Page 4 - Assam

PM begins interaction with students at Pariksha Pe Charcha event in Assam

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday morning set sail on river Brahmaputra on a cruise ship and interacted with students during a 'Pariksha Pe Charcha' programme on the second day of his Assam visit. A total of 25 students from various schools of Assam are taking part in the event. Modi will stay for around 45 minutes aboard the three-deck 'M V Charaidew 2', officials said. The Prime Minister was seen on the upper deck of the ship, interacting with the students. He arrived at the Guwahati Gateway Terminal of the Inland Water Transport (IWT), inaugurated recently by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and moved to the ship along the floating bridge. Security has been heightened along the entire area with the River Police, NDRF and SDRF personnel patrolling the river since early morning, the officials said. Ferry services on river Brahmaputra have been suspended for two days since Saturday in the wake of Modi's visit.

PM Modi inaugurates ₹4,000-crore new terminal at Guwahati airport

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Rs 4,000-crore new terminal of Guwahati's Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport, which has been designed to reflect Assam's natural heritage and cultural ethos. Touted as the country's first "nature-themed airport", the new terminal will be able to handle 13.1 million passengers per annum, officials said. The total cost of the project is Rs 5,000 crore, including Rs 1,000 crore earmarked specifically for Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facilities, they said. The project has been developed by Guwahati International Airport Ltd, with operations led by Adani Airport Holdings Limited (AAHL), they added. Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani said the new terminal will serve as a catalyst for regional and industrial development, strengthening Guwahati's role as an emerging economic gateway beyond its tourism potential. After the inauguration, Modi toured the new terminal. He also examined the model of the airport,

BJP correcting mistakes Cong kept making in northeast for decades: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress for neglecting Assam and the northeast during its rule, and asserted that the BJP government was correcting mistakes the grand old party kept making in the region for decades. Addressing a rally after inaugurating a new terminal of the Guwahati airport, Modi alleged that the development of Assam and the northeast was never a part of the Congress agenda. The Congress gave protection to infiltrators who grabbed forests and land, threatening the security and identity of Assam... The BJP governemnt has been correcting mistakes the Congress kept making for decades in the northeast, the PM asserted. Modi said the Election Commission started the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to ensure infiltrators are kept out of the poll process, but deshdrohis' (traitors) were trying to protect them. The Centre is taking strict steps to stop infiltration, he said. The Prime Minister said development under the BJP's ...

Modi's report card in Northeast extremely poor: Assam Congress chief

Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the Congress for allegedly neglecting Assam, state party chief Gaurav Gogoi on Saturday hit back, claiming that the prime minister's report card in the Northeast was "extremely poor" across sectors. Gogoi, who is also the Deputy Leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, slammed the ruling party, saying that public sector undertakings are shutting their shops one after another during the present government's regime. Earlier in the day, Modi accused the Congress of ignoring Assam and the Northeast during its rule and asserted that the BJP-led government was correcting mistakes made by the opposition party over decades. "Modi's report card as PM is extremely poor in almost every sector in Assam and the Northeast, including industrial development, addressing unemployment issues and generation of employment," he told reporters here. Over the past 11 years, public sector undertakings in Assam have been shut down one after another, Gogoi

Ahead of Assam polls, Modi reviews party preparedness at BJP's state HQ

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Assam BJP headquarters in Guwahati on Saturday evening to chair a strategic meeting with about 280 leaders of the party, with an eye on next year's assembly polls. Modi reached the Vajpayee Bhawan in Basistha area of the city after leading a massive 3.8-km-long roadshow from Sarusajai. He is scheduled to hold a meeting with party leaders during the visit, state BJP president Dilip Saikia earlier told PTI. The Vajpayee Bhawan was inaugurated by BJP president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in October 2022, and this is Modi's first visit to it. State BJP spokesperson Dewan Dhruba Jyoti Maral earlier said 280 leaders would be present at the closed-door meeting. The invitees include the party's ex-state presidents, former and incumbent MPs, ministers and MLAs. The PM arrived in Guwahati on a two-day tour of the state in the afternoon. He unveiled a statue of the state's first CM Gopinath Bordoloi, and a new terminus of the airport u

PM Modi to unveil Rs 10,600-crore fertiliser plant in Assam on Sunday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday lay the foundation stone for a Rs 10,600-crore brownfield ammonia-urea plant in Dibrugarh district of Assam, giving a fillip to the fertiliser requirement of the entire region. Modi arrived in Assam on Saturday on a two-day trip, during which he is set to unveil multiple projects worth Rs 15,600 crore, around three months before the state is due to go for assembly polls. On the second day of his visit, the PM will lay the foundation stone for a new brownfield ammonia-urea fertiliser project at Namrup within the existing premises of Brahmaputra Valley Fertiliser Corp Ltd (BVFCL), according to an official release by the Prime Minister's Office. "Furthering PM's vision of farmers' welfare, the project, with an estimated investment of over Rs 10,600 crore, will meet fertiliser requirements of Assam and neighbouring states, reduce import dependence, generate substantial employment and catalyse regional economic development," it added. The PMO

Like Brahmaputra, growth flows uninterrupted under double-engine govt: PM

Addressing a gathering, PM Modi said modern, world-class airport facilities open up new possibilities and opportunities for any state and they become pillars of a state's growing self-confidence

PM Modi to arrive in Assam for 2-day visit; set to unveil airport terminal

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here on Saturday for a two-day visit to Assam during which he will launch several projects, interact with BJP workers and address public meetings, officials said. The PM will unveil an 80-foot-tall statue of Assam's first chief minister Gopinath Bardoloi, sculpted by eminent artist Ram Sutar, outside the new terminal of the airport named after him, they said. Sutar, who died on Wednesday at the age of 101 years, had also sculpted a 125-ft-high statue of legendary Ahom general Lachit Barphukan, who had defeated the Mughals, at Jorhat. This was also unveiled by the PM in March 2024. After unveiling the statue, he will inaugurate the Rs 4,000-crore new terminal of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bardoloi International Airport here and spend around 15 minutes there, the officials said. The Prime Minister will also address a public meeting just outside the terminal building on Saturday. After the meeting, Modi will proceed for a road show towa

Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani mows down 7 tuskers in Assam, 5 coaches derailed

Eight elephants were killed and one injured after a herd was hit by the Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express in Assam's Hojai district in the wee hours of Saturday, a forest official said. Five coaches and the train's engine were derailed in the incident, though no injuries to passengers were reported, a Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the New Delhi-bound train met with the accident around 2.17 am. Nagaon divisional forest officer Suhash Kadam told PTI that the incident occurred at Changjurai area of Hojai district. Kadam and other forest officials have reached the site. Trains scheduled to pass through the affected JamunamukhKampur section have been diverted through the UP line, and restoration work is underway, he added. The Sairang-New Delhi Rajdhani Express connects Mizoram's Sairang (near Aizawl) to Anand Vihar Terminal (Delhi).

PM Narendra Modi to inaugurate new airport terminal in Guwahati on Saturday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to pay a two-day visit to Assam from Saturday, during which he will inaugurate and lay foundation stones for several projects and address public meetings. The PM, inter alia, will inaugurate the Rs 4,000 crore new terminal of the Guwahati airport, which, he said, will give a major boost to Assam's infrastructure. During the visit, he will also pay homage to the martyrs of the Assam movement, a six-year-long violent anti-foreigner agitation that began in 1979. 'I will reach Guwahati, Assam tomorrow, 20th December. In the afternoon, the new terminal building of the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport will be inaugurated. This is a major boost to Assam's infrastructure. Increased capacity means better Ease of Living' and a boost for commerce as well as tourism,' Modi said in a post on X. Replying to the post, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the people of Assam were eagerly awaiting his arrival and the inauguration of

No foul play suspected in Zubeen Garg's death, probe on: Singapore police

Investigations into the death of singer Zubeen Garg are ongoing but so far no foul play is suspected, Singapore police have said. Garg died under mysterious circumstances while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. The case is currently still being investigated by the Singapore Police Force (SPF), in accordance with the Singapore Coroners Act 2010, the police said on Thursday. Based on our investigations so far, the SPF does not suspect foul play in the death of Garg, said the statement. Upon completion of the investigations, the findings will be submitted to the State Coroner in Singapore, who will hold a Coroner's Inquiry (CI), currently scheduled for January and February 2026. A CI is a fact-finding process led by the Coroner to establish the cause and circumstances of death. Its findings will be made public upon conclusion, said the SPF. Singapore police are committed to conducting a thorough and professional investigation into the case, it said. We seek the pati

Zubeen Garg's wife welcomes SIT chargesheet, hopes for swift justice

Zubeen Garg's wife Garima on Friday welcomed the chargesheet filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which named four people in connection with the singer's murder. "The investigation began on the basis of the FIR filed by us against the accused on behalf of our family. The probe proceeded on expected lines for which we are very grateful to the investigating agency," Garima told reporters. She added that the probe's results were in accordance with public expectations and said, "Now everything depends on the judicial process, which we hope will move smoothly. We have faith in our nation's judiciary and want the guilty to be punished accordingly." Garima said Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has indicated that the Chief Justice will be requested for a fast-track court, adding, "We also want the matter to be resolved at the earliest. Our house has been shattered and people are very disturbed that a person like Zubeen Garg could be killed. The people of entire Assam want the ..

18 from Assam killed, 3 missing as truck falls into gorge in Arunachal

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

Guwahati fire remains untamed for over 33 hrs, multiple agencies struggle

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 ...

PM Modi pays tribute on Swahid Diwas, recalls valour of Assam Movement

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 emerges as Northeast India's commercial powerhouse: Report

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 ..

Law, identity, and the 2026 Assam mandate amid Sarma's reform pitch

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

Probe into Zubeen's death almost complete, charge sheet to be filed: Police

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.

PM on two-day visit to Assam from Dec 20, CM Himanta reviews preparations

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

CAG terms Assam budget 2023-24 'unrealistic', questions excessive grants

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