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GUWAHATI, May 10? The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is actively considering an assistance of Rs 2000 crore (400 US $ million) to Assam. This was stated by Frank J Polman, Country Director of the Bank, during the concluding session of the three-day meeting of the officials of the ADB and the Government of Assam on May 10 which was chaired by the Chief Minister of Assam, stated an official press release. The delegation had visited Assam as a follow up of their fruitful visit to the State in December 2001. One of their visit objectives was to finalise the Country Assistance Program for India for...

Imphal, May 10: About sixty surrendered militants gheraoed the chief minister?s bungalow this afternoon, for around three hours, demanding implementation of their promised rehabilitation package. The ex-militants, most of whom have been lodged at barracks in Imphal west and east police station, congregated at the front gate of the chief minister?s residence at around 1 pm. The onetime militants, having affinity with different valley based proscribed groups, were hoping to address their grievances to the chief minister, O Ibobi and urge him to actuate the government?s promises for their...

Imphal, May 10: Even though political parties have been harping on modernizing the security forces of the state, the government has failed to utilize the funds for the past some years under the Security Related Expenses (SRE) sponsored by the Centre. An officials source said out of the released amount by the Centre the State had to return back Rs 19.43 crore during the year 1998-99, Rs 3.44 crore during 1999-2000, Rs 14.17 crore during 200-2001 and Rs r crore during 2001-2002. The total amount comes to a staggering Rs 41.08 crore. The scheme has been allotted to the state for purchasing new...

Imphal, May 10 (PTI): The Gauhati High Court today restrained the Centre from shifting the Special Services Bureau from the North East as proposed by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. A Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice RS Mongia and Justice IA Ansari, in an order passed on a public interest litigation fixed the case for further hearing on July 16. The petitioner, Jugal Barua, a social activist of Tezpur, has challenged the move of the Union Home Ministry to shift the SSB units along with personnel based in each State of the North East to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. The...

AGARTALA, May 9 ? The mystery surrounding the abduction of Tripura Tribal Area Autonomuos District Council Executive Member Sridam Debbarma has taken a new turn as an eye witness said the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura leader had gone to meet the militants on his own. The eye-witness in a deposition before a first class magistrate, said that on May 3 Debbarma held one hour-long talks with three outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) militants-two among them armed with AK 47 and one overground collaborator at the residence of his relative Niranjan Debbarma, at...