Page 11 - Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam CM Sarma to perform Bhumi Pujan of semiconductor plant at Jagiroad

The Bhumi pujan of the Rs 27,000 crore semiconductor assembly and test facility in Assam's Morigaon district will be performed by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday in the presence of Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran. The Tata semiconductor assembly and test facility will be India's first semiconductor assembly and test facility. 'Look forward to be in Jagiroad shortly and initialise work on the semiconductor facility by performing the Bhumi Pujan of the plant", Sarma posted on X. The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) in another post on X said, "Today is a historic day for Assam as HCM Dr@himantabiswa will perform the Bhumi Pujan of the Tata Semiconductor Assembly and test facility at Jagiroad'. 'Once operational, it will transform the industrial landscape of Assam and herald a new era of growth', the CMO said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had virtually laid the foundation stone of the facility on March 13 this year. The greenfield project of Tata Electronics at Jagiro

Rohingya infiltration into India has increased manifold: Assam CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that Rohingya infiltration into India has significantly increased, and the threat of demographic invasion is both real and serious. 'Rohingyas are continuously coming into India using the India-Bangladesh border and many states are suffering from the demographic invasion', Sarma said at a press conference here. Assam is guarding only a part of the Indo-Bangladesh border but a large area is still porous, he added. The West Bengal and Jharkhand governments are soft on these infiltrators and have taken no action to stop it, he alleged. 'In fact, West Bengal's Chief Minister gave a statement that the state will give shelter to those coming from Bangladesh which even the government of the neighbouring country has not endorsed', Sarma said. Assam and Tripura governments have taken strong steps in this matter with police in both the states arresting several Rohingya infiltrators on several occasions, he said. 'Assam is no longer

2024 Olympics: Lovlina wins first match at Paris; Assam CM congratulates

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday congratulated boxer Lovlina Borgohain for winning her inaugural bout and advancing to the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Borgohain defeated Norway's Sunniva Hofstad 5-0 in the women's 75 kg round of 16. "Fantastic, Lovlina! What a start. Your performance in the round of 16 bout against Sunniva Hofstad was absolutely stunning. All the best for the quarterfinals, champ! the Chief Minister posted on X. Earlier in the day, Sarma had expressed his best wishes for Lovlina's Olympic campaign in another post. "Assam's daughter and ace Indian pugilist @LovlinaBorgohai begins her #Paris2024 campaign today as she takes to the boxing ring to punch her way towards the coveted #Olympics glory," he wrote. Lovlina, who serves as a Deputy Superintendent of Police in Assam, also received congratulations from Director General of Police (DGP) G P Singh. "Best wishes @LovlinaBorgohai. The prayers of all of us are with you. God bless," Sin

Unemployment rate in state down to 6.1%, will further dip: Assam CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday claimed that the unemployment rate in the state was gradually declining and stood at 6.1 per cent in the 2023-24 financial year. Sarma said the BJP's one of the major election promises as well as governance focus was to reduce unemployment and give the youths of the state ample growth opportunities. "After 3 years, the statistics speak for itself; unemployment is down to 6.1% and will further dip in the coming days when the results of our policy interventions will start to show up. "We are always committed to the youth of Assam!" he said in a post on X. In a graphic analysis uploaded along with the post, the CM said the unemployment ratio was 8 per cent in 2022-23. "State government's proactive policies have ensured that Assam's youths are engaged in meaningful employment," he added. He, however, did not share the details if these new jobs were created in the public sector or private entities. Sarma further said that the governm

'Pyramids of Assam' Moidams included in Unesco's World Heritage List

The Moidams, often hailed as the 'Pyramids of Assam' have become the first cultural site from the Northeast to be added to the Unesco World Heritage List

Rajnath Singh's positive response to defence corridor in Assam: CM Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has responded positively to the proposal of setting up the country's third defence corridor in the state. Sarma met Singh during his recent visit to New Delhi and discussed the issue of setting up of a defence corridor in the state after Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. 'After the setting up of a semiconductor unit in the state, we are keen that it becomes a defence production hub and Singh has responded positively to the proposal', Sarma said at a press conference here. Sarma asserted that the proposal is under "advanced consideration" but it may take some time due to its sensitivity. The Chief Minister pointed out that several factors need to be evaluated before a final decision is made, but establishing a defence corridor would significantly impact the state's economic landscape. Sarma also noted that, for the first time, the Union Budget acknowledged that Assam's floods are exacerbated by water

Assam CM thanks PM for Moidams' inclusion in Unesco World Heritage List

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking the initiative to ensure that the 600-year-old mound-burial system of the Ahom dynasty - 'Moidams' - is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Sarma also thanked Union Culture Minister Gajendra Shekhawat who called to give him the news while the chief minister was addressing a press conference here. The unique burial mounds, represented by pyramid-like structures known as "Moidams", were used by the Tai-Ahom dynasty that ruled Assam for around 600 years between 1228 and 1826. 'It is great news for Assam as the Charaideo Moidam is now officially a UNESCO Heritage site... Assam will always remain indebted to the Centre for this honour. This inclusion is a great honour for the country and not for Assam alone,' Sarma told a press conference. The 'Moidams' is the first cultural property from the Northeast to get the coveted tag. The state government had submitted a dossier to the Pr

Cong calls Budget copy of its manifesto but also criticising: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said contradiction and confusion were "trademarks" of the Congress as it called the Union Budget a copy of its election manifesto but also criticised it. He said the Budget would usher in a new wave of development in Assam and the Northeast. "Congress calls our budget - a copy of their manifesto, yet they criticize it. Contradiction and confusion are Congress's trademarks," he said in a post on X. "With enhanced budgetary outlays and key sectoral schemes along with dedicated assistance for combating floods, the budget will be a game-changer for the state," he added. Sarma thanked the Centre for allocating Rs 1,000 crore for the welfare of the tea garden community under the Pradhan Mantri Cha Shramik Protsahan Yojana. "My gratitude to the Government led by Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji for this unique scheme that will greatly benefit our brothers and sisters, who form the backbone of Assam's tea industry," he said.

Special drive against child marriage to be held every 6 months: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said his government would continue its crackdown on child marriages and a special drive against the social evil would be conducted every six months. He said the director general of police (DGP) has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next round of crackdown on child marriages towards the year-end. Sarma's comments come after an NGO report on Wednesday maintained that the state government's action against child marriage has led to a decline in the number of such cases. "Our campaign and tough action against child marriage will continue. Every six months a special drive will be conducted, and the DGP has been instructed to conduct a preliminary survey for the next crackdown on child marriages in November-December this year," the CM said in a video message on Wednesday evening. Initially, some people were "not happy with the crackdown against child marriages, but now people are preventing the social evil, even in minority ..

Congress to contest all five seats in bypolls, says Assam state chief Borah

Assam Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah on Tuesday said the party will contest all the five Assembly seats where bypolls will be held. He also reiterated the party's opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, even as the state government asked its border police wing to advise non-Muslim illegal immigrants entering the state prior to 2015 to apply for citizenship under the new law. These decisions were part of discussions during a meeting chaired by AICC general secretary Jitendra Singh with district-level party leaders here on Monday, marking the first day of his three-day visit, Borah said. Singh plans to hold further meetings with MPs, MLAs, and other leaders to strengthen the party's organisational structure and strategise for the future. In a post on X, Borah said, "@INCAssam would contest all the 5 seats where byelections would be held. We would constitute 5 teams of senior leaders who would reach out to the grassroots. The Election Commission is yet to announce the ..

Only eight applied for citizenship under CAA in Assam: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said only eight people have applied for citizenship under the CAA from the state so far. Speaking at a press conference here, Sarma noted that out of these applicants, only two have proceeded to attend interviews with relevant authorities. The Centre on March 11 implemented the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 CAA by notifying the rules, four years after the law was passed by Parliament to fast-track citizenship for undocumented non-Muslim migrants from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, who came to India before December 31, 2014, and stayed here for five years. "We conducted outreach programmes in the Barak valley and approached many-Hindu Bengali families and asked them to apply for citizenship under CAA. However, they refused to do so saying that they would prefer fighting their cases at the Foreigners Tribunal (FT)," Sarma said. Foreigners Tribunals are quasi-judicial bodies exclusive to Assam to decide the nationality issu

Assam floods: Situation remains grim; water receding in many parts

The flood situation in Assam remained grim on Saturday even though the water levels have started receding in many parts of the state, officials said. The India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Guwahati has said that moderate rainfall is very likely to occur at most places of Assam with isolated heavy to very heavy rain likely over Kokrajhar district. "Low to moderate flash flood risk is likely over few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Arunachal Pradesh and southern parts of Assam and Meghalaya," it added. Meanwhile, a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) on Friday night said that seven more people lost their lives and over 12.33 lakh people are reeling under the deluge across 23 districts. The total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood, landslide, storm and lightning has increased to 106. Dhubri is the worst hit with over 3.18 lakh people affected, followed by Cachar with almost 1.5 lakh people and .

Assam govt employees get special leave to spend time with parents, in-laws

The Assam government has declared two days of special casual leave in November for its employees to spend time with their parents or parents-in-law, the chief minister's office (CMO) said on Thursday. The special leaves cannot be used for personal enjoyment and those without parents or parents-in-laws will not be eligible for the leaves, it added. "The Assam government, under the leadership of CM Dr @himantabiswa, has declared special casual leave for state government employees on November 6 and 8, 2024, to spend time with their parents or parents-in-law," the CMO said in a post on X. It said the leave must be used "solely for spending time with aging parents or parents-in-law to honour, respect, and care for them, and not for personal enjoyment". The leaves can be availed along with holiday for Chhat Puja on November 7, second Saturday holiday on November 9 and Sunday on November 10, the CMO said. It said that employees in essential services can avail it in a phased manner, and t

Assam floods: Amit Shah speaks to CM Himanta, assures full support

Shah also assured affected people in Assam that the National Disaster Response Force and the State Disaster Response Force working on a war footing

Assam flood crisis: Death toll touches 56, 16 lakh affected in 29 districts

Incessant rainfall and flash floods in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya have caused water levels in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries to rise, leading to severe flooding in Assam

Assam flood situation remains critical, over 1,150,000 people affected

Assam continues to grapple with a severe flood crisis, affecting 11.50 lakh people across 23 districts, as the water level of major rivers, including the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, flowing above the danger mark, an official report said. The death toll in this year's floods, landslides and storms has increased to 48. On Tuesday, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma visited Golaghat district following breach of embankments, inspected flood-hit areas, interacted with the suffering population and held meetings with officials to provide relief and rehabilitation to people reeling under the deluge. Sarma is scheduled to hold a cabinet meeting on Wednesday to review the flood situation prevailing in the various districts. The current second wave of floods have affected Barpeta, Biswanath, Cachar, Charaideo, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Golaghat, Jorhat, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tamulpur,

Over 26% Kaziranga forest camps submerged; Assam CM assures flood rescue

With worsening flood condition in Assam, rising water levels have impacted more than 26 per cent of the 233 forest camps at Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, an official report said on Monday. As a significant portion of wildlife habitat is now submerged, scores of animals have started crossing the National Highway-715 in search of higher ground towards the southern direction in East Karbi Anglong district. However, no death of animals has been reported as of now due to the floods or accidents while crossing the highway. Floodwaters have submerged a total of 61 forest camps across Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, according to a flood report. It said 22 camps in Agoratoli range, 10 in Kaziranga, eight in Bagori, five in Burhapahar range and six in Bokakhat are submerged. Besides, 10 forest camps in Biswanath Wildlife Division of the national park have been inundated, the report added. Meanwhile, the Golaghat district administration on Sunday evening issued ...

PM Modi speaks to Assam CM as flood situation deteriorates, promises help

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday enquired about the prevailing flood situation in Assam and assured of all support to handle the crisis, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The flood situation across the state continued to deteriorate with incessant rains inundating many districts, affecting lakhs of people. "Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji called me a short while ago to enquire about the flood situation in Assam. I explained him that Assam is experiencing a second wave of floods this year due to heavy rains in Arunachal Pradesh and part of our upper Assam districts," Sarma said in a post on X. He also briefed Modi about the relief measures undertaken by the state government. Sarma said, "He assured me of full cooperation from the Government of India in this hour of crisis." The flood situation worsened in Assam on Sunday with two more persons losing their lives and over 2.62 lakh people reeling under the deluge across eight districts. Meanwhile, Union Min

Assam CM Himanta welcomes new criminal laws, seeks cooperation for rollout

Welcoming the implementation of the new criminal laws in the country, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state has made "extensive preparations" for this day and appealed to all concerned to cooperate in this endeavour. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) have replaced the colonial-era Indian Penal Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Indian Evidence Act respectively, Sarma said in a post on X. "Today marks a watershed moment in Bharat's criminal justice system... With this, our republic has entered into a new system pivoted around modern technology and citizen-centric services," he added. The Chief Minister asserted that the new laws place utmost primacy on the safety of women, children, and the underprivileged. "Over the last many months, Team Assam has made extensive preparations towards the effective implementation of the new laws," he added. Sarma appealed to all ...

Development of Jharkhand, welfare of tribal people BJP's priority: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who arrived here on Saturday to participate in a meeting of BJP leaders, said that the development of Jharkhand and the welfare of tribal people is the priority of the saffron camp. Sarma, who is BJP's election co-in-charge, would meet party leaders to discuss its strategies for the upcoming assembly polls in the state. "The party's priority is development of Jharkhand and the welfare of the scheduled tribe community here. There has been no government in the state for past five years. Atrocities on women and tribal people increased manifolds in the state in the past five years," he said. When BJP's manifesto comes out, one can see how much work the party has planned for tribal people in the next five years, Sarma said. Asked about the bail granted to former Jharkhand CM and JMM leader Hemant Soren, he said the "BJP does not keep accounts of who is going to jail and coming out on bail". Responding to a query about whether Soren's presence w