Northeast India

Tripura minister praises TSCBL for 66% credit-deposit ratio in FY26

Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy on Saturday lauded the Tripura State Cooperative Bank Ltd (TSCBL) for recording the highest credit deposit ratio (CDR) of 66 per cent in the 2025-26 fiscal among the lenders operating in the northeastern state. The state's overall CDR stands at 49 per cent as against the national average of 83 per cent, officials said. "TSCBL has been relentlessly working to boost grassroots-level banking system across the state. Due to the all-out efforts to ensure credit flow to small and micro enterprises, the bank's CDR has increased to 66 per cent during 2025-26," the minister told reporters here on the sidelines of the lender's 43rd annual general meeting. The minister said that TSCBL's net profit has risen from Rs 36 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 70 crore in 2025-26. On future expansion plans, TSCBL Chairman Nagadhiraj Datta said the bank plans to open six more branches by September, taking the total branches to 73 across Tripura.

Delhi to see light rain, thunderstorms; heavy rain alert in northeast India

IMD forecasts light rain, thunderstorms and gusty winds in Delhi for today, while a red alert for heavy rainfall remains in place for several states, including Assam and Meghalaya

Northeast has potential to become India's next growth engine: Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the Northeast has the potential to become India's next engine of growth by leveraging its strengths in sustainable agriculture and premium organic produce. She also asserted that Meghalaya is uniquely positioned to lead because of the trust it commands in global markets. Inaugurating the Northeast's largest organic spice processing plant of the Eastern Ri-Bhoi Organic Farmer Producer Company Ltd here, Sitharaman said, "The future of agriculture increasingly belongs not to those who produce the most, but to those who produce the best -- cleaner, more traceable, more trusted and more premium." "When Meghalaya's farmers rise, the Northeast rises. And when the Northeast rises, India's growth acquires a new engine," she said, congratulating the Meghalaya government, women collectives and entrepreneurs for driving the state's organic farming movement forward. Emphasising Meghalaya's competitive advantage, the finance minister said

Japan's Takaichi may visit India in July with top execs from Suzuki, Toyota

The business delegation may include automaker Suzuki Motor, trading house Itochu and Toyota Motor trading arm Toyota Tsusho

Earthquake of magnitude 5.6 hits Bhutan, tremors felt in Northeast, Bengal

Tremors were felt across Sikkim and parts of north Bengal after a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck Bhutan late on Sunday, officials said. Tremors lasted for a few seconds, and there was no immediate report of any loss of life or property damage in these states, they said. According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake took place at 11.06 pm near Punakha in Bhutan. Residents in Gangtok and other parts of Sikkim said they felt tremors for a few seconds, prompting many to rush out of their homes as a precaution. A Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority official said the situation is being monitored. People in some places of Siliguri city and in Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri and Alipurduar districts in West Bengal said they felt the tremors and came out of their residences. There was no report of injury to any person or damage to property in these places of north Bengal adjoining Bhutan, the officials said.

DRI seizes 60,000 kg smuggled areca nuts in Assam, Mizoram; 5 arrested

According to the Ministry of Finance release on Friday, initial investigations revealed that foreign-origin dried areca nuts were smuggled into India from Myanmar through the Myanmar-Mizoram border

Govt committed to 'Act East, Act Fast' for northeastern states: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said his government was not only committed to its 'Act East' policy but was resolved to 'Act Fast' for the eight northeastern states, which he described as India's 'Ashtalakshmi' -- representing the multifaceted nature of prosperity, wealth, and auspiciousness. Asserting that tourism was the mainstay of Sikkim's economy, Modi said his government's focus is on boosting the state's connectivity, which would increase tourist inflow. "The government is committed to augmenting Sikkim's infrastructure, including building an expressway from West Bengal's Bagdogra, and a ring road in Gangtok to increase tourist inflow," Modi said during his 35-minute speech at a grand function at Paljor Stadium here to mark the conclusion of the year-long celebrations of 50 years of Sikkim's statehood. He also said that ropeway and skyways projects are on the anvil for the state, while an expressway would be built in Nathula to ensure more tourist inflow. "The ...

PM Modi unveils development projects worth ₹4,000 crore in Sikkim

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched development projects worth over Rs 4,000 crore in Sikkim while attending the closing ceremony of the state's 50 years of statehood celebrations. The projects span a wide range of sectors such as infrastructure, connectivity, healthcare, education, power, urban development, environment, tourism and agriculture, the officials said. These projects are aimed at accelerating holistic and inclusive development in Sikkim. The PM's visit marks an important milestone in the golden jubilee year of Sikkim's statehood and reflects the government's "continued commitment to the rapid and sustainable development of the Himalayan state", the officials said.

Manipur violence displaced over 58,800 people, killed 217 since May 2023

A total of 58,821 people have been displaced by the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3, 2023 till March 30 this year, the state government has said. The figures were furnished by the Home Department Secretariat on April 20 in response to an RTI filed by Manipur Congress leader Hareshwar Goshwami. On the number of deaths and injured in connection with the ethnic violence since May 2023, the department said "217 people as per ex-gratia given to NoK (next of the kin)". It said the number of relief camps till March 10, 2026 stood at 174, while 3,000 pre-fabricated houses have been constructed by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation Ltd. The department also said 7,894 permanent houses were destroyed and 2,646 houses were partially destroyed since May 3, 2023. Goshwami, in a social media post, said it took him "seven months of effort" to receive the information on the internally displaced persons (IDPs). The ethnic violence had erupted in May 2023, between the valley-based Meitei

21 held for 'involvement' in violence during protest march in Manipur

At least 21 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in violence during a rally in Manipur's Imphal West district two days ago, police said on Monday. During the violence on April 18, vehicles of security personnel were pelted with stones, petrol bombs hurled, leaving three personnel injured, a senior officer said. "Twenty-one people have been arrested in connection with the mob violence," he said. The torch rally was organised in protest against a recent bomb attack in which two children were killed. "On Saturday, a torch rally was taken out along Imphal Jiribam road, organised by various CSOs (civil society organisations) from Patsoi to Sagolband, during which the mob became violent and resorted to stone pelting, hurling petrol bombs, use of catapults, and boulders on police personnel, resulting in multiple injuries," the police said in a statement. During the incident, the vehicles of security forces were vandalised, and three personnel of the 232 Battalion CRPF susta

North Sikkim landslides: Army rescues 135 tourists, many still stranded

A total of 135 stranded tourists have been rescued by the Army from North Sikkim, where multiple landslides have snapped road connectivity, officials said on Thursday. Around 1,000 tourists remain stranded in Lachen, with sustained efforts underway to ensure their rescue at the earliest, they said. The rescue operation is being carried out by the Trishakti Corps under the Eastern Command amid heavy snowfall, they added. Critical passes have been opened and alternate routes activated to facilitate the rescue mission, named 'Operation Him Setu', officials said. A total of 32 light vehicles and 10 motorcycles have been moved out so far, with Army vehicles deployed to tow civilian vehicles across steep, snowbound stretches, they said. Medical emergencies and those requiring immediate assistance are being prioritised, officials said. The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is working in close coordination with the Army, undertaking continuous road clearance, snow removal and restoration o

2 dead, 20 injured in firing after mob storms CRPF camp in Manipur

At least two persons were killed and 20 others injured in firing by security forces after hundreds of people stormed a CRPF camp in Manipur's Bishnupur district and burnt vehicles during a protest on Tuesday, the police said. A large number of youths and women were holding a protest against the killing of two children in a bomb attack by suspected militants in Moirang Tronglaobi area earlier in the day, Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam said. The home minister said that the protesters stormed the CRPF camp near Gelmol, around 100 metres from the bomb attack site, burnt vehicles and vandalised properties there, he said. "I had urged the protesters not to enter the CRPF camp and to allow security forces to focus on conducting an operation to apprehend those involved in the bomb attack," the minister said. But the demonstrators did not pay heed to the appeal. "They stormed the CRPF camp, burnt vehicles and vandalised portions of the camp, leading to firing by security personnel. They

Manipur CM chairs high-level meeting after 2 children die in bomb attack

Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting to review the law and order situation in the state, after two children were killed in a bomb attack in Bishnupur district. Singh said his government is committed to restoring peace and stability at the earliest. "Chaired a high-level meeting with Hon'ble MLAs today at the secretariat to review the prevailing situation and deliberate on necessary measures to de-escalate tensions," he said in a post on X. "While peace and normalcy have been disturbed, we remain firmly committed to restoring stability at the earliest. The government is actively exploring all viable options and taking decisive steps to bring back peace, ensure public safety, and uphold law and order across the state," he said. The incident occurred around 1 am when a bomb was hurled by suspected militants at a house in Moirang Tronglaobi area, killing a five-year-old boy and a six-month-old girl, a senior police officer said. Locals stage

Planters' body ask Assam govt to address concerns for providing land patta

Planters' body, Tea Association of India (TAI), has urged the Assam government to address its concerns regarding the transfer of housing line land to workers under a new amended law. While appreciating the government's intent to provide land patta to the tea garden workers, it called for clear guidelines in the matter so that the "administrative" concerns are taken care of. Speaking at the 37th Biennial General Meeting of TAI, Assam Branch, here on Saturday, TAI president Shailja Mehta said the concerns of the industry should be considered before implementation of the new law. She pointed out that in many cases, tea garden land is mortgaged as collateral with banks, and transfer may create financial and legal complications. Further, the Land Ceiling Act applies only to land and not to company-built assets such as labour quarters. "Adequate compensation should therefore be ensured under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlem

No centralised data on racial bias against people from Northeast: Govt

No centralised data is maintained on incidents of "hate speech, racial slurs, harassment and discrimination" against people from the Northeast, the government said on Tuesday while stressing that policing and public order fall under the domain of state governments. Responding to a question by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said states are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crimes, and prosecution of offenders. " 'Police' and 'Public Order' are state subjects as per the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India. The state governments are responsible for prevention, detection, registration and investigation of crime and for prosecuting the criminals through their law enforcement agencies," Rai said. He said the National Crime Records Bureau compiles and publishes crime data received from states and union territories in its "Crime in India" reports, which are available till 2023. However, "d

Arunachal to digitally share details about schemes in tribal languages

Arunachal Pradesh Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Ojing Tasing said the state government is working on a digital governance system with a local language interface to help people in rural areas better understand schemes and also to strengthen grassroots administration. The minister said the government plans to introduce digital screens in villages and train panchayat leaders to operate them, besides launching a comprehensive online system to monitor administrative functioning at the grassroots level. "We are trying to develop a system through which villagers can easily understand government schemes. Arunachal Pradesh has 26 major tribes and when you go to the villages, many people do not understand English or Hindi properly. We are exploring ways to convert information into a format that people can understand," Tasing told PTI in an interview. He said the proposal, which has been discussed with Chief Minister Pema Khandu, may initially be implemented as a pilot project

Curfew extended in Meghalaya's West and East Garo Hills amid unrest

Curfew has been extended in Meghalaya's violence-hit West Garo Hills district till 6 am on Sunday, officials said. It will be enforced across the district, with relaxation from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturday to procure essential items, according to an order issued by District Magistrate Vibhor Aggarwal. Meanwhile, curfew imposed in the East Garo Hills district will continue until further orders, the officials said. Williamnagar Main Bazar in East Garo Hills will be permitted to open from 6 am to 1 pm, District Magistrate R P Marak said in another order. During the curfew period, residents have been asked to remain indoors, with movement in the two districts prohibited, except during the relaxation hours, the officials said. Law enforcement agencies, magistrates and police officers have been directed to strictly enforce the order and take action against violators, they said. Violence erupted earlier this week in parts of West Garo Hills, including Chibinang and Tura, during protests lin

Amazon expands its dedicated air cargo services to northeastern region

Amazon has expanded its dedicated air cargo network, Amazon Air, to the Northeast with new Delhi-Kolkata-Guwahati routes aimed at cutting transit times and improving delivery speeds

BJP ensured peace in NE, Congress worked for 'selfish interests': PM Modi

Asserting that sounds of bombs and gunfire are a thing of the past in the Northeast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the BJP ensured long-lasting peace in the region, while the Congress signed various accords for "selfish interests". Addressing a public meeting in Assam's Kokrajhar district virtually from Guwahati after rain disrupted his travel schedule, Modi said the state was writing a new chapter of peace and development under the "double-engine" government. Modi alleged Congress endangered national security by handing over the land of indigenous people to infiltrators. "Punish Congress in the upcoming elections and give a clear message that there is no place for infiltrators in this country," he added.

BSF vehicle burnt, personnel injured amid unrest in Meghalaya's Garo Hills

A vehicle part of the convoy of a Border Security Force DIG was set on fire and some personnel were injured in an attack by a group of people amid the ongoing unrest in the Garo Hills region of Meghalaya, officials said on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday evening when the deputy inspector general (DIG), along with other officials, was returning from a meeting in Tura town in the West Garo Hills district near the India-Bangladesh border, they said. The DIG and the officials accompanying him suffered minor injuries in the incident. A Border Security Force (BSF) vehicle part of the convoy was burnt as it was left behind, the officials said. The BSF guards the India-Bangladesh border. It is deployed in Meghalaya as 443 km of the 4,096-km border passes through the state. Clashes between tribals and non-tribals over filing nomination papers in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHACD) elections left two people dead on Tuesday. Mobile internet services were suspend