SHILLONG, June 16 – Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who was a ‘negotiator’ between the Centre and several underground outfits in the North-east for talks during the NDA regime, today said he was ready to offer his services to continue the process, if invited, reports PTI.

“If my service is needed, I will be glad to offer it for the good of the country...But I don’t like to be an uninvited guest,” Zoramthanga told reporters before flying to New Delhi. He said the present Congress-led Government had not discussed the issue with him so far. Asked if he would take up the matter during his...

GUWAHATI, June 16 – The tea industry in the Barak Valley is facing a fresh crisis with the labourers threatening to go on strike demanding a hike in wages. This is the second major crisis faced by the industry within the last couple of months as floods and hailstorm in April created havoc in the gardens in the valley. The stalemate over the wage hike demand is yet to be settled and the meeting between the Consultative Committee of Tea Planters Associations and the leaders of the Assam Chah Sramik Sangha, held recently failed to arrive at a consensus on the issue. The gardens in the Barak...

GUWAHATI, June 16 – Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh today assured that the Centre would accord top priority to human resource development in the north eastern region. The Union Minister, during a meeting with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi here today, also assured that the Centre would provide all possible help for developing the infrastructure for improving the standard of education in the region, an official release said here.

The Chief Minister, on his part, thanked the Union Minister for the decision taken by the Ministry to spend 10 per cent of its budgetary allocation...

GUWAHATI, June 16 – While the BSNL is not exactly known as a quality service provider, drawing flak from the public for its slack services, the recent spurt in the number of bills served to customers showing huge amounts of arrears dating back to years has shocked the people. The aggrieved customers feel that the BSNL authorities are taking them for a ride for no fault of theirs. Or how else would one explain the serving of a bill showing huge arrears whereas the customer had actually paid the bill. Rajiv Sharma, who was served with such a bill, however, managed to refrain from paying the...

GUWAHATI, June 16 – The proscribed ULFA has shown the “first signs” of coming to the negotiation table to solve the vexed insurgency problem in the State, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here today, reports PTI. “Somebody (ULFA leader) has come forward. It is a good sign and we are hopeful of a new beginning,” Gogoi told PTI in an interview.

“We have been always asking them (ULFA) to come for talks and it is a very positive sign that they have responded,” Gogoi said. Without identifying the ULFA leader who he said has “come forward for talks,” the Chief Minister said, “at least let there be...