GUWAHATI, Feb 5 ? The Central Government is collecting around Rs 850 crore annually from the oil fields of Assam as Oil Development Cess, at the rate of Rs 1,800 per MT. But instead of investing funds from this cess for exploration and higher level of production in the State, the Central Government is diverting the funds to the Consolidated Fund of India. This is one of the submissions made by the State Government in its memorandum to the Twelfth Finance Commission.

The memorandum alleged that the amount of fund so diverted since 1974 would amount to thousands of crores of rupees. Oil...

NEW DELHI, Feb 5 ? The fate of the mega gas cracker project appears to be sealed, with the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas confirming that the Assam Government has been asked to look for alternative projects. This was conveyed by Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sumitra Mahajan, in a written reply to Paban Singh Ghatowar in the Lok Sabha here today.

?Since a considerable amount of subsidy is involved in making the project viable, it has been suggested that in today?s environment, the State Government may also consider identifying alternative proposals,? the Minister wrote...

Shillong, Feb. 5: Meghalaya chief minister D.D. Lapang has accused former Lok Sabha Speaker Purno A. Sangma of ?conniving? with militants to hold his own in Meghalaya politics.

Reacting to the open appeal by the Garo Hills-based outfit, the Achik National Volunteers? Council (ANVC), asking voters to support Sangma and his party in the February 12 district council elections, Lapang told the media today that the plea undoubtedly proved a close and clandestine link. ?It has proved beyond doubt that Sangma is involved with the ANVC,? Lapang said.

The outfit?s chairman, Dilash Marak alias Susime...

New Delhi, Feb. 5: Elephant conservation in the Northeast is set to get a boost with the decision to establish a few more reserves in the region. While the proposals for two ? Intanki in Nagaland and Deomali in Arunachal Pradesh ? are being prepared and are expected to be completed within six months, plans are on to determine the feasibility of similar schemes in other states.

Explaining the rationale behind the decision, Project Elephant director S.S. Bist said, ?The protected area system does not work for elephants as they require a lot of space to move about. The Northeast has an advantage...

New Delhi, Feb. 5: The ministry of water resources, which is looking for a long-term solution to erosion at Majuli, has asked the Brahmaputra Board to conduct model studies. The ministry has also decided to ask the Assam government for clarification on the proposal submitted by the latter to protect the Hatimura dyke in Nagaon.

Sources in the ministry said the Brahmaputra Board had submitted a project report on erosion three months ago, which was examined by the Central Water Commission.

?The model studies advised by the ministry are based on this project report. The idea is to ensure that the...