Paromita Editor

The Assam Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday approved a series of welfare, infrastructure, agriculture and industrial initiatives aimed at boosting economic growth and public welfare in the state. Among the major decisions, the Cabinet approved the Assam Sustainable Wetland and Integrated Fisheries Transformation (SWIFT) Project with an estimated cost of ₹796.88 crore. The project will be funded through an ADB loan of ₹637.50 crore and a state contribution of ₹159.38 crore. The initiative will focus on the restoration and rehabilitation of at least 102 community beels across Assam. The Cabinet also approved a proposal…

A tiger cub, estimated to be three months old, was rescued after it was found in a kitchen garden of a house in Natugaon village in Assam’s Biswanath district on the morning of 17 September, 2026. Its forelimbs were entangled in agricultural and fishing nets surrounding the kitchen garden. On being alerted to the sighting by concerned residents, a coordinated rescue effort was carried out by the forest department, police, district administration and the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI). It was likely that the juvenile tiger had been separated from its mother due to strong river currents. The team promptly…

More than 50 families have been affected after water flowing down from the Karbi Hills inundated residential areas in Bhatabari under Bamuni in Assam’s Kaliabor following incessant rainfall since the night of September 22. According to local residents, heavy rainfall triggered a sudden rise in the volume of water descending from the hill areas, leading to widespread flooding in homes and agricultural fields. Several houses have been submerged, with floodwaters reportedly reaching knee level inside some residences. As water levels continued to rise, many residents were forced to leave their homes and seek shelter along roadside areas and other higher…

The injured elephant was sighted at Kacharigaon Tea Estate in Rangapara, Sonitpur, leaning against a tree for support. Under the guidance of Mr Biswa Jyoti Das, AFS, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Sonitpur West Division, Tezpur, the team attended to the adult male wild elephant Makhna after detecting multiple injuries, particularly on the left foreleg around the elbow joint. Upon examination, the elephant was found to have a suspected sharp spear-related injury to the left foreleg, resulting in severe swelling and difficulty in bearing weight on the affected limb. The animal also had corneal opacity in the left eye, with suspected partial…

Acclaimed Assamese filmmaker Rima Das has been appointed as one of the three jurors for the prestigious New Currents Award at the 31st Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), scheduled to be held from October 6 to 15. The New Currents Award is one of BIFF's most significant competitive categories, dedicated to recognising emerging filmmakers from across Asia. The award carries a cash prize of KRW 20 million. Das will serve on the jury alongside renowned Korean actor Shim Eun-kyung and Chinese producer Shan Zuolong. The appointment further strengthens Das' long-standing association with the Busan International Film Festival. Her acclaimed films…

Asian Confluence, a Shillong-based think tank, in collaboration with the Political Science and Public Administration department of Assam Royal Global University (RGU), organised a session of the Brahmaputra–Chao Phraya Dialogue on the university campus in Guwahati on Tuesday, bringing together policymakers, diplomats, academics and experts from India and Thailand to explore new avenues of engagement between the Northeast and the Southeast Asian country. Held on the theme “Building the Northeast’s Health, Education, Youth and Enterprise Bridge with Thailand,” the dialogue positioned Northeast India as an important academic and people-to-people bridge between India and Southeast Asia, while highlighting the role of…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today celebrated the magnificent greater one-horned rhinoceros on the occasion of World Rhino Day and lauded all those at the forefront of its protection.He noted that Assam now holds nearly 80 per cent of the world’s rhino population and that Kaziranga’s efforts to end rhino poaching have been extensively appreciated.The Prime Minister highlighted that rhinos have either returned or are well protected in parts of Bihar and West Bengal, while the successful reintroduction of rhinos in Dudhwa, Uttar Pradesh, is creating history.He stated that this demonstrates the sustained commitment of the people towards animal protection and…

Bharti Airtel has strengthened its family postpaid portfolio by including Apple’s newly expanded iCloud+ service, which now comes with access to Apple TV and Apple Arcade, in its ₹999 and above family postpaid plans.The enhanced offering is designed to provide greater value to customers by combining connectivity, entertainment, gaming and cloud storage under a single subscription. The benefits are available to Airtel customers subscribed to family postpaid plans priced at ₹999 and above.With iCloud+, users can securely store, sync and access photos, files, passwords, contacts and other important data across Apple devices. The service also provides secure backup capabilities, making…

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Monday claimed that a Congress convoy, carrying senior party leaders, was allegedly attacked during a roadshow held in the Borma-Kawaimari area as part of its campaign for the upcoming Nagaon Lok Sabha by-election. Addressing a media conference in Guwahati, party spokespersons strongly condemned the alleged attack by goons on the convoy carrying MP Rakibul Hussain; Assam PCC chief Gaurav Gogoi, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party, Wazed Ali Choudhury; Mahila Congress president Mira Borthakur; Congress candidate for Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll, Sibamoni Bora, and several MLAs. Narrating the incident, Bedabrata Bora, chairman of…

A representation has been submitted to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the Chairman and members of the National Commission on Demographic Change, and the General Secretary (Organisation) of the BJP, expressing concern over the implications of the Assam Land Revenue Regulation Amendment, 2026. The representation, submitted by advocate Upamanyu Hazarika, alleges that the amendment's definition of "original inhabitant" could have significant demographic, legal and administrative consequences in Assam. According to the representation, the new definition groups indigenous communities and persons of Bangladesh or East Bengal origin under the same category. It argues that the criteria for being recognized…