Indo-Bangla railway link would be established soon and discussions were already on through the diplomatic channels of the two countries, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee said. Interacting with the Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ms. Banerjee said, after the Calcutta-Dhaka bus service, it is the time for initiating railway communication between India and Bangladesh and we are ready.

Ministers to learn Kokborak

Ministers and government officials in Tripura will be specially coached on 'Kokborak' the language of tribal people.

CM hands over relief cheque

UPPA's stand

The United People's Party of Assam (UPPA) has opposed repeal of Illegal Migration (Determination by Tribunal) Act until some alternative provision was made by amending the Citizenship Act or the Foreigner Act. The party's executive which met recently, felt that as the IM (DT) Act had become a politically sensitive issue, any change or its repeal should be done by way of consensus of all political parties and socio-economic organisations like AASU, Jamiat and AMSU and not by a tripartite conference without reference to minority organisations representing the affected people.

500 villages without a school

Khasi Hills district, one of the seven in Meghalaya, has alone 500 villages sans any school. Meghalaya Education Minister T. H. Rangad expressed concern over the fact when 'School-less Villages Association' met him and narrated the sufferings of the villagers, sources said in Shillong recently. The association led by B. S. Syiemlieh and H Myrthong met the minister at his office here and pressed for the implementation of its five-point charter of demands including grant of departmental permission, sanction of posts to 5 teachers per school, sanction of school building and free education to all children below the age of 14 years.

'NE militancy due to disparities'

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader P. A. Sangma said militancy in north-eastern States had roots in socio-economic disparity and peace could not be restored without removing them. "It is necessary to remove economic disparity to end the militancy problem in these States," Mr. Sangma opined.

Plan panel to fund for Arunachal projects

The Planning Commission has agreed to provide funds to Arunachal Pradesh against specific projects, according to an official statement. Commission's deputy chairman K. C. Pant also agreed to provide fund for purchase of a helicopter subject to the condition that the State Government would examine all aspects before purchase, the statement said.
The government has urged the Planning Commission to grant funds for executing development projects in the State. State Governor Arvind Dave and Chief Minister Mukut Mithi requested Mr. Pant to grant funds for executing development projects in the State during a meeting with the deputy chairman recently. Mr. Mithi stressed on the "physical and social infrastructural difficulties faced by the State," the release said.

APCC denies charges

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has denied the allegations levelled by Jagat Singh Ingti, finance secretary of the ASDC and MLA from Karbi Anglong, against senior Congress leader Biren Singh Ingti that he had paid money to KNV and KPF militants seeking their help in the last Lok Sabha election in the State. An APCC statement quoting Mr. Ingti stated that the allegations made against him were "totally false, baseless and politically motivated".

Rs. 102 lakh for Mizoram

Arms recovered

The Meghalaya Police accompanied by CRPF personnel recovered around 200 rounds of live AK ammunition, four magazines and five Chinese-made pistols following a chase of six ultras belonging to Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) and National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) activists in thick jungles of West Garo Hills. However, police said the extremists armed with AK-47 rifles managed to escape in the dense jungle near Nabamormggre village. Eight people were arrested in this connection for interrogation, special superintendent of police B. L. Buam said.

Fisherman kidnapped

A fisherman has been kidnapped by suspected NLFT insurgents from Nalicherra area in Dhalai district, police said. A group of armed ultras kidnapped the fisherman when he was fishing in a streamlet at Nalicherra under Ambassa police station. Police arrested one person from the area who is suspected to be a collaborator of the ultras.

CBI probe

The APCC has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the allegedmisappropriation of Central funds given for rural development APCC spokesman Ripun Bora, while addressing media persons, said that all the Congress MPs would raise the demand for a CBI probe on the floor of Parliament. He also said that in the last couple of years, the State Government failed to release the matching grant of most of the rural development schemes.

Arms factory busted

The Tripura Government has decided to constitute a public grievance redressal cell under the General Administration Department to receive grievances from the public concerning any government department. The cell will interact with all the departments concerned and ensure speedy solutions. It would begin functioning from January 1.

Veteran trade union and senior CPM leader Dhaniram Khosla died recently at Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, after protracted illness, his family members said. Khosla (64) is survived by his wife, two sons and as many daughters. He was suffering from cancer and had developed renal failure later.

The Election Commission has ordered revision of electoral rolls in Manipur with January 1 as the qualifying date, Chief Electoral Officer D.S. Poonia said. The draft rolls would be published on November 15 and the final electoral rolls on January 7, he said.

The Arunachal Teachers Association (ATA) called off their indefinite strike launched throughout the state since November 5.State Education Minister Dera Natung told newspersons that the ATA representatives had met him and unconditionally called off the strike. They were demanding removal of differences in the existing pay scales of different educational officers and enhancement of the teachers' pay scales among other things.