‘Everything is in place, we are just waiting for the chief minister to recover fully and resume office,’ Lodha told reporters on the sidelines of an interactive session organised by Indian Chamber of Commerce.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi underwent a bypass surgery and another surgery to replace an aortic valve with 70-80 percent blocks in two blood vessels. A 20-member team operated on him earlier this month.

The company would be sourcing limestone from Assam, for which a separate pact would be signed with the Assam Mineral Development Corp, he said. Coal would be sourced from Meghalaya for the project.

Source: IANS

Identification cards would be issued to BPL people simultaneously, the chief minister said.

Sangma said Meghalaya ranked 12th in the country in terms of implementation of the Centre’s 20-point programme – which is the best among the Northeastern states. “More effort is required to climb the ladder. The government cannot be complacent,” he said adding that the government was making effort to generate multifold opportunity for the poor.

The 20-point programme, launched in 1985, aims at eradicating poverty, reducing income disparity, socio-economic inequalities and also to provide basic amenities, including housing for the poor and other weaker sections.

Source: PTI

Among the ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries, state transport minister PC Zoramsangliana topped the chart with Rs. 5, 09,497 while Mizoram Parliamentary Secretary S Laldingliana came bottom with just Rs. 13,172.

Giving the detailed figure of the expense during their tour, the department said state home minister R Lalzirliana traveled three times spending Rs. 26,278 while agriculture minister H Liansailova spent Rs. 1,29,357. State education minister Lalsawta had spent Rs. 2,88,022 during the stated period traveling 12 times outside the state.

On the other hand, state health minister Lalrinliana Sailo while traveling eight times outside the state spent Rs. 2, 308,77. Among the Parliamentary Secretaries, Lal Thanzara topped the list with Rs. 2,23,955 by his name while his colleague Lalrinmawia had spent a mere Rs. 29,665.

Source: Newmai News Network

Other documentary proof like job cards under MGNREGS, ration cards would also be scrutinised. The state government was also aware that there were many refugees in the Tripura camps coming from Assam to avail free rations and other benefits provided by the Union Home Ministry, he said.

According to the MBDPF President Elvis Chorkhy, there were 31,703 Bru refugees belonging to 5,448 families in six relief camps in Kanchanpur sub-division of North Tripura district. The refugees migrated to Tripura in 1997 and in 2009, due to communal tension created by killing of two Mizos by Bru militants.

Source: PTI

According to official sources here today, Ms Moni will be on a two-day visit to Tripura along with a delegation.

She would enter the state through Akhaura Check post and then leave for Belonia to lay the foundation stone at Chittakhola in Belonia on September 15 next, said state Industries and Commerce Minister Jitendra Choudhury.

He said during Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971, Chittakhola had functioned as one of the 11 warfront camps in Tripura and a large number of liberation warriors at Chittakhola used to sneak into Bangladesh to launch guerrilla offensives against Pakistani army camps or mobile units.

Source: UNI

NDTV investigated the scam of illegal check gates in the state and found documentary proof of a well organized extortion racket run by government employees.

In reply to a RTI filed, the office of the Chief Conservator of Forests informed that the state has 32 approved forest check gates.

However, on taking a tour of the city, atleast seven check gates that had no mention in the list were found including one at Khanapara, right below the Chief Minister’s residence.

Another check gate at Lokhra in Garalia in South Guwahati, curiously had the word ‘Checkgate’ replaced by ‘Forest camp’ when camps are ideally inside forest reserves or national parks and not on national highways.

Even though Amulya Mahanta, in charge of the camp, says these temporary shelters are only meant for checking transit passes but money is extorted from every vehicle carrying forest produce without issuing any receipts.

At yet another unlisted check gate in Saraighat Bridge on the Brahmaputra, just outside Guwahati city, money was being collected from every vehicle carrying forest produce. On being asked, the staff refused to explain why they were collecting money and ran away.

Even National Highways Authority of India trucks carrying material for East West Corridor are not spared.

“We have to pay every time we pass by. It’s around 150 rupees,” said a driver.

Sand and stones get away with a hundred and fifty rupees but timber comes at Rs. 4000 to Rs. 6000 for a truckload. It’s unlikely that such an extortion racket is run without the approval of the highest officers in the department.

Source: NDTV

The state government has approved of the three names and sent them to the Centre. According to an officer, grapevine has it that there is not much of a chance for any IAS officer from Bengal to be selected this time, as the Assam cadre is a strong contender. For the past several occasions, the Tea Board chairman has been selected from the Bengal and Assam cadres on alternate years. Banerjee being from Bengal, Assam has a stronger chance this time, explained an officer.

But Das’s applying for the post has created quite a flutter in the state administration, as he heads the CM’s office. There has been a rush among IAS and IPS officers to go to Central government deputations since the last Lok Sabha polls, which gave the first indication of the winds of change.

The rush has been such that a couple of months ago, the state government had taken a stand not to allow any more officers to go on deputation. Later, however, it was decided that those who had applied for deputation earlier would be given permission. Santanu Basu, personal secretary to railway minister Mamata Banerjee, is also from the West Bengal cadre on central government deputation.

Source: Times of India

“We are fortunate to be a peaceful state and this is primarily because of the comprehensive socio-economic development measures executed sincerely by the government,” Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla told IANS.

Separatist insurgency in the northeast first started after the Mautam famine in 1958-59, with guerrilla leader Laldenga forming the Mizo Famine Front, which finally led to the formation of the Mizo National Front (MNF), one of India’s most organised rebel armies.

The MNF waged a violent bush war for over 20 years against the Indian state for secession before signing a peace accord with New Delhi in 1986 during the adminstration of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

“Undoubtedly Mizoram is now the most peaceful state in the whole of the northeast. The government, church, civil society, and youth groups played a major role in the transformation,” said T. Sailo, a community elder.

The predominantly Christian state of a little under 900,000 people is the second highest literate state after Kerala with a literacy rate of about 89 percent.

“The high literacy rate is another factor contributing to the overall transformation – people by and large realised that insurgency and violence would lead us to nowhere; hence the change in mindset for peace and stability,” Zaaithanchungi, a well-known writer, told IANS.

“Whether we accept it or not, the mindset of the people of Mizoram has changed and that is one of the reasons why no insurgency group is able to take root in the state after the MNF came overground,” said Lalinpui, a young doctor.

Mizoram may not have big industries – but economically the state is growing, with the per capita net state domestic product at current prices pegged at Rs.29,576.

“Development is the cornerstone for peace and stability and we believe despite not much industrial growth, Mizoram is on the road to progress, with people behind the government, whether it is the Congress or the MNF. We support any government’s constructive plans,” said Sanzuwala, a youth leader.

While Mizoram does not have any separatist group now, the other northeastern states are considered a hotbed of militancy with more than 30 rebel armies active in the region and demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy.

Former chief minister and MNF second-in-command Zoramthanga was among the best sharpshooters during the insurgency. He is today better known for his role as a peacemaker in the region, having opened channels of communication with at least five different rebel groups in the northeast.

However, he adds: “There is a feeling among people that the only language New Delhi listens to is that of rebellion and so there is this language of revolt in the region. For decades New Delhi treated the northeastern states rather shabbily and this resulted in a sense of frustration among the people. This, in turn, bred insurgency.”

But he does not talk of guns and violence any more.

“By and large, almost all the underground groups in the northeast are beginning to realise the necessity of solving their various grievances through peace talks and not through the barrel of the gun,” the former chief minister said. Zoramthanga ruled Mizoram for 10 years, but his party, MNF, was routed by the Congress in 2008.

Source: IANS (Zarir Hussain can be contacted at zarir.h@ians.in)

HNLC general secretary Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew had in a e-mailed statement yesterday favoured political dialogue, but rued that there was no initiative from the government. Terming the HNLC gesture as a “positive signal”, Sangma said, “We have always maintained that there is no issue that cannot be solved through a dialogue.”

“With enough positive indication coming from the group for talks, the government may also work on the modalities to further the process and identify a mediator,” Sangma said.

Sangma indicated that he will “share the input (content of the email)” with the Union Home Ministry and urge it to take necessary steps. “Our doors are always open and we are ready to initiate dialogue with the outfit to ensure lasting peace in the state,” Sangma told PTI over phone from New Delhi.

Asked if there would be any condition for the talks, the chief minister said, “It will have to be within the framework of the Constitution.” The HNLC is a product of a 1992 split. The outfit was proscribed on November 16, 2000 after a series of incidents of killing, extortion and kidnapping over the years.

In 2005, a church leader PBM Basaiawmoit tried to broker peace between the HNLC, born out of a 1992 split in the erstwhile Hynniewtrep Achik Liberation Council, and the government, but not much headway was made.

The group’s chairman Julius Dorphang had surrendered to the government on July 24, 2007, but its other leaders are still believed to be in Bangladesh.

Source: PTI

A total of 22 wooden tombs and five tombstones were recovered by local Young Mizo Association (YMA) volunteers as heavy monsoon continue to lash the state.

“The ground at the burial place was still moving and measures are being taken to prevent seepage of water in the soil,” President of Dawrpui Vengthar YMA branch Lallianzuala said.

Besides the tombs a number of skeletal remains were also recovered, he said.

Source: PTI