Assam - The Purbottar

05 Feb

Tinsukia division sees 15.9% freight growth, breaks daily loading record

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has recorded an impressive surge in freight operations, setting new benchmarks in the Tinsukia and Katihar divisions during January 2025. The remarkable growth highlights the railway’s crucial role in ensuring seamless transportation of essential commodities and strengthening economic activity across the region. According to NFR officials, the Tinsukia division witnessed a 15.9% increase in freight loading, reaching 0.1225 million tonnes, compared to the previous year. The division achieved a significant milestone on January 24, 2025, by loading 273 wagons in a single day. Freight unloading operations also surged, with 4,124 wagons offloaded in January, marking…

04 Feb

CBI arrested Assam’s Bikash Das for Tripura chit fund scam

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Bikash Das, a resident of Das Colony, Panchgram in Hailakandi District, Assam, from Bhiwandi, Thane District, Maharashtra, in connection with the notorious Tripura Chit Fund Scam. Das, who had been evading law enforcement for over a decade, was apprehended on February 3, 2025, after a prolonged manhunt and intelligence-gathering efforts. The 42-year-old has been on the run since 2013 and was declared a proclaimed offender by the Special Judge (CBI) in Agartala, Tripura. He faced charges linked to two major financial fraud cases involving fraudulent investment schemes, which were handed over to the…

01 Feb

Himanta Sarma turns 56, celebrates with BJP workers

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma celebrated his 56th birthday in Guwahati on Friday, surrounded by a large group of supporters, well-wishers, and party workers at his residence. The gathering included ministers, legislators, and BJP workers who took the opportunity to extend their greetings and admiration for his leadership. Since taking office in 2021, Sarma has been at the helm of several significant reforms in Assam. His government has led the controversial closure of state-run madrassas, a move aimed at aligning the state's education system with national academic standards by incorporating modern curricula. In addition to education reforms, Sarma has…

01 Feb

Assam CM turns 56, wishes pour in

editorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma celebrated his 56th birthday with supporters and well- wishers at his residence in Guwahati. His supporters visited to extend their best wishes, and brought gifts such as his portrait, a Ganesh murti, flower bouquets and plants. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma expressed his gratitude, saying, "Everyone came to give me their best wishes." On Friday, the Assam Chief Minister announced the inauguration of the newly reconstructed Jagi Bhakatgaon bridge, which connects Morigaon and Jagiroad. The Assam Chief Minister in his official handle on X shared a video of the 1.24 kilometre bridge that has…

01 Feb

Gauhati HC slaps notices to Assam govt over rampant rat-hole mining

editorAssam

The Gauhati High Court has issued notices to the Assam government and its various departments over rampant rat-hole coal mining and asked them to furnish what steps they have taken to stop the unlawful activity. Taking suo motu cognizance of the Dima Hasao coal mining tragedy, the high court registered a public interest litigation on Monday and issued notices the next day to seven government departments, including the office of the chief secretary. "The court has taken note of various reports which suggest that around more than 200 rat-hole mines are in operation in Umrangso area," the divisional bench, comprising…

01 Feb

In Assam, new urea plant will increase farmers’ access to Fertilizer

Banasree SarkarAssamurea plant

The Union Budget 2025–2026 has announced the establishment of a new urea plant in Namrup, which is a significant milestone for Assam and the Northeast. The 12.7 lakh metric tons (MT) of urea produced annually by this plant will significantly benefit nearby farmers who depend on fertilizers for their crops. In addition, the region's three dormant fertilizer factories will be restarted, increasing domestic fertilizer production and lowering the demand for imports. Farmers in Assam and the surrounding states will have easier access to fertilizers as a result, enabling them to produce higher-quality crops. On X (previously Twitter), Assam Chief Minister…

01 Feb

Assam to denotify 3 Proposed Reserve Forests to give land rights to 20,000 people

editorAssam

The Assam government has decided to denotify three Proposed Reserve Forests (PRF) in Tinsukia district for enabling over 20,000 residents to get land rights, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. In a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Sarma, on Friday the state government approved transforming the PRF into revenue villages so that people living in the area can get land rights. "There are three Proposed Reserve Forests in Tinsukia. We have decided to denotify and make them revenue villages. This will help the people living there to get land rights," he said at a late-night press conference here.

31 Jan

SBI Foundation supports Aaranyak’s multi-pronged strategy to mitigate HEC

editorAssam

The leading wildlife conservation group Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) has implemented a multifaceted community-oriented approach to accomplish its objectives in the ongoing effort to promote coexistence and lessen human elephant conflict (HEC). The multi-dimensional strategy comprises of staging street plays to sensitise the HEC-affected communities on ways to usher in an ecosystem of coexistence with wild elephants as well as providing the community options of alternative crops not palatable to elephants so as to supplement their livelihood in HEC affected areas where traditional crop culture stands vulnerable to depredation by wild elephants. Aaranyak organized a street play at the 13th Indo-Bhutan Friendship…

31 Jan

Yaba tablets worth Rs 9 crore seized in Assam, one held: CM

editorAssam

One person was arrested in Assam's Cachar district after Yaba tablets valued at Rs 9 crore were recovered from him, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Thursday.The recovery was made during an operation carried out based on specific information, he said.

31 Jan

NIA court convicts two more in Assam’s Ansarullah Bangla Team Case

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Assam has convicted two more individuals in connection with the Ansarullah Bangla Team (ABT) case, marking a crucial development in the ongoing crackdown against terror networks. With this verdict, the total number of convicted accused in the case has now reached nine. The court sentenced Mufti Suleiman Ali and Imran Hossen under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Both convicts received six months of simple imprisonment along with a fine of ₹500 under Section 120(B) of the IPC. In case of failure to…