 crore semiconductor unit in Assam: CM

Tata Group is planning to set up a semiconductor processing plant in Assam at an investment of about Rs 40,000 crore, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday. Addressing a function here, he said it has approached the Centre for the final nod after discussions with the state government, and the go-ahead is expected soon. "There is a very good news for us. Tata Electronics Ltd has submitted an application for setting up an electronic centre at Jagiroad," Sarma said. "They have submitted a proposal to the Government of India with an outlay of about Rs 40,000 crore," he added. Jagiroad, in Morigaon district, is about 55 km from the state's largest city Guwahati. Sarma said the Tata Group held initial talks with the state government about the semiconductor assembly and packaging plant, and satisfied with the discussions here, they have approached the Centre. "If all goes well, we will see a major investment in the state which will create a positive environment for ...