ASSAM

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the is on its own preparing to bring a bill in the assembly to ban polygamy in the state.

Pending the decision on UCC, we want to take up one of the segments of the entire UCC, that is polygamy. We want to ban polygamy in Assam immediately, Sarma said.

TheAssam governmentset up a four-member expert committee in May to examine if polygamy can be banned in the state through a state law. The committee headed by retired Gauhati High Court judge, Justice Rumi Phukan, has been given a 60-day time limit to submit its report.
If the state expert committee gives its report before the decision on UCC, we want to introduce our bill for banning polygamy in the state in the upcoming assembly session in September. If for some reason we cannot do it in September, we will do it in the January session, Sarma said.

In the meantime, however, if the UCC is implemented, we do not have to take this action as the ban on polygamy will be there, he added.
Sarma said the UCC is a matter to be decided by Parliament, but the state can also take a call on it with the assent of the President.

Assamchief minister Himanta BiswaSarma said that the Police has been given complete “operational freedom” to deal with drug traffickers and dealers, and asked to “act decisively” to uproot the drug menace from the Society.

He said that increased action on snapping the drug supply and consumption chains throughout the Northeast has been underway in the last two years afterUnion HomeMinister AmitShahissued specific directions to DGPs of the states in the region regarding the issue.

At another similar event in Diphu, the chief minister said that the police has been given operational freedom to act firmly and decisively within the law to uproot the illegal trade.

The Neyveli Uttar Pradesh Power Ltd (NUPPL) and theAssam governmenton Tuesday signed apower purchase agreement(PPA) to ensure 492 megawatts (MW) power supply to Assam fromGhatampur Thermal Power Plant.

Under this agreement, NUPPL, a joint venture subsidiary ofNLC India Ltd(NLCIL), will supply 492.72 MW of power to the Assam government.

Based on the revision, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have been allocated with 1,487.28MW (75.12%) & 492.72MW (24.88%) of power supply respectively.

After being hit hard by Covid-induced lockdowns last year, Assams tea is reeling from rainfall deficit this year, and as a result tea production till May is projected to drop by about 60 million kg as compared to the same period in 2019.

Adviser of North Eastern Tea Association (NETA) Bidyananda Barkakoty said, 2021 has been an unusual year so far for the Assam tea industry as far as tea production is concerned.

A study has been carried out to assess crop losses due to the impact of prolonged drought-like situation. This study has also considered the rainfall received in the last few days.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma received the Geographical Indication Registration Certificate for Asomiya Gamosa.

The GI Registration is for eight Gamosa, namely Uka or Xadharan Gamosa, Phulam Gamosa, Bihuwan, Tiani or Pani Gamosa, Anakata Gamosa, Telos Gamosa, Dora Boron or Jor Gamosa, and Gossain Gamosa.

After the GI Registration, others are not allowed to make or market the product. The registration is a legal acknowledgment of the goods for a certain geographic area or territory. Millions of weavers in the state will be protected due to the GI Tag.

Microplastics — plastic pieces smaller than one-fifth of an inch — are now found in almost all Oceans and marine animals. What’s worse, sea salt has been found to have considerable amounts of microplastic.

The researchers claimed that while there have been many studies to identify and quantify microplastics in various food products, including salt, there have been fewer attempts at finding ways to remove them.

Hollow fibre membranes are already used extensively in daily life applications such as RO pre-treatment, industrial water or waste water, juice processing, and other biotech applications, including in dialysis membranes used for kidney ailments.

Announcements were made for funds for promoting micro- and fresh recruitments in different departments inAssam, during budget presentation. State finance ministerAjanta Neogpresented the budget.

The finance minister said the government will invest Rs 5,000 crore to “transform” over 2 lakh unemployed youths into job creators.

Thus, the estimated transactions during the year will result in an estimated surplus of Rs 660.96 crore, Neog said.
“This, together with the opening deficit of Rs 1,596.19 crore will lead to a budget deficit of Rs 935.23 crore at the end of the year 2023-24,” she added.
Neog said the GSDP is estimated to grow to Rs 5.5 lakh crore during the next financial year from Rs 3.93 lakh crore in 2021-22.

Days after the Gauhati observed that the crackdown on child marriages in Assam created “havoc in the private life of people”, a cross-section of Society on Sunday appealed to the State Government to look at it from a humane angle and focus more on creating awareness to end the social evil. With the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government stating that the ongoing drive against child marriages will be intensified, the opposition termed the exercise as a “political stunt” with a “communal design”.

The state cabinet recently approved a proposal to book men who have married girls below 14 years of age under the POCSO Act, 2012. Cases under the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 will be registered against those who have married girls in the age group of 14-18, the cabinet had decided.

Being a culturally diverse country, India is also considered to be the land of festivals. Rightfully so, when a particular event is celebrated in various forms and has imbibed itself into the local tradition.

Magh is celebrated in the Assamese month of Magh (i.e., mid-January). The celebrations start on the last day of the month of ‘pooh’ in the Assamese calendar and the celebrations continue for about a week. This marks the time when the winter ends. It is also called Domahi or the convergence of two months. This day is considered auspicious in the Hindu lunar year and is known as Makar Sankranti, i.e., the day when the sun begins its northward journey or Uttarayan. This day is also marked by worshiping the sun in various parts of the country in the form of different festivals such as Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Lohri in Punjab and Uttarayan in Gujarat.

As an agrarian country, the harvest season is celebrated at different times throughout the year, owing to the diversity in Climate and differences in the staple crop of the region.

The first yield of the new crops is the joyful time of the year and is widely celebrated by farmers throughout the country. Moreover, the celebrations do not remain confined to the rural areas and are also celebrated by the urban populace, albeit in different ways.

Magh or Bhogali Bihu

Well known as the ‘festival of feast’, the Magh Bihu or Bhogali Bihu is celebrated by the people of Assam with the spirit of harmony and togetherness. Following the harvest, the Bhoral (granaries) are filled with surplus food and the idea is to thank the gods for the blessing of a good harvest. Community feasts are organised and various forms of Jolpan (sweets and savouries) are prepared.

The festival begins with Uruka or the Bihu Eve. While Women prepare food items like- Chira, Pitha, Laru, Curd for the following day of celebrations, the men folks remain engaged in preparing makeshift huts or Bhelaghar, which are built using bamboo, leaves and thatch.

A bonfire known as Meji is lit early in the morning of Bihu and prayers are offered to the gods. Later the huts are burned down and people immerse in the festive mood by taking blessings from their elders, feasting and playing traditional games.

The main highlight of the festival is the various delicacies being prepared, Pithas being quintessential which are made of rice powder. Rice is the staple food of the region and Pithas are being prepared with sesame, jaggery and Coconut.