New Delhi, May 18: The Centre has revamped the procedure for allotting funds from the non-lapsable pool of resources for the eight northeastern states, including Sikkim.

Under the new mechanism, states will be required to submit a concept paper of projects to the department of development of north east region (Doner) which has the final say on sanctioning grants. The Doner will then assess the feasibility of the project according to the size of the plan and the number of people it would benefit. As per existing rules, no project of less than a crore would be okayed.

?Preparation of project...

Jorhat, May 18: It is not known whether she ever favours the bad guys, but Kako Mai certainly commands as much reverence from poachers as she does from the forest guards who protect the Kaziranga National Park.

An incarnation of Goddess Durga, Kako Mai is worshipped regularly by the protectors and the aggressors, albeit for different reasons. But it appears the poachers are finding it difficult to maintain the tradition of paying obeisance to the presiding deity of the forest before a hunt because that gives forest guards clues to their plans.

N.K. Vasu, director of the park, said forest...

KOHIMA, May 18 ? With the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government forming a peace committee to facilitate the Naga peace process, various Naga underground groups have now stressed on the need for establishing unity and understanding among themselves to find an amicable solution to the vexed political problem, reports PTI. With an aim of uniting the warring underground groups, NSCN (I-M) recently circulated a seven-point formula which laid emphasis on peace and re-conciliation among rival factions, but with certain conditions.

After extension of the ceasefire between the Centre and...

GUWAHATI, May 18 ? Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today said the State Government was keen to grant Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Adivasi people. The matter will be discussed in the next Cabinet session and then the Centre will be moved for expediting the process, he said. Speaking as chief guest at the concluding session of the sixth Adivasi Mohasabha organised by the All Adivasi Students? Association of Assam, Gogoi said the Government was doing its best to enure all-round development of the Adivasis. ?Adivasis living on government land for a long time will be granted pattas?, he declared...

GUWAHATI, May 18? Adoption of simple, cost-effective and widely available technologies can transform the agricultural scenario in Assam, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Director General (DG) and Department of Agricultural Research and Education (DARE) Secretary, Dr Mangala Rai told newspersons here. Over the next couple of years, such technologies will be put in operation in the State, promising to change the face of rural Assam. Dr Rai, who was addressing newspersons on the sidelines of the two-day 16th ICAR regional committee meeting II, which concluded here today, said that...