Sikkim's tryst with floriculture marks a new beginning for small growers, but poor market access and a flush of imported breeds may mar its sustainability.
As powerful earthquakes rocked Sikkim, the Central government on Sunday swung into action, rushing specialised teams for rescue, relief and medical operations, besides mobilising the Army and Air Force.
China will resolutely safeguard its border sovereignty in conflicts with Indian troops even at the cost of war, GT said.
Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling drove down from Gangtok to Rangpo and submitted to the governor a letter recommending dissolution of the House.
Sikkim was cut off from the rest of the country when Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha activists blocked the National Highway 31A early on Saturday as part of their 24-hour strike in the Darjeeling Hills region. Vehicular traffic between Sikkim and Siliguri via the NH-31A has been totally paralysed since early morning, police officials at Rangpo inter-state border checkpost said. Only a few vehicles belonging to the military forces, press persons and some ambulances were seen.
The Sikkim government is considering a proposal by the Forest and Wildlife Department to market the medicinal herb Cordyceps Sinensis, popularly known as Himalayan Viagra. The herb, whose scientific name is Caterpillar Fungus, is found abundantly in the forests of the Himalayan state.
The advisory asked to pay close attention to the security situation and take necessary precautions.
On the eve of Foreign Ministerial talks, India on Wednesday virtually rejected China's claim over a small part of Sikkim, saying the state's boundary issue has been settled. Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said the recent Chinese claim over the 'finger area' in Sikkim border would be discussed at the talks between External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi in Beijing on Thursday. China recently laid claim over the 'finger area'.
The trials are being held to select the teams for the Asian Championships and Asian Olympic Games Qualifiers, both scheduled to be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.
The reopening of the trade route through Nathu Pass will give boost to tourism and export-oriented activities, Pawan Chamling said.
Partha Pratim Sengupta, who will be taking charge as the MD & CEO of Bandhan Bank in early November, has his task cut out. The Kolkata-based lender, which converted itself from a microfinance institution to a universal bank, is in its 10th year of operation. The bank was able to cut down the share of the micro loan book over these years.
China on Wednesday accused India of "trampling" on the Panchsheel principles and asked New Delhi to "correct its mistakes" as soon as possible by pulling back troops.
The death toll in the bordering Himalayan state of Sikkim due to Sunday's mega earthquake and subsequent landslides is still mounting while over 300 have been hospitalised even as rescue and damage repair operations have been hampered by incessant rains that has been continuing for the last four days.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will review the performance of regional rural banks (RRBs) after the Budget session of Parliament, according to two people familiar with the matter. The finance minister will review the performance of RRBs after August 13. The review will include discussions on enhancing the digital capabilities of RRBs, said a senior government official.
Sikkim Manipal University currently offers over 40 distance education programmess across 10 disciplines
India has maintained there is no scope for a third party mediation.
India maintains Lipulekh, Kalapani and Limpiyadhura belong to it.
India and China are understood to have discussed the latest row over Sikkim on Thursday, during talks between their Foreign Ministers, dominated by the festering boundary issue, with the two sides agreeing to use existing mechanisms whenever necessary to maintain peace and tranquility along the border.External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is on a four-day official visit to China, met his counterpart Yang Jiechi and discussed issues of mutual concern.
The claim came a day after Indian government sources said the Chinese army personnel recently demanded removal of two bunkers on the border in Sikkim, which was rejected outright.
The Dalai Lama's proximity to the Chinese border will anger the Communist dictators in Beijing, who despise the Tibetan spiritual leader who retains his influence in his homeland 64 years after he fled Tibet.
Officials said that visitors from all over the country on way to the lake and Nathu La have been put up in shelters provided by the Army at their bases beyond 15 Mile.
The Baichung Bhutia co-owned United Sikkim Football club is languishing at the bottom of the I-League table. And faced with a depleting fan following in the small Himalayan state of Sikkim, fear is rife that things might not be hunky dorky.
"The voting percentage is likely to go upwards when reports from all polling stations are obtained as polling is scheduled till 6 pm in many constituencies. Final figures will be known on Saturday after the scrutiny of form 17A," the EC said.
Mohun Bagan struggled to get going against minnows United Sikkim FC to settle for a goalless draw in an I-League fixture at home in Kolkata on Thursday.
Hours before the ceremony, Saini visited the Valmiki Bhawan and offered prayers at a gurdwara and the Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula.
I-League and Federation Cup champions Salgaocar began their campaign in the Durand Cup football tournament with a solitary goal win over Border Security Force in Delhi on Friday. United Sikkim beat Indian Air Force 3-0 in another quarter-final league match.
Two army jawans were killed and military buildings damaged in the strong earthquake that rocked Sikkim on Sunday.
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An earthquake of 5.7 magnitude on the Richter Scale rocked Sikkim early Tuesday morning, the Met Department said.
Amid the Sikkim standoff, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Thursday held talks with his Chinese Counterpart and State Councillor Yang Jiechi on the sidelines of the BRICS NSAs meeting.
Singh said the Modi government has changed the approach adopted by previous governments that the border areas are buffer zones between the plains and the potential adversary.
The Advance Light Helicopter Dhruv helicopter of the Army Aviation Corps had taken off from Sewak Road Base in Siliguri at 10.30 AM, army sources said.
At least seven people have been killed and 22 others injured in Tibet as the earthquake that hit Sikkim and other North Eastern states in India also rocked the Chinese autonomous province leaving trail of destruction.
At least two persons were killed and four others injured in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district as a mortar shell, reportedly carried by the floodwaters of Teesta river, exploded, police said on Friday.
North Sikkim was cut off again due to a heavy landslide on the road linking worst-hit Mangan barely hours after it was cleared earlier on Tuesday. Official sources said the landslide occurred 2 km ahead of Dikchu barely hours after troops and relief teams had opened the road to Mangan, the epicentre of Sunday evening's 6.8 temblor that rocked Sikkim and the northeastern, eastern and northern state.
2012 saw Sikkim leaving behind memories of the devastation caused by last year's earthquake as rehabilitation and distribution of ex-gratia continued in full swing during the year.
Earthquake on 6.9 on the richter scale rocked Sikkim on Sunday evening.
