New Delhi, May 30: After nearly a decade, crude oil production may be revived in Nagaland. Plans are being chalked out for a joint agreement between the Neiphiu Rio government and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC).

But this would bear fruit only if Naga village councils get a share of the royalties shelled out by theONGC. A question mark would still hang over the fate of oil exploration in the state since insurgent outfits had earlier stymied it.

At a high-level meeting today between representatives of ONGC and the Nagaland government, the corporation agreed to look into some of the...

New Delhi, May 30: In a major boost to the cash-strapped Nagaland government, the Centre has increased the size of the state?s annual plan for 2003-04 by 16 per cent and converted a medium-term loan into a grant.

The annual plan of Rs 500 crore is an increase of Rs 76 crore over last year?s allocation.

?We are happy with the way things have gone. The Planning Commission honoured our appeals and we are grateful to it. A bigger allocation was important because our government came to power by promising peace and development. We will now have access to ample funds for development,? chief minister...

Guwahati, May 30: Ulfa commander-in-chief Paresh Barua seems to be living the charmed life of a cat with nine lives: he reportedly survived the fifth attempt on his life by unidentified gunmen in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Like on the previous four occasions, this time, too, there has been no official confirmation from the Bangladeshi authorities on the incident. Even the Bangladeshi media has come out with reports denying the news of the latest ?attack? as ?baseless?.

The mass-circulated English daily Independent quoted the new commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Md. Ashraful Huda as saying...

Imphal, May 30: The Union home ministry has made it tougher for foreigners to visit Manipur, where militants had taken a German national hostage two months ago.

The ministry recently issued a new set of guidelines on granting protected area permits, which every foreigner must obtain before entering the state. The whole of Manipur is a ?protected area? under the Foreigners (Protected Areas) Order, 1958.

Foreigners are allowed to visit only a few places, including this capital town, Loktak lake, the memorial to Indian National Army soldiers at Moirang, Keibul Lamjao National Park, Waithou lake...

Agartala, May 30: A nine-member executive council of the Autonomous District Council, headed by Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) vice-president Debabrata Koloi, was today sworn in at the council house in Khumlung, 25 km from here.

State law secretary Alak Bandhu Paul was present on the occasion on behalf of Governor Lt. Gen. Krishna Mohan Seth. The nine Left Front members boycotted the ceremony in protest against the shuffle.

Debabrata Koloi took over as the chief executive member, while Sridam Debbarma, Benoy Debbarma, Mohan Debbarma, Krishna Kanta Jamatya, Mulukchand Debbarma...