Banasree Sarkar

Three major development projects in Assam have received loans totaling USD 680 million from the World Bank. These initiatives are intended to improve governance and service delivery, increase education and workforce preparedness throughout the state, and build climate resilience. The Washington-based multilateral lender said in a statement on January 15 that its Board of Executive Directors approved the projects on Tuesday to assist Assam in responding to extreme weather events, enhance public administration, and give over four million students the skills they need to be successful in the workforce. The biggest element is the USD 350 million Assam Disaster Resilient…

With a renewed effort to enhance the rail travel experience for both regular and long-distance customers, Indian Railways is poised to reach a major milestone in the next year. Indian Railways plans to launch nine new Amrit Bharat Express trains from Assam and West Bengal, combining comfort and affordability to expand the network of contemporary, non-AC long-distance services targeted directly at the average traveler. By traveling through heavily populous states like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh and reaching distant locations in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, these new services would improve connectivity from the eastern and northeastern areas to important parts…

Dokmoka Higher Secondary School Playground, under Howraghat LAC in Karbi Anglong district, hosted a major check distribution program under the Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyamita Abhiyan (MMUA). Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma gave qualified female entrepreneurs from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) Rs 10,000 in seed money (Entrepreneurship Fund grant-in-aid). In this event, 33,811 women beneficiaries (Nari-preneurs) were given support. This brings the state's total of 18,52,922 empowered women in 76 LACs closer to the goal of 40 lakh beneficiaries. KAAC Chief Tuliram Ronghang, Lok Sabha MP Amarsing Tisso, Local MLA Dorsing Ronghang, a number of Executive Members, MACs, the District Commissioner,…

Tezpur University (TU) researchers have discovered unique chemical signatures in blood that can distinguish between instances of gallbladder cancer with and without gallstones. This discovery may help with the early detection of one of the most aggressive and frequently missed tumors. The work, headed by research scholar Dr. Cinmoyee Baruah and assistant professor Dr. Pankaj Barah of Tezpur University's Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, was published in the American Chemical Society's Journal of Proteome Research. According to the study, certain blood-based "metabolic signatures" have been found that could be used as biomarkers for gallbladder cancer. As the third most…

As resistance to the proposed judicial township in Rangmahal grew, members of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association (GHCBA) started a three-day hunger strike on January 8 in protest of the government's proposal to move the Gauhati High Court's principal seat to North Guwahati. The protest began at 10 a.m. in front of the former High Court building in Uzan Bazar and was set to last for six hours every day. It comes after a resolution that was approved earlier this week at the Bar Association's emergent extraordinary general meeting. The agitation is being led by K N Choudhury, president…

Due to the severe cold wave conditions that are currently prevalent throughout the Dima Hasao region, the local education administration has ordered the temporary closure of all schools as a precaution to protect the health and safety of students. The Office of the Additional Director of Education (Hills) issued an order stating that all government, provincialized, supported, private, and venture educational institutions in Assam, Haflong, from Lower Primary to Secondary level, will be closed from January 8 to January 17, 2026. The decision was made because of the extreme cold that the hill district is now experiencing, which could be…

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma stated on January 5 that Assam Police had apprehended five alleged drug dealers and found heroin valued at Rs 2 crore after stopping two cars in the Cachar district. The Chief Minister claims that Cachar Police conducted the operation at the Sunabarighat Bypass, when the two cars were pulled up for a regular inspection. Sarma said on X, "@Cacharpolice intercepted two vehicles at Sunabarighat Bypass, seized 406 grams of heroin worth Rs 2 crore and arrested five peddlers." The Chief Minister reaffirmed the government's strong stance against drug trafficking in the state while applauding the…