IMPHAL, April 5: Continuing the series of austerity measures it has initiated to tackle the financial situation, the Radhabinod Koijam decided today to increase power tariff, suspend payment of House Rent Allowance, implement the online lottery scheme, and to set up a state fiscal commission. Revising the Manipur Electricity Supply Annual Regulations 2000, the Cabinet, which met today at 5 pm at the Chief Minister's conference hall, agreed to marginally increase power tariff by 8 paise per unit over the existing rates with effect from June 1 next. The existing power tariff rate is Rs 1.25 per...

IMPHAL, April 5: The State will have an Information Technology (IT) cell soon with the State Cabinet recently giving its nod to the modality for setting up of the cell. According to sources, the files concerning the setting up of the cell are with the finance department and the department of personnel for the final touch. The science and technology department will look after the cell as the state does not have a separate IT department, the source said. With the ban on appointment and creation of a separate department still in force, the cell will be manned with the qualified staffs from other...

IMPHAL, April 5: Manipur Speaker Sapam Dhananjoy has removed the tag of "unattached member" from former Chief Minister W. Nipamacha Singh and six of his followers. The Speaker's order said Nipamacha Singh, M. Kunjo, Kshetri Biren, P. Achou, L. Chandramani, S. Rajen and Samuel Jendai will be treated as full-fledged members of the Manipur State Congress Party. Dhananjoy's sudden decision indicates he wants to remain neutral in the ongoing battle in the MSCP. The MSCP has split into two factions at an organisational level. While one is headed by Union minister of state for food processing...

GUWAHATI, April 5: The Asom Jatiya Mahasabha - an organisation of surrendered ULFA (SULFA) militants, today clarified that the association was not in league with any political party and said that the organisation is concerned only about boosting the 'economic development' of the State. Speaking to media persons here this afternoon, Sunil Nath, member of the steering committee of the association, said that the Mahasabha was a purely "non-political" organisation, and if any member of it was an active member of the any political party he would have to resign from any post in the district as well...

NEW DELHI, April 5: The first day of negotiations between the AGP and the BJP took off on a promising note, with the two sides exploring the possibility of working out a compromise formula to resolve the vexed seat sharing problem. Emerging from the talks that got underway in the morning, the BJP general secretary in-charge for Northeast, Sunil Shastri, said the contentious issue of seat arrangement was expected to be clinched shortly. The BJP leader expected to seal the alliance by tomorrow. The only outcome of the first two rounds of confabulations was that the two sides agreed to reserve 18...