NORTH-EASTERN STATES

Mizoram CM Zoramthanga to present state budget on February 24

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Mizoramchief ministerZoramthangawould present the statebudgetfor 2022-23 on February 24 with the assemblysessionscheduled to commence from February 22, Houseofficialssaid.

The assembly’s (BAC), chaired by speaker Lalrinliana Sailo, on Tuesday chalked out the programme for the upcoming budget session summoned by governor Hari Babu Kambhampati from February 22. The committee decided that Zoramthanga, who also holds the finance portfolio, would present the state budget on February 24, which would be passed by the assembly before March 10. This would be the fourth time that Zoramthanga would present the budget during the present assembly term for which Elections were held in 2018. The budget session would begin with the governor delivering his customary address on the first day and, unless extended by the BAC, would be adjourned sine die on March 10.

Assam, Meghalaya to settle 6 border disputes

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The chief ministers of Assam andMeghalaya in principle reached a settlement on the half-a-century border dispute between the two states in six of the 12 areas.
The two governments will sign the final MoU by end of this month after securing Consent from the opposition and organisations in their respective states.

The boundary differences between the two states at 12 points along the 885-km-long inter-state border have existed since the birth of Meghalaya in 1972. A few months back, Sarma and Conrad decided to take up the six least complicated disputed sites.

CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology picks 15 research fields for rare medicinal plants

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The CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (NEIST) has selected fifteen experimental research fields in northeast India for cultivation of rare and endangered species of medicinal Plants.

Of the total, five are in Assam, four in Arunachal Pradesh, and one each in Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya,Mizoram,Sikkimand Tripura.

This is a project to sustain the modern pharmaceutical industries and for sustenance of Indias strong traditional system of medicines.

The crucial factors of this plan include breeding of new plant varieties, identification of stable performance through multilocational trials, integration of modern science along with market and industrial application potential.

On May 16, 1975, Sikkim became a part of the Indian Union. Since then, the 16th of May has been designated as Sikkim Statehood Day.Highlights:

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The Indo-Sikkimese Treaty was concluded in 1950. became an Indian protectorate as a result of this. Until 1975, Sikkim was controlled by the Namgyal dynasty.

Sikkim has become the first state in the country to go completely organic. In Sikkim, all farming activities are now conducted without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilisers.

The World Heritage Kanchenjunga National Park is located in Sikkim.

River Teesta is the major river flowing in the state.

Lhonak, Lachung and Talung are the tributaries of Teesta. Teesta river is a tributary of Brahmaputra.

The residents of Sikkim are of Nepali origin.

The native Sikkimese consist of Bhutias. They migrated from Tibet in the 14th century. The Lepchas lived before the Bhutias.

NESO demands withdrawal of AFSPA from entire NEThe North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), an apex body of eight student bodies, has demanded complete withdrawal of AFSPA and execution of Inner Line Permit (ILP) in the entire region for the safeguard and welfare of the indigenous people.While talking to the media, he said that the people of the northeastern states region have faced a “lot of atrocities” because of AFSPA, with the latest being the killing of 13 daily wager earners in a case of “mistaken identity” at Oting in Nagaland’s Mon district in December, 2021. The Union Home Ministry in two phases in 2022 and 2023 has reduced disturbed areas under AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur but in certain areas the act remains effective.The AFSPA, which is sometimes termed by certain political parties and NGOs as “draconian law”, allows the Army and other central para-military forces to conduct raids and operations, arrest anyone anywhere without prior notice or arrest warrant. It was lifted from Tripura in 2015, in Meghalaya in 2018, and in Mizoram in the 1980s.The ILP had been in force in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Mizoram. On December 11, 2019, it was promulgated in Manipur, to allow an Indian citizen into the ILP enforced areas for a stipulated period with the written permission of the state and competent authority. The main aim of the ILP system is to check settlement of other Indian nationals in these states to protect the native population. Protection is also extended to the indigenous people with regard to land, jobs and other facilities.

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Nagaland firing incident proves high time AFSPA is repealed from NE: Irom Sharmila

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Rights activist Irom Sharmila, who was on a 16-year hunger strike against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), feels the recent killing of civilians in firing by security forces in Nagaland should be an eye-opener to repeal the controversial security law from the northeast.

Sharmila said the AFSPA is not only an oppressive regulation, it tantamounts to gross violation of the basic Human Rights.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without prior warrant. In the northeast, it is in force in Assam, Nagaland, Manipur (excluding Imphal Municipal Council Area) and some districts of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Assam.

Tripura sends Delhi Rs 2000 crore proposal for 2nd RIMS in NE

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TheTripuragovernment has sent a proposal of Rs 2,000 crore for the next 10 years to set up the second Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) inAgartalaafter Imphal by upgrading the and facilities of Tripura Medical College (TMC), said Health secretary Dr DebashishBasu.

He said the State Government has already sent a proposal to the ministry of health for approval. Chief minister Dr Manik Saha held a discussion with Prime MinisterNarendra Modion the proposal during his meeting on Monday in New Delhi.

16 Swadesh Darshan schemes for Northeast: Reddy

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Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy on Monday said that the ministry has sanctioned 16 projects in the north eastern region under Swadesh Darshan Scheme, which focuses on integrated development of theme based tourist circuits.

The tourism ministry is giving special emphasis on developing , on ground capacity and skills in the north east region, along with branding and Marketing assistance to the states in the region through its various schemes and flagship initiatives, Reddy said in his inaugural address of the two-day Conference of Tourism and Culture Ministers of North Eastern states here.

Under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spirituality Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) scheme, the ministry has sanctioned a number of projects in the region with approximately Rs 200 crore sanctioned for them, he said.

ED establishes office in MeghalayaThe Enforcement Directorate (ED) has established its first office in Meghalaya that will begin functioning in the north eastern state from later this week, the central probe agency said on Monday. The new sub-zonal office will be located in capital Shillong and will function under the zonal office-II located in Guwahati, Assam. The new sub-zonal office at Shillong will start functioning from August 11 and it will be headed by a deputy director rank officer, the agency said.

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The ED functions under the Union Finance Ministry and apart from enforcing the anti- laundering law PMLA, it also enforces the civil sections of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) and the criminal provisions of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act that was brought in 2018 by the Modi government.

Conrad launches tourism vehicles

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In line with its vision to positionMeghalayaas a $10 billion economy by 2030, the government has taken a significant step towards fostering economic Growth through tourism with chief ministerConradKongkal Sangma launching PRIME vehicles on Friday to elevate high-value tourism experience in the state.

These vehicles were launched considering that high-value tourists look for exclusive experiences in terms of stay and prefer high-quality mobility while travelling.

The tourism plays a vital role in providing livelihood opportunities for nearly 50,000 people in Meghalaya and contributes approximately 4.1% to the GSDP.