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NEW DELHI, Dec 18 — Amidst strong opposition by tribal MPs of Assam over the move to accord schedule tribe status to Koch-Rajbongshi community, Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram clarified that the proposal was pending clearance by the Union Cabinet. The discussion on the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribes Order (Second Amendment) Bill 2002 in the Lok Sabha, this afternoon, witnessed heated exchanges between Congress MP Madhab Rajbongshi and CPI(ML) MP Dr Jayanta Rongpi, and SK Bwismutiary, both of whom protested the move to accord ST status to the Koch-Rajbongshi community. The two...

Imphal, December 18: The Manipur Zoological Garden, Iroishemba is today in a pitiable condition thanks to long years of neglect and apathy with its wall developing cracks at many points and crumbling even at some parts. The cages are also in no better shape with many bearing tell-tale signs of neglect. A number of cages have been eaten away by rust and the ravages of time. When The Sangai Express contacted DFO Dr L Puni, who is in charge of the Zoological garden, he said that the Central Zoo Authority released a sum of Rs 7.5 lakhs for wall maintenance last year. The amount has been utilized...

Guwahati, Dec. 17: In its latest attempt to push ahead with its administrative reforms programme, the Assam government has reduced the number of regular holidays from 37 to 29 from next year.

The eight deducted holidays have now become restricted ones. The general administrative department issued a notification to this effect recently. With the induction of these eight, the number of restricted holidays has gone up to 32, of which an employee can avail only two.

The industry captains have immediately welcomed the government?s decision saying it would go a long way in bringing the much-needed...

Aideu Handique?s life was almost like the story of Cinderella ? in reverse. A story of a girl born into a poor family in a tiny village in Golaghat in Assam, leading a mundane existence like any other village damsel, when all of a sudden emerges Fairy Godmother, waving her magical wand and carrying her to a world of dreams.

Today, this would indeed be magic for any young girl. After all who can deny the magnetic pull of the silver screen, its glamour and fame? But when Fairy Godmother came Aideu Handique?s way, it was 1935 ? when acting, especially for women, was taboo.

True, those were the...

Kohima, Dec. 17: Major political parties in Nagaland have accepted the Church?s proposal ruling out house-to-house campaigning during the coming polls. However, they have little hope that such a directive would be implemented.

The Nagaland Christian Forum (NCF) today addressed an all-party meeting here to deliberate on several points discussed at a similar conference on November 28. However, the ruling Congress was absent at the earlier meet. Today?s meeting was attended by the Congress, the Nagaland People?s Front, the Nationalist Congress Party and the BJP.

According to the two major...