Page 2 - Himanta Biswa Sarma

Singapore Police sought vital information over Zubeen's death, says Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the Singapore Police has sought some "vital information" in connection with the death of singer Zubeen Garg in the island nation. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Sarma said the Assam government has already collected and forwarded the required inputs to the authorities in Singapore. "Yesterday, the Singapore Police sent some vital queries to his family. We have already collected the inputs from the family and sent those to the Singapore authorities. They are investigating the case very seriously," he said. The CM, however, did not specify what information the foreign nation sought from Garg's family. The celebrated singer died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. He had gone to the Southeast Asian nation to attend the 4th edition of the North East India Festival. The Indian government had earlier invoked the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore, seeking cooperation

Assam govt announces results for 7,650 Grade III recruitment posts

Results of 7,650 Grade III posts in Assam government were declared on Friday, with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma claiming that nearly two lakh appointments are being given under his regime. Along with the results of the Grade III posts for 50 departments conducted under Assam Direct Recruitment Examinations (ADRE), selection list for more than 600 posts was also declared separately. "Once again, we have delivered on our promise of clean, transparent, and merit-based recruitment. With the declaration of ADRE and other results today, Assam stands tall setting a new benchmark for honesty, fairness, and opportunity in public appointments," Sarma said in a post on X. "We have also set a new record delivering more than what we promised," he said, adding that, "We had pledged 1 lakh appointments, and today we are well on our way to achieving nearly 2 lakh appointments a true testament to our commitment to the youth of Assam." The future of the young generation is secure, and their

Assam ready to extend help in landslide-hit Darjeeling, Sikkim: Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday expressed concern over the loss of lives in West Bengal's Darjeeling due to landslides, and the situation in rain-battered Sikkim, assuring all possible assistance to tide over the crisis. 'We are extremely distressed by the devastation and loss of lives in Darjeeling and elsewhere in North Bengal due to heavy rains,' Sarma said in a post on X. The toll in the devastating landslides in Darjeeling district has risen to 24, as disaster management personnel continued rescue operations on Monday, with several people still missing and thousands of tourists stranded in cut-off hill pockets. 'On behalf of the people of Assam, we are ready to provide any support to the Govt of West Bengal in rescue and relief operations,' the CM said. He also said that the people of Assam 'stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Sikkim in this hour of crisis'. 'The Government of Assam is committed to extend any possible assistance that

Assam CM orders SIT to probe into singer Zubeen Garg's untimely death

Taking to his X handle, Assam's CM Himanta Biswa Sarma informed that the SIT will have full freedom to investigate the case with complete professional integrity

Thousands gather at Guwahati airport as Zubeen Garg's body arrives home

The mortal remains of popular singer Zubeen Garg arrived at the airport here on Sunday morning as thousands of fans gathered to welcome the artiste back home one last time. His wife, Garima Saikia Garg, and senior state government officials were at the airport to receive the body. The mortal remains were taken out of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport through the VIP exit in a flower-bedecked ambulance. Thousands of fans were heard singing his songs and shouting 'Jai Zubeen da' as the convoy navigated through the crowd outside the airport. Wailing, 'Why Zubeen da, why did you have to leave us so soon', they were seen holding cut-outs of the singer and the traditional Assamese 'gamosa' with the words 'Z G (Zubeen Garg) Forever' woven in it. Assam Director General of Police Harmeet Singh and Guwahati Police Commissioner Parthasarathi Mahanta were seen walking in front of the ambulance to clear the way for the vehicle. The singer's favourite vehicle, an open jeep, wh

PM Modi to inaugurate projects worth ₹18,530 crore in Assam today

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil projects worth Rs 18,530 crore in Assam's Darrang and Golaghat districts on Sunday and will address two public rallies there. The PM will lay the foundation stones for Darrang Medical College along with a nursing college and a GNM school in Mangaldai town, and the combined investment for these healthcare projects is Rs 570 crore, officials said. The PM will also lay the foundation stone for the 2.9 km-long Narengi-Kuruwa bridge, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore and the 118.5 km-long Guwahati Ring Road project, connecting Kamrup and Darrang districts in Assam and Ri Bhoi in Meghalaya, they said. The cost for the Ring Road project was estimated at Rs 4,530 crore. The PM's programme at Mangaldai is scheduled to begin at 11.30 am, the officials said. The prime minister arrived in Guwahati on Saturday on a two-day visit to Assam and attended the birth centenary celebrations of Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika. Later in the day, Modi

PM Modi to visit Assam, honour Bhupen Hazarika, unveil ₹19,000 cr projects

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive here on a two-day visit to Assam on Saturday to pay tribute to Bharat Ratna awardee Bhupen Hazarika and unveil projects worth over Rs 19,000 crore in the state, officials said. During his visit, the PM will also release a commemorative coin of Rs 100 to honour the legendary singer and a biography of the maestro titled 'Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika', they said. The celebrations will include an 18-minute musical tribute by 1200 artistes who will render 14 evergreen songs of Hazarika in a medley. The prime minister will arrive here on Saturday at 4.20 pm and attend the meeting of Hazarika's birth centenary celebrations at 5.15 pm, the officials said. Modi will stay the night at a state guest house here. On Sunday, Modi will leave for Mangaldoi in Darrang district, where he will lay the foundation stone for Darrang Medical College along with a nursing and a GNM school, in the morning, the officials said. The combined investment for

PM to visit Assam on Sept 13-14, lay foundation for ₹18k cr worth projects

The Prime Minister will attend the programme of the birth centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Veterinary College Field, Khanapara in Guwahati on September 13

PM Modi to visit Assam on Sept 13-14, inaugurate projects worth ₹18,000 cr

The Prime Minister will also attend the programme of the birth centenary celebration of Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika at Veterinary College Field, Khanapara in Guwahati on September 13

IndiGo flight with Assam CM diverted to Agartala due to bad weather

A Guwahati-bound IndiGo flight with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on board was diverted to Tripura's Agartala airport due to inclement weather conditions in the neighbouring state, an official said on Monday. The flight diversion was carried out on Sunday evening as a precautionary measure, he said. The aircraft, later, flew to Guwahati after an improvement in the weather conditions in Guwahati, said KC Meena, the director of the Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport at Agartala. "The IndiGo flight from Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh was unable to land in Guwahati due to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, and was diverted to Agartala as a precautionary measure. Later, the aircraft departed for Guwahati," he said. The Agartala airport director said the Chief Minister's Office in Guwahati confirmed that Sarma was on the flight. "The diversion was due to weather conditions with no technical issues reported," Meena said. As the flight landed at the Agartala airport, Tripura To

Evicted people's names to be removed from local voter rolls: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the names of people evicted from encroached land will be deleted from the voters' list of the place where they were living illegally. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme in Margherita in Tinsukia, Sarma claimed the previous generation of the state failed to "save" lower and central Assam, but efforts must be made to "save" upper and northern parts, in an apparent reference to the sizeable population of Bengali-speaking Muslims in those areas. "If someone is evicted from a place, their name cannot be on the voter list of that place. Along with eviction, names will be deleted from the voter list," he said. "Their modus operandi is to enter upper and northern Assam now. Our attempt is to ensure that, like lower and central Assam, these parts are not gone. We and our previous generation failed to save lower and central Assam, but we are now trying to save upper and northern Assam," he added. Sarma had earlier sai

No Aadhaar card for first-time applicants 18 years or older: Assam CM Sarma

The Assam chief minister also said adult members of SC, ST, and tea tribes will get Aadhaar cards for one year only

Education minister Pradhan introduces IIM Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha

The Bill grants IIM Guwahati a Rs 555 crore fund for five years, making it the second IIM in the Northeast after Shillong, with a permanent campus to come up near Guwahati

Guwahati airport's international terminal to be opened in Nov: CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the international terminal of Guwahati airport will be opened to travellers in November this year. Sarma accompanied a delegation from Bhutan to review the progress of the construction of the new terminal on Wednesday night. "It will be opened in November and we will invite Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate this state-of-the-art modern infrastructure," he said. The Bhutan delegation from the Gelephu Mindful City also expressed their appreciation for the new terminal building, which will help enhance connectivity with the neighbouring country, Sarma said. "On the verge of completion, it will boost connectivity in the Northeast and also enhance connectivity for our neighbour Bhutan. Come November, get ready to fly into a whole new experience," the CM posted on X. Sarma also announced the construction of five additional foot over-bridges between Khanapara and Jalukbari in Guwahati to facilitate safe road crossing for ...

Rahul Gandhi is anti-national, backs foreign Muslims: CM Himanta Sarma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is anti-national and only supports the Muslims of Bangladesh and Pakistan. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign meeting in Bodoland Territorial Region, Sarma also claimed that the Congress does "not respect icons of Assam", like the Kamakhya temple and Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva. "Rahul Gandhi is an anti-India person. He is only with Bangladeshi and Pakistani Muslims. He is not with Indian Hindus, not even with Indian Muslims. Rahul Gandhi is an anti-national personality," Sarma alleged. He, however, did not elaborate on the reasons for branding Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, as "anti-national".

Assam govt, not Adani acquiring land near Guwahati airport: Himanta

The Assam government has initiated the process of acquiring around 500 bighas (around 166 acres) near Guwahati airport to construct a stadium for concerts and a convention centre, but a section of media outlets is wrongfully claiming that the Adani group is acquiring it, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said here. The government aims to secure land from genuine investors who want to sell their land, and residents will not be evicted, Sarma assured at a press conference. 'This move has been initiated by the state government to safeguard the land for the people of Assam, and we plan to take up three specific projects in the area,' he said. These include a state-of-the-art stadium to promote Assam's concert economy, a convention centre on the lines of the Bharat Mandapam and an entertainment zone or amusement park on the lines of Universal Studios, but not on such a big scale, he added. 'All these projects will be fully planned and implemented by the state government and not by any

Assam CM meets PM Modi, briefs him about state's welfare schemes

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him of the progress made in various socio-economic indicators and welfare schemes in the state. "Had the privilege of calling upon Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji in New Delhi today", the Chief Minister posted on 'X'. "Briefed him on Assam's notable strides across socio-economic indicators and the near saturation of major welfare schemes", he added. Sarma said he also conveyed "on behalf of the people of Assam, our anticipation to welcome him on 8th September a moment that will mark another milestone in our state's development journey". The PM is scheduled to visit Assam on September 8 to inaugurate the year-long celebration of Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika's birth centenary and dedicate the nation's first bio-ethanol plant at Numaligarh in Golaghat district.

Assam's Muslim population will match Hindus by 2041, says CM Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday claimed that the population of Muslims in Assam will be almost equal to that of the Hindus by 2041 if the current growth rate is maintained. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, Sarma claimed that out of around 34 per cent Muslims as per the 2011 Census, 31 per cent were those who had migrated to Assam earlier. When asked if Assamese indigenous people will become a minority after some years, he said, "This is not my take, it is just the Census result. Today as per the 2011 Census, 34 per cent of the population is Muslim." Out of the total Muslim population of the state, three per cent are indigenous Assamese Muslims, Sarma stated. "...then the 31 per cent are the Muslims who had migrated to Assam. And if you project that for 2021, 2031 and 2041, you will come to almost a 50:50 position. I am just stating what the statistical census report says," he claimed. The CM said that empirical data and past census

China constructing dam on Brahmaputra not immediate concern, says Himanta

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday tried to alleviate fears on China's move to construct the world's largest dam on Brahmaputra and said he does not foresee any immediate cause of worry as the river gets most of its waters from Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Sarma said the exact impact of the massive dam, the construction of which began last week, is not properly known as different theories are being floated, and hoped that the Centre must be in touch with China on the matter. China on Saturday formally started the construction of a USD 167.8 billion dam over the Brahmaputra River in Tibet, close to the border with India in Arunachal Pradesh. "I am not immediately worried because Brahmaputra is a mighty river and it is not dependent on a single source (of water)," Sarma told reporters here. When asked about the possible downstream impact of the dam on Assam, he said it is not yet known whether it will be good

Assam BJP holds two-day meet to plan 2026 Assembly poll strategy

With an eye on next year's assembly elections, leaders of the ruling BJP in Assam brainstormed over two days, drawing up organisational strategies and a roadmap. The discussions held in the meeting will be the basis for the party leadership to take forward its preparations for the polls, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. "A two-day @BJP4Assam organisational meeting was held in the esteemed presence of Hon'ble CM Dr. @himantabiswa & BJP National General Secretary (Org) Shri @blsanthosh ji," state BJP president Dilip Saikia posted on X on Sunday after the end of the meeting, which was held at a resort in Sonapur on the outskirts of Guwahati. Key discussions included the state's political scenario, organisational strategies and roadmap for the 2026 assembly polls, he added. Sarma, talking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme later, said, "The meeting focused on preparation for the assembly polls, manifesto preparation, candidate selection, campaign strategy, and ...