Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharman on Monday announced a Rs 12,000 crore interest-free 50-year loan to states for spending on capital projects in a bid to boost economy. The loan is over and above borrowing ceilings of the states and the repayment will be one bullet payment after 50 years, she said.
'... that they should listen to people of the soil of the North East and find a permanent solution to tribal problems.'
The North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) and Other Related Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012, passed by Rajya Sabha, will pave way for creation of High Courts in the three north-eastern states by amending the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea of an advocate seeking an independent probe into the recent 'communal riots' in Tripura and the alleged complicity and inaction of the state police in it.
The world's largest ice festival has opened in north-eastern China, featuring frozen castles, glistening snow sculptures and lots of snowmen. Here's a glimpse of the frozen world.
Senior bureaucrat Tarun Bajaj was appointed revenue secretary as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle by the Centre on Tuesday.
The coming year will be one that will test sabka vishwas to the utmost, predicts Aditi Phadnis.
Government has no plans to create a separate time zone for 7 North Eastern states, Rajya Sabha was informed on Thursday.
'As soon as the violence broke out, they should have stepped in and sent a message that the state is there to stop this violence.' 'Had they done it right there, the situation would not have gone out of control.'
The committees headed by a cabinet minister will have bureaucrats and maybe a local representative as members and they will visit the disputed sites, interact with the civil society members and complete the discussions within 30 days, Sarma said.
The North East is a sizeable success story for the Modi government politically and for the BJP electorally. It will be an unpleasant surprise if they choose to blow it, bowing to their basic, polarising instinct at any point, points out Shekhar Gupta.
Top organisations of the Konyak tribe in Nagaland have announced a set of regulations, including 'strict non-cooperation' with the army, saying the people will follow them until justice is served in the killing of 14 civilians by security forces in a botched up operation and its aftermath in the North-eastern state earlier this month.
The Congress alleged that whenever an issue of national security comes up, the "prime minister hides behind his ministers".
16 Indian Army divisions face China, 20 face Pakistan and two divisions are reserves. This powerful signal can hardly be missed in China or Pakistan, notes Ajai Shukla.
They just wanted their angst noticed, and as a symbol of recognition, Jallikattu, restored without the annual ritual of court cases and adjournments, explains N Sathya Moorthy.
Sarma's eyes, according to those close to him, were always set on the top job in Assam. However, the leader who owed his early rise to two former chief ministers from the Congress had to toil for many years with dogged determination to achieve his goal.
'I don't think the Bharatiya Janata Party can claim any USP which was it is a party with a difference.'
'You are an instrument at the hands of one man with one ambition -- to resurrect the Soviet Union... For ambitions of one man, we are paying a very high price.'
Foreign tourists are postponing their India holiday and there have been some cancellations as well, with trips to the North-East seeing the most adverse impact.
Air India sale will give a boost to India's privatisation drive, the Economic Survey said on Monday, as it suggested redefining the public sector role in business enterprises to encourage private participation in all sectors. The government earlier this month handed over ownership rights in national carrier Air India to Tata Group for Rs 18,000 crore. The amount includes the takeover of the debt burden of Rs 15,300 crore and another Rs 2,700 crore in cash.
For audiences craving something new, Axone leaves a good impression, notes Joginder Tuteja.
'The Government of India should start a dialogue with the people of Ladakh, but the trouble is they are not willing to listen to our grievances.'
Citing astonishing capitulation of Nagaland in a women's Under-19 match, former Board of Control for Cricket in India president Anurag Thakur on Friday pointed out that not all the Lodha Committee reforms are appropriate.
High-pitched identity politics, which is the norm in the northeast, has continued to compound the boundary problem.
This is the Upper House's third best productive session in the last 14 sessions since the Monsoon Session (243rd Session) of 2017, the Rajya Sabha officials said.
'The BJP had a big threat from the Congress in J&K, therefore they were threatened by us.'
Air India Chairman Rajiv Bansal has been appointed as the new aviation secretary as part of a major top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre on Wednesday. K Rajaraman, additional secretary in the department of economic affairs, has been appointed as secretary, department of telecommunications, a personnel ministry order said.
Gujarat legislator Jignesh Mevani on Monday alleged that his arrest by the Assam police is a pre-planned conspiracy "designed" by the Prime Minister's Office to destroy him ahead of assembly elections in the state and termed it an act of "56-inch cowardice".
'It's very difficult, almost impossible, to select my favourite duets with Kishoreda.'
Hundreds of tired, hungry and frightened North-Easterners continue to gather at the Central Station, Chennai, waiting for trains to take them back to the safety of their homes.
'I bow to the great freedom fighters born in Andhra Pradesh. We have not forgotten our freedom fighters, we will not forget and we will move forward by taking inspiration from them,' the prime minister said
The chief ministers and the governors of the north eastern state have expressed dissatisfaction over the 'continuous reduction' of budget allocations of the North Eastern Council in the successive five-year plan.
'It was more than ego.' 'It carried with it a sincere belief that he was the quintessence of the country, that the country's destiny was irrevocably intertwined with his destiny.' An excerpt from T J S George's The Dismantling of India: In 35 Portraits.
Four persons have been arrested by the cyber crime branch of city police in connection with inflammatory SMSes circulated here to allegedly foment violence against the north eastern residents.
Concern was on Wednesday expressed in Rajya Sabha over China's reported attempts to divert water from Brahmaputra River to its territory leading to water scarcity in North Eastern region including Assam.
The strengthening of the Mountain Strike Corps is part of the steps taken by the force to rebalance its focus more towards the Chinese border from the western front with Pakistan.
The contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 (CAB), which generated widespread protests in the north-eastern states, is expected to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday for consideration and passage.
A 'beef party' and a bandh greeted Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah who visited the state on Wednesday as part of his north-east tour seeking to strengthen party base and urging workers to make public the alleged corruption by ruling Congress party in Meghalaya.
He served the right-wing organisation for around 16 years under the guidance of Gobinda Acharya and Krishnagopal Sharma, two prominent Sangh leaders.
Gerd Mueller netted 68 goals in 62 internationals, including the winner in the 1974 World Cup final, and is third in the all-time list of most goals in the global showpiece tournament with 14, behind Brazilian Ronaldo (15) and German Miroslav Klose (16).
