News

Guwahati, March 6: The Assam government has prepared a “bamboo mission” with the twin objective of augmenting additional revenue and recovering the state’s dwindling forest cover.

The government has identified various hybrid species of fast-growing bamboo to be planted in degraded areas in the state, minister of state for forest Pradyut Bordoloi told newspersons here today. The mission envisages bringing 6,000 hectares of land under bamboo plantation during 2003-06.

For the purpose, the government has taken up the matter with Hindustan Paper Corporation (HPC) and the National Bank for...

GUWAHATI, March 6— The Chief Minister, Sri Tarun Gogoi today announced that he would be keen to visit any country to initiate dialogue with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) if he is acceptable to both the Central Government and the militant outfit. Replying to the discussion on the cut motions on the supplementary demand for grant for the Police department, Sri Gogoi said in the State Assembly that the Mizoram Chief Minister went to foreign countries to meet the NSCN leaders as he is acceptable to both the Centre and the militant. “If I am acceptable to both the concerned parties, I...

Guwahati/New Delhi, March 6: Union minister for development of the Northeast C.P. Thakur today described certain measures envisaged in the budget for 2003-04 as “detrimental” to the economic health of the region and said the matter was “serious enough” to be taken up with the Prime Minister.

“The policies being followed by the Union finance ministry are short-sighted and do not take into account the ground realities in the Northeast. Otherwise, what was the need to initiate any step that is contradictory to the one announced by the ministry of commerce and industry?” he told The Telegraph...

Shillong, March 6: The D.D. Lapang-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance is perilously close to being the most short-lived government in recent times in Meghalaya, a record previously held by Congress chief minister Salseng C. Marak who headed a ministry for 12 days.

The United Democratic Party (UDP) has threatened to pull out of the alliance, as its nine MLAs are extremely unhappy with Lapang’s distribution of portfolios.

The UDP, which is second largest party in the coalition after the Congress (which has 22 legislators), was expecting that its legislature party leader Donkupar Roy would be...

DIBRUGARH, March 5— Under the Samaritan scheme of the Assam Police called Project Prahari, at least one remote village in the district is set to see a happier future. The project is a brainchild of the Assam DGP, Hare Krishna Deka. Ordinarily used to round up ruffians and maintain law and order, cops of the Khowang police station in the Dibrugarh district are taking up an altogether different role as society peers and thereby helping villagers to help themselves.

Project Prahari was launched at the nondescript Bokahulla village on March 17 last year. During the past twelve months, the hundred...