Aware, Awake & Arise: Issues that concern the region

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Tourist inflow in Sikkim up 10% in 2007

The tourist hub of Sikkim has witnessed about 10 per cent rise in domestic tourist inflow in 2007. An estimated 351,000 visitors visited the picturesque state in 2007 compared with 322,000 in 2006, a rise of about 10 per cent, tourism department sources said. Of the 351,000 tourists visiting the state last year, 331,000 were domestic visitors, while the number of foreign tourists stood at 19,844.

Identity tags for mithuns in Arunachal

Believe it or not, 95 per cent of the quarrels — at times bloodbath — in rural Arunachal Pradesh is over the ownership of mithun (bos frontails) — the state animal considered to be a symbol of wealth. One man’s effort to stop the bad blood has resulted in a unique project in the state — implanting microchips to identify the animals.

Comprehensive Action Plan To Fight Manipur Militancy

With the northeastern state of Manipur becoming a lawless region as militants wreak havoc, the central government has called for a 'comprehensive action plan' to fight militancy and suggested stern action against lawmakers hobnobbing with militants.A high-level central team led by union cabinet secretary K.M. Chandrasekhar reviewed the worsening security situation in Manipur for two days in capital Imphal and admitted there were problems plaguing the state.

Zubeen Garg: Assamese singer and composer

The year 2008 is extremely crucial for Assam’s heartthrob singer-composer-actor Zubeen Garg, who two years ago hit the top of popularity charts with the chartbuster song Ya Ali... from Anurag Basu’s Gangster. And he knows it. This is the year which will see the release of his most ambitious work in Hindi, an album titled Pakeeza.

NE seeks power priority from Central units

By R Dutta Choudhury
The North Eastern states today demanded that the states of the region must get priority in allotment of power generated in the stations being set up in the region by Central Government organisations. The States have also called for substantial Central investment in improving the inter-state transmission lines in the region for evacuation of the power to be produced in the projects.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

State Institute of Rural Development

Arunachal Pradesh
State Institute of Rural Development,
ESS Sector- Behind Department of Rural Development
Itanagar, - 791 113
Arunachal Pradesh
0360-2216911-TEL-FAX [O]
0360-2213054/2213049 [O]
09436040022 [M]
E-mail: sirda@sancharnet.in

Assam

State Institute of Rural Development
G.S. Road, Khanapara,
District Kamrup
Guwahati – 781 022
Assam
0361-2332138 (D)
0361-2335154/ 2521572 (O) 2337466/2333496 (F)
Resi: 0361- 2544372 / 2548293 / 2260166 (Fax)
09435012797[M]
E-mail: sirdassam@vsnl.net

http://www.assamsilks.com/about_sird.htm

Manipur

State Institute of Panchayat Raj & Rural Development,
Porampat
Imphal – 795 103, Manipur
0385-225853 (F)/ 2445469(T/F)
2440610(R)
094360-27064 [M]
0385-2449924 (Mon. Cell)
094360-23671 (Mr. Masud)
094360-41230 (Mr. Arun)
E-mail: arum70@gmail.com

Meghalaya

State Institute of Rural Development
P.O. Umaim Barapani
Nongsder – 793 103
Meghalaya
0364-2570393(O)
2505646 / 2243997(R)
2570393 /2225978 (F)
094361-12993 (M)

E-mail: megsird@gmail.com

http://megsird.gov.in/

Mizoram
State Institute of Rural Development
Kolasib -796 081.
Kolasib District
Mizoram.
03837-221521 (O)
221522 (R)
2340978 / 221521 (F)
094361-43053 /094361-56032 [M]
E-mail: mzsird@yahoo.com

Nagaland
State Institute of Rural Development

Below Civil Secretariat, Thizama Road
Kohima – 797 004
Nagaland
0370-2270935 /2270936 / 2270356 (O) 2224069(F) / 2222016(R)
Mr.Yangthang – 2224255 (O)
094360-00483 (M)
E-mail: mha_yanthan@yahoo.co.in

Sikkim
State Institute of Rural Development
Jorethang, Karfectar- 737 121
South Sikkim
03595- 276527/257251 (O)
276527 (Tel Fax)
257290/257521(R)
094343-38830 (Dir. Mobile)
sirdsikkim@yahoo.com

http://www.sirdsikkim.org/

Tripura

State Institute of Public Admn. Rural Development
PO: AD Nagar, Agartala – 799 003
Tripura West
0381-2230613 (O)
2374048/2374326 (O)
2324013 (F) 2230613/2374326 (TeleFax)
E-mail: sipardagt@rediffmail.com

www.sipard.nic.in; http://sipard.gov.in/

Alcohol the biggest 'killer' in Meghalaya

As many as 104 alcohol-related deaths have been reported in Meghalaya in 2007. Health officials here said of the deaths in 2007, most of them are youths. Ironically, majority of the people taking to alcohol are government servants engaged in "white-collar jobs," the officials said.

Czech aid for food industry, airports in Meghalaya

Czech Republic will provide assistance to set up food processing units and mobile airports in Meghalaya. Czech Ambassador Dr Hynek Kmonicek on a visit to Meghalaya said that he had meetings with Meghalaya Government on the country’s expertise in setting up mobile airports that can be transported in trucks and ideally suited for hilly terrains like Mizoram and Meghalaya.

Now, train to be flown to Arunachal Pradesh

By Rahul Karmakar,
Barring sparsely used metre gauge branch lines touching its border with Assam at Bhalukpong and Murkokseleng, Arunachal Pradesh has no railway tracks. But that has not stopped the railway ministry — with help from the defence ministry — from planning to airlift a train to Itanagar much before it is put on India’s railway map.

Efforts to preserve traditional music of Manipur

To preserve Manipur's traditional music, an NGO has taken upon itself the task of setting up an indigenous tribal orchestra. "The main purpose is to maintain old music forms of different tribes and to encourage young artistes in the field of traditional and old music forms," said Nameirakpam Tiken, Director of Progressive Artiste Laboratory (PAL).

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Zoom Developers to set up hotel management institute

Zoom Enterprises, will enter the education sector by setting up a hotel management institute in Arunachal Pradesh. “Arunachal Pradesh is paying special attention to tourism education, taking steps to promote it by public and private partnership. We wanted to explore the opportunities in this untapped market,” Zoom Developers CEO Rumneek Bawa told IANS Wednesday.

Jobless Mizo youths fall prey to racketeers

Increasing joblessness has made the educated Mizo youths vulnerable to human trafficking, a growing menace in economically backward regions of the world, says a Human Rights and Law Network report.Concerned over this issue, the Aizawl-based Human Rights Group on Saturday filed an FIR with the Aizawl police against an Aizawl-based job consultant Dynamic Consultancy.

Standard Chartered Bank celebrates 150 years in India

Standard Chartered is setting up a $500 million microfinance facility that will touch an estimated 4 million people in emerging markets. In India, we will partner with more than 20 microfinance institutions by December, extend operations to the North and North East, which are relatively untouched by the banking industry, and extend our strong capital market capabilities to microfinance institutions.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Tripura tea finds flavour in Middle East markets

"With 58 big tea estates, Tripura accounts for 1% of the country’s tea production, which in 2007 was 8 million kg. Tripura’s tea exports, especially to countries in the Middle East have registered a sharp increase. Manu Tea Factory, member of the Tripura Group of Gardens, exported 98,000 kg tea to Iran and will soon be exporting to Kazakhstan in central Asia."

Identity, insurgency and development: The Naga case

By Sajal Nag
"The Naga struggle for sovereignty has been the first and longest of the secessionist turned insurgency movements in South Asia which had posed the foremost challenge to the nascent Indian nation-state. At the core of the Nagas self assertion was the question of its identity. Nagas defined themselves as a separate nation as opposed to the Indian nation and demanded the right to self-determi-nation. When it was not granted to them, they appropriated the politics of secessionism to achieve the goal of Naga nation-state."

Arunachal’s tourism potential untapped

By Sanjoy Ray
"Two of the most captivating tourist spots in Arunachal Pradesh have both been renamed after Madhuri Dixit, one time Bollywood diva, after she shot for Rakesh Roshan’s blockbuster movie Koyla there in the year 1997. But, in spite of showing such a gratitude to Bollywood, India’s film industry continues to ignore the locales for ten long years thereafter."

AIDS claims 150 lives in Mizoram, legislators worried

"At least 150 of the 235 people identified as having AIDS have died in Mizoram since 1990, a meeting of legislators forum on HIV/AIDS was told."

Universities in North East India

Assam

Arunachal Pradesh

Manipur

Meghalaya

Mizoram

Nagaland

Sikkim

  • Sikkim-Manipal University of Health Medical & Technological Sciences, Tadong
    Website : http://www.smuhmts.edu
  • Sikkim University (Central University)
Website: www.sikkimuniversity.in

Tripura

Usefi says lowest number of scholars, applicants in the East

"The eastern region, Kolkata included, has the lowest number of Fulbright and Humphrey scholars in the country, said authorities of the United States Education Foundation in India (Usefi) in the city today. Eastern India also has the lowest number of applicants for world-renowned research grant Fulbright Scholarship. Usefi officials attributed this to “a singular lack of ambition” among people of eastern India in general and Kolkata in particular."
Read full article on

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Identity Concerns Impedes Governance In India’s Northeast?

By Rajesh Dev
"In the context of Northeast India, it is the dilemma between these two meanings of “identity’ that perhaps also motivates the need for our concerns in addressing the issues. While we appreciate the embedded nature of our social identity and its positive advantages, we are also conscious of the ethnocentrism and social polarization that emanates from an essentialist awareness of “identity” in this region. The assumed question that is latent in the motivation of our concerns is whether such embedded notions of community and their politicised character are impediments to ‘governance’; and whether engendering an individual political subjectivity would aid the process of unhindered governance."

Tata Tele to invest Rs 5 bn in North-East and Assam

"Tata Teleservices, India`s No. 2 CDMA mobile telephone service provider, announced its alliance with the Assam Small Industries Development Corporation (a Government of Assam Undertaking) to seek, share and offer exclusive knowledge, competence and support to each other, their constituents and partners, and develop a mutually rewarding and successful relationship."

Thirteenth Finance Commission holds its deliberations in North East

"The Thirteenth Finance Commission held its meeting with economic experts and administrators of the country under the chairmanship of Dr. Vijay Kelkar, in Shillong today. Members of the Commission, Dr. Indira Rajaraman, Prof. Atul Sarma and Dr. Sanjiv Misra had detailed discussions with the various invitees which included Dr. Barthakur, Member, NEC, Shri Falguni Raj Kumar, Secretary, NEC, as well as economists and experts such as Prof. K.C. Boraha, Prof. H. Goswami, Prof. M.P. Bezbarua, Prof. Keya Sengupta, Prof. J.K. Gogoi, Dr. S. Borbora, Prof. Amar Yumnam, Prof. E. Bijoy Singh, Dr. Priyaranjan Singh, Prof. L. Tombi Singh, Prof. David Syiemlieh, Dr. L.S. Gassah, Prof. B. Mishra, Prof. Lianzela, Prof. A. Agarwal, Prof. M.K. Sinha, Dr. K.Z. Ovung, Dr. Paromita Saha, Dr. A. Sinha, Prof. Tamo Mibang, Prof. Amitava Mitra and Dr. S.K. Nayak. Dr. Jayanta Roy, Principal Advisor, Confederation of Indian Industry was a special invitee who participated in this discussion."

Government considering regional airline for northeast

"The central government is considering a dedicated regional airline for the northeastern states, a top aviation official said Thursday. According to K.N Srivastava, joint secretary of civil aviation ministry, a dedicated regional airline would boost connectivity in the eight northeastern states."

Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Manipur

By Bhagat Oinam
"Manipur’s relation with its neighbouring regions can be well captured through its different phases in history. Its continuous interaction over centuries with the neighbouring kingdoms and principalities has facilitated certain mode of trade and economic ties, movement of people from one region to another, and subsequently establishing cultural transaction. Highlights of few endemic changes can be traced in the kingdom’s entry into the trade route of the colonial powers, and subsequently in becoming a constituent part of the Indian union."

Human Market for Sex & Slave?

By Vilasetuo Suokhrie
"The North East is fast emerging as the latest source of human trafficking with poverty, lack of awareness, unemployment and insurgency remaining the main causes behind it. While the situation for the entire region is highly alarming analysis of available data of women and girls go missing from Assam alone will speak volumes on the magnitude of the problem on an average 250 females adult and 200 female children go missing from Assam annually."

Human Market for Sex & Slave?

By Vilasetuo Suokhrie
"The North East is fast emerging as the latest source of human trafficking with poverty, lack of awareness, unemployment and insurgency remaining the main causes behind it. While the situation for the entire region is highly alarming analysis of available data of women and girls go missing from Assam alone will speak volumes on the magnitude of the problem on an average 250 females adult and 200 female children go missing from Assam annually."

Rural artisans find a patron in Exim Bank to tap global demand

By Anup Roy
"Exim Bank realized that artisans from north-east India creating intricately designed bamboo furniture could push their thriving business further if they could standardize their process for better scale and quality. The bank tied up with CNRI and Kolkata-based United Bank of India, which has more than 200 branches in north-east India, to bring the artisans together and train them on various aspects of production."

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Foreign NGO help for Mizoram

"Several charitable institutions, moved by the distress of Mizo villagers in the aftermath of the crop loss, will mobilise food relief for them."

Acute food shortage in Mizoram villages

By Sushanta Talukdar
"Residents of this remote village in Mizoram’s Serchhip district, about 90 km off capital city Aizawl, are facing food shortage of the worst kind, after hordes of rats destroyed their jhum paddy and other crops for the second successive year."

Assam's first tribal district with an ISO

"Karbi Anglong, an autonomous District of Assam has gained the distinction of being first District to have an International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) certificate for good governance and welfare-oriented administration in the tribal belt of India."

Plastic menace tackled in Assam

By Sandeep Chatterjee
"Guwahati is now all set to have its own Plastic Waste Management Centre (PWMC) at Borgaon, Mouza: Pub Bangsar, Hajo Circle. This centre aims not only to manage the growing plastic menace of Assam but also the entire North East (NE)."

New Year sun shines on Manipur

"Prayers for peace and protection were on every lip as violence-hit Manipur celebrated Cheiraoba or the Meitei New Year’s Day today. “I prayed to the gods to take away all the bad things from Manipur and shower all the good things this New Year,” said Rani Devi, a young housewife, after the Cheiraoba prayer ritual."
Read full article on http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080408/jsp/northeast/story_9106663.jsp

India-Burma relations gaining momentum of its own

By Syed Ali Mujtaba
"The Indo-Burmese relationship is acquiring a positive momentum of its own despite western rights groups' criticism of Myanmar 's handling of pro-democracy demonstrations some six months back. India had rolled out red-carpet for Burmese military junta’s top leadership who were on a five day visit to India that began from April 4, 2008."

India quakes in the year of the rats

By Sudha Ramachandran
"India's armed forces, which have been battling insurgents in the northeast for over six decades, are now engaged with another enemy - rats. The rat population in the northeastern states of Mizoram and Manipur - the two states bordering Myanmar - has witnessed a massive growth. With rats destroying crops and devouring grain, the threat of famine looms over the region. Soldiers deployed in the area to fight insurgents are being called in to help the civilian administration tackle the impending crisis."
Read full article on http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JD09Df01.html

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Sikkim identifies 22 mega projects to generate 4430 MW power

"It is reported that Sikkim Power Development Corporation has identified the prospective private developers for the 22 mega projects which would generate 4430 MW of power. The total estimated cost of these projects would be around INR 25,000 crore."
Read full article on http://steelguru.com/news/index/2008/04/04/NDExMjU%3D/Sikkim_identifies_22_mega_projects_to_generate_4430_MW_power.html

Sikkim identifies 22 mega projects to generate 4430 MW power

"It is reported that Sikkim Power Development Corporation has identified the prospective private developers for the 22 mega projects which would generate 4430 MW of power. The total estimated cost of these projects would be around INR 25,000 crore."

Read full article on http://steelguru.com/news/index/2008/04/04/NDExMjU=/Sikkim_identifies_22_mega_projects_to_generate_4430_MW_power.html

Meghalaya Dy CM opposes Uranium mining

"Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Hoping Stone Lyngdoh today reiterated his stand on opposing Uranium mining in the state even as the Centre decided to extract the ore from the Kylleng-Pyndengsohiong village. ''I will take up the matter before the Cabinet and request our coalition partners not to issue a No Objection Certificate to the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) for the mining in Meghalaya,'' Lyngdoh said."

ONGC to resume mining in Nagaland

By Amarjyoti Borah
"In 1994, the Nagaland government asked the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ongc) to shut shop in the state. Pressure from local people and militant groups had a big role in the decision. The country’s largest crude oil producer is now set to resume operations in the north eastern state. It has signed a lease with the Nagaland government to revive petroleum mining in Changpang village in Wokha district."
Read full article on http://www.downtoearth.org.in/full6.asp?foldername=20080415&filename=news&sec_id=4&sid=2

Nagaland signs 2 pacts with Korean co

"South Korea-based Cona International Ltd, a consortium of investors, has signed two agreements with Nagaland government for investing in SEZ and industrial growth centre respectively."
Read full article on http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200804051321.htm

Meghalaya’s traditional archery competition

By Jogesh Doley
"Meghalaya, the beautiful state of the northeast with a breathtaking beauty and scenery has a lot more to offer other than its beauty. For entertainments, the state has the annual archery competition organised by the Aaphira Archery committee to commemorate the uprising of the Khasi king, U Tirot Singh against the British rule in April 1828, for the revelers to escape from the day-to-day monotony and the boredom of life."
Read full article on http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=131871

Infrastructure top priority along Chinese border in Arunachal

"The government would give top-most priority to building infrastructure and improving connectivity in the state, Defence Minister A K Antony said on Sunday, 6 April, as he visited this strategic valley close to the border with China."
Read full article on http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/000200804061865.htm

'A Great Disservice'

By Jaideep Mazumdar
"Be warned! Supporting the Tibetan cause or commiserating with the Dalai Lama and his followers would only encourage secessionism in various corners of India, primarily in Kashmir and parts of the Northeast. This, in effect, is what a poker-faced Prakash Karat said on the sidelines of the 19th Congress of the CPI(M) at Coimbatore. Indians who support the Tibetans, Karat argued, ought to be prepared to concede separatist demands within the country."
Read full article on

Women in Meghalaya make micro credit banking possible

"Women in Meghalaya have formed the first of its kind bank in Meghalaya, a rural banking system based on the concept of micro-credit system. It is the North East Region Institute for Micro credit (NIM)-Banking Institution and Learning Centre of Excellence for Holistic Aspiration of Mothers (BILCHAM), an apex self help group (SHG) federation."
Read full article on http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=131898

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Vote bank politics fosters illegal migration into NE: Book

"Outwardly secular, politics in India is all about vote banks and keeping a party in power. No wonder the problem of infiltration of illegal migrants remains unresolved, threatening to snowball into major crisis, say intellectuals from the Northeast."
Read full article on http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=434360&sid=REG

Agartala to get its first train service by June

"Tripura's capital Agartala will become the second state capital in the northeast after Guwahati to come on the country's railway map by June, an official said here on Saturday."
Read full article on

The Cost of Development: Ignoring international pressure, India prepares for Burmese port deal

By Nava Thakuria
"India—Ignoring continuing international pressure to enact strong economic sanctions on the repressive military junta of Burma (also known as Myanmar), India is gearing up to sign a deal to construct a port on Burma's coast intended to boost the economy of India's unstable northeast, where a secessionist movement has inspired several insurgents to declare a civil war against New Delhi."
Read full article on http://en.epochtimes.com/news/8-3-29/68213.html

Helicopter service between Guwahati & Tamang to start soon

"The daily subsidised helicopter service between Guwahati and Tawang is expected to start soon, according to Civil Aviation department sources."
Read full article on

Shillong set to get North East's first NIFT centre

"In a bid to give impetus to the traditional skills in the region, the National Institute of Fashion Technology will be setting up its first centre in the northeast in Shillong this year."
Read full article on http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Shillong_set_to_get_North_Easts_first_NIFT_centre/articleshow/2900869.cms

Alembic plans formulations unit in Sikkim

"After Zydus Cadila and Torrent Pharma, Gujarat-based Alembic is planning to set up a formulations unit in Sikkim."
read full article on http://www.business-standard.com/common/storypage_c_online.php?leftnm=10&bKeyFlag=IN&autono=35108

Big catch for Meghalaya Police

By Saidul Khan
"Meghalaya police has busted the rebel camp of Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) in Wahlymbong, Jaintia Hills, killing two hardcore rebels and arresting six others. The prize catch is camp commander of Chittagoan, Riskin Phawa – the most wanted militant, who is believed to be involved in the mobilisation of cadres and serving demand notes."

Unscientific ‘Rat-Hole’ mining in Meghalaya under scrutiny

"Even as the Government of Meghalaya is on the verge of formulating the State mining policy, the outright implementation in the rich coal belts of West Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills districts is bound to encounter hurdles."
Read full article on http://www.morungexpress.com/Regional-News/5387.html

India-Myanmar border trade all set to improve

By Ashok B Sharma
"India and Myanmar has decided to increase the border trade between the two countries which at present is limited to 22 select items. Both sides expect that the agreement on the Kaladan multi-modal transit-cum-transport project signed on Thursday night would help to increase connectivity between the two countries."

Hardy Oil & Gas and Reliance get onshore license in Assam, India

"Hardy Oil & Gas Plc., in conjunction with Reliance Industries, has gained its first license onshore India, with a 10 percent interest in an oil block in Assam, in Northeast India."
Read full article on http://www.hemscott.com/news/latest-news/item.do?newsId=62637803045166

Manipur descends into chaos and lawlessness

By Syed Zarir Hussain
"Manipur state in India's northeast is becoming a lawless region with militants threatening doctors and teachers, killing government officials and Hindi-speakers and extorting money from even temples."
Read full article on http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=14581552-e96c-4f2c-b7b2-03a5fc1c0a5a&MatchID1=4679&TeamID1=6&TeamID2=3&MatchType1=1&SeriesID1=1179&MatchID2=4674&TeamID3=4&TeamID4=8&MatchType2=1&SeriesID2=1177&PrimaryID=4679&Headline=Manipur+descends+into+chaos+and+lawlessness

Securing India's North-East

By G. Parthasarathy
"Two major factors are crucial in the security of India's North-Eastern States. First, these States are landlocked. Their access to the sea and even trade and economic exchanges with other parts of India are thereby curtailed. Second, even access by land is often precarious, because access to these States from other parts of India is through the narrow 'Siliguri Corridor', which is vulnerable to Chinese pressure, especially as an aggressive China brazenly lays claim to Arunachal Pradesh, protesting against the visit of India's Prime Minister to that State."

The challenges of micro-finance in the north-east

By Anjali Deshpande
"The model adopted in India for disbursing micro-credit to the lower income groups through Self Help Groups (SHGs) will have to be suitably modified if the eight states of the north-east are to be included in financial services, says a recent study."
Read full article on http://www.infochangeindia.org/analysis259.jsp