NORTH-EASTERN STATES

Boundary row: Mizoram and Assam in war of words

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Mizoramhas vowed to protect its boundary from alleged aggression from Assam, even as Assam chief minister Himanta BiswaSarmainformed the AssamAssembly that since 2016, there have been more than 40 encroachment incidents from the Mizoram side.

Destruction of individual properties by Assam officials was illegal and we demand that the Assam government should pay adequate compensation to the owner of the land and crops.

Mizoram over 160km border with Assam and the border dispute continued to simmer during district council years, when Mizoram was a Union Territory and also after being a full-fledged state.

The bordering areas of Cachar remain the bone of contention in the ongoing tussle between Assam and Mizoram. As many as 16 incidents were reported in Hailakandi district, one in Karimganj.

Tripura undertakes survey to increase fish productionTo boost fish production in Tripura, the fisheries department has undertaken a statewide survey to identify non-functional water bodies which can be used for developing pisciculture, a minister said.

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The northeastern state, where individual fish consumption stands at 19 kg on an Average every year, produces 8,284 MT of fish annually against its annual demand of 1,11,714 MT.

At present, the state has functional water bodies for fish production spread over 37,957 hectares. A target has been fixed to develop pisciculture in water bodies covering an area of 100 hectare.

3 NE states have least number of Covid deaths, Mizoram shows the way with 0.27% fatalities

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Three northeastern states,Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, have figured among the top five Indian states with the lowest death rate in the second wave of Covid-19 sweeping the country.

At 0.27%, Mizoram has the lowest death rate in the country. Arunachal Pradesh (0.36%) and Assam (0.64%) are at the third and fifth positions. Kerala and Bihar are at second and fourth slots with 0.30% and 0.58% death rate respectively.

Last year, the Covid death rate in Arunachal Pradesh was 0.32%. However, the second wave left the hilly state with a death rate of 0.36%. Arunachal Pradesh is registering 250-280 cases daily of late. These numbers are a bit alarming because during last years peak we had a little over 300 daily cases.

Centre to clarify violation of constitutional scheme in Nagaland pollsThe Supreme Court observed that women empowerment comes by education and also through political participation, while asking the Centre to clarify whether the constitutional scheme of one-third reservation for women in municipality and town council elections can be violated by Nagaland. A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Aravind Kumar noted that a period of male domination had existed in every society, and the judiciary needs to give a push if the political dispensation fails to act. It stressed that, women empowerment comes by education and also political participation.

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The counsel cited apprehension about violence in the polls and stressed that they want to have a consensus and find a solution in the matter expeditiously.


Project to promote hygienic practices in schools launched in Sikkim

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In the Light of post Covid scenario a unique initiative ‘Udbhav’ has been launched to promote hygienic practices at all levels for school going children inSikkim.

Project ‘Udbhav’ was launched in 10 schools of with the association of Education Department of Sikkim and Alkem Foundation and Sulabh School Sanitation Club, New Delhi. The aim of this project is to ensure that all students continue their studies in a safe and healthy Environment.

Effort will be on to train students and teachers on implementing physical distancing and school hygiene practices and also to promote hygienic practices at all levels and for all staff of the school system, with an emphasis on handwashing and respiratory etiquette.

The project shall encourage the use of hand sanitizer, emphasize the importance of proper use of cloth masks and accordingly vending machines that can dispense masks, sanitizers and napkins are also being installed in some schools of Sikkim.

New Meghalaya cabinet to have 8 NPP ministers: Sangma

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National People’s Party (NPP) presidentConrad K Sangmaon Monday said his party will have eight ministers in the nextMeghalayagovernment headed by him, while its allies will get four ministerial berths.

The NPP’s ally UDP will have two ministers, while the BJP and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) will get one each,Sangmawho is the outgoing chief minister told reporters after a meeting with alliance partners.


Manipur hosts B20 Conference, delegates from 23 countries participate

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Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh Friday inaugurated a conference on Opportunities for Multilateral Business Partnerships in ICT, Tourism, Healthcare and Handloom at the City Convention Centre in Imphal.

This was the first of the four sessions of B20 the official dialogue forum for the global business community scheduled in Northeast India.

The Chief Minister informed that Manipur, with a Population of 2.72 million and an area of over 22,300 sq km is the Land Gateway of India to South East Asia. The state has the perfect setting for implementing Indias Act East Policy and the state is the bridge between South East Asia and India, he added.

He further informed that new Industrial and Investment Promotion Policy of Manipur has been adopted to promote investment in the State. To promote Ease of Doing Business, the Manipur Industrial Single Window Clearance Act, 2021 was enacted. Given the importance of Logistics, the Manipur Integrated Logistics Policy, 2022 was notified.

The Chief Minister further informed the congregation that Manipur has huge untapped potential in medicinal Plants, horticultural products, aromatic plants and spices.

GAIL acquires 26% IL&FS stake in Tripura power company

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State-owned gas utilityGAIL acquired the 26% stake of now-defunct ILF&S ( Leasing and Financial Services) inOngc Tripura Power Company.

OTPC is a SPV (special purpose vehicle) set up by state-run explorer ONGC to build a 726 MW gas-fired power plant at Palatana in Tripura. The IL&FS group and the Tripura government were partners in the SPV.

ONGC holds 50% in the company that supplies electricity to the north-eastern states. Tripura government holds 0.5%, whileIndia Infrastructure Fund IIholds the balance 23.5% stake.
The power plant was set up by ONGC to monetise a Tripura gas find, which had to be capped for years due to absence of evacuation infrastructure.

Two ethnic northeast tribes bag national awards in agriculture sector

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In a first, two ethnic tribes from the northeast bagged two national Awards inagriculture sector, under the Leadership ofAssam Agricultural University(AAU).

The Centre conferred the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Community Award’ to Dhonsuri Agril farmer cooperative Society of Karbi tribe and ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition award’ to Boloram Sorongsa of Dimasa tribe for their contribution in the agricultural sector.

The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Authority, established by the Central government, under the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights Act, 2001, confers the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Community Award’ annually on the basis of short listing and site verification of the applications received from the community of farmers/farming community-based organizations who have a long track record for conserving plant agro-.
Similarly, the authority confers the ‘Plant Genome Saviour Farmer Recognition’ award to the farmers engaged in the conservation of genetic Resources of landraces and wild relatives of economic Plants and their improvement through selection and preservation and the material so selected and preserved has been used as donors of gene in varieties registered under the PPV & FR Act, 2001.”