Re-establish relationship with Bangla: Manik Sarkar

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has emphasised the need for re-establishing the relationship with Bangladesh.The State remains isolated from the rest of the country due to lack of rail, air and road links which was also the main hindrance to development, he said.
He said steps were being taken to implement Kerala model people's planning in Tripura.
The Chief Minister urged the Centre to implement the Shukla Commission recommendations for the development of the North-Eastern region. He asked the Centre to deploy more paramilitary forces and a helicopter immediately to contain extremism in the State.


Lahore summit
The Arunachal Congress congratulated Prime Minister Vajpayee for taking the journey to Lahore by bus and for discussing the bilateral issues with his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif.This is a historic event in the post-partition history of the subcontinent which might mark the beginning of the end of all mistrusts.

Upgradation of export promotion industrial park
The empowered committee of Government of India, Ministry of Commerce has approved the Assam Government's proposal for upgradation of Export Promotion Industrial Park (EPIP) at Amingaon into an export processing zone by strengthening of existing road leading to EPIP at a cost of Rs. 74.77 lakh and power supply component of EPIP at a cost of Rs. 270.70 lakh.
The committee also agreed to approve and sanction 50 per cent of the total cost of Rs. 11 crore for development of 14 km of Surama Trunk Road from Karimganj town to Sutkarkhan on India-Bangladesh border subject to the condition that the Ministry of Surface Transport will be requested to consider upgradation of the road to the status of National Highway and work will be executed by BRO.

Central aid to Assam for land records
In Assam, altogether 23 projects have been sanctioned by the Centre for computerisation of land records, for which an amount of Rs. 335.50 lakh were released from the Central exchequer so far.
During the financial year 1997-98, thirteen new projects were sanctioned to the State for computerisation of land records and an amount of Rs. 97.50 lakh released by the Centre for this purpose during the year.

Ultra nabbed
Acting on a tip-off police conducted a search operation at Baligaon under Jamugurihat police station and nabbed three ultras. They have been identified as Sanjay Kakati, Ashok Boruah, Dipak Bora. Police also recovered one grenade along with incriminating documents.

PM's Pak visit welcomed
Bharatiya Janata Party's Arunachal Pradesh unit today welcomed the 'historical event' created by PM Vajpayee by taking a friendship journey to Pak.

Six per cent DA increase for Sikkim employees

The Sikkim Government has increased the 'Dearness Allowance' of all State Government employees by six per cent.

According to an official notification, in continuation with the State Government circular dated May 22, 1998, Sikkim Governor Chowdhury Randhir Singh has decided that the rate of Dearness Allowances to State Government employees and the dearness relief to State Government pensioners be increased with effect from July 1, 1998.

The notification said the new rate of DA and dearness relief will be 22 per cent of the pay and pension respectively. The DA will also be admissible to State employees appointed on 'contract' basis and 'work-charged' establishments drawing revised pay in the regular scales.

The notification further said that the arrear component of the DA up to March 31, 1991 will be credited to the employees “General Provident Fund” (GDP) for all regular State Government employees.

PIL against Mahanta
Next hearing on April 5
A Two-member division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Justice A. K. Patnaik and Justice D. Biswas fixed April 5 as the next date of hearing on the PIL filed by Nabin Chandra Kalita
challenging the Governor's order, refusing sanction to prosecute Prafulla Kumar Mahanta in the ICDP Demow (LoC scam) case.

The division bench after hearing the counsels for the petitioner for several hours posted the case for further hearing on April 5 next when day-to-day hearing will be taken up.

Arguing for the petitioner L. Nageswar Rao submitted to the High Court that power of the sanctioning authority is limited to examine whether the allegations made are veracious and it can't go into the merit of the charges.


NPC demands clarification on fund position

Nagaland People's Council (NPC) demanded clarification from the State Government on the State's financial situation alleging that the authority was giving confusing figures one after another in the recent past.

The Government's frequent statement on mounting fiscal deficit figures required substantive clarification, NPC president Shurhozelie said.

“It is morally wrong on the part of the Congress Government which keeps on bluffing the people continuously with their inconsistent deficit figures.

Indo-Bangla bus service

Union Minister of State for Communications Kabindra Purakayastha has said that he will take initiatives to start bus services between Silchar and Sylhet, Bangladesh. He was speaking in Kailasahr, headquarters of North Tripura district recently while inaugurating a new telephone exchange.

Mr. Purakayastha's announcement came at a time when Tripura was demanding a transit route from Agartala to Calcutta through Bangladesh.

Noted footballer passes away

Bharat Chowdhury, who represented Assam football team in 1940-50 as left-out, expired at his residence at Uzanbazar.

Born in 1916, Mr. Chowdhury was not keeping well for the last few years. He was 83.
He represented the Bhawanipur Football Club of Calcutta during the 1938-39 season and donned the West Bengal Club jersey from 1941-44 and was very popular player.
Mr. Chowdhury joined the Assam Police in the year 1952 and retired as an Inspector of Police in 1983. He was a first-class football refree from Assam.

He is survived by his wife, four sons and a daughter and a host of relatives and well wishers.
Mr. Chowdhury's death has cast a pall of gloom over all sports-lovers of the State.