Assam - The Purbottar

07 Feb

₹70 Cr Central Allocation Planned for Dima Hasao, Says NCHAC Chief

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Central Government has proposed an allocation of Rs 70 crore for the development of Dima Hasao district in the Union Budget for the financial year 2026–27, Chief Executive Member (CEM) of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC), Debolal Gorlosa, announced during a press conference held at Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhavan in Haflong. Addressing the media, Gorlosa said the new allocation is part of continued efforts to improve infrastructure, connectivity, and basic services in the hill district, which has historically faced development challenges due to its difficult terrain and scattered population. He stated that the funds are expected to…

07 Feb

Gorkha Body Slams Derogatory ‘Nepali’ Comment, Warns of Protest

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam State Committee of the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) has strongly condemned what it described as a derogatory and racially offensive remark made during a televised political debate, calling the incident an insult to the dignity and identity of the Gorkha community. The controversy arose after an Assam Congress spokesperson, Shahijuddin Ahmed, allegedly used the term “Nepali” in a demeaning manner while referring to BJP spokesperson Ranjib Kumar Sarmah during a live debate aired on ND24 television on Friday. The Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh stated that the repeated use of the term as an insult was deeply hurtful and unacceptable,…

07 Feb

Disciplinary Action: Assam Congress Suspends Party Spokesman

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has suspended spokesperson Shaizuddin Ahmed effective immediately due to disciplinary violations related to comments made against a specific community on social media. This decision was communicated through an order from Bedabrat Bora, the chairman of the APCC media department. This action marks the second instance of disciplinary measures taken by the APCC within a short period, following a show-cause notice issued to Pankaj Saikia, the APCC Joint Secretary, for inappropriate remarks about former state Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah. Saikia has been given a 24-hour window to respond to the notice.

07 Feb

Chief Secretary Reviews Readiness for PM’s Aircraft Landing on Assam Highway

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam Chief Secretary Ravi Kota conducted a thorough review and joint inspection of the preparations for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Moran in the Dibrugarh district on February 14. Accompanied by the state DGP and senior Indian Air Force officials, Kota focused on significant aspects of the visit, particularly the arrival of the PM's aircraft at Northeast's first highway-based emergency landing strip along the Dibrugarh–Moran route. He meticulously assessed various factors including security arrangements, traffic management, crowd regulation, and the technical readiness of the emergency landing facility. Additionally, Kota reviewed trial runs that began on February 8 and instructed…

06 Feb

Himanta Biswa Sarma Alleges Infighting in Assam Congress During ‘Parivartan Yatra’

Paromita EditorAssam

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday launched a fresh political attack on the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) and its president Gaurav Gogoi, alleging internal discord within the party during its ongoing ‘Parivartan Yatra’. Speaking to reporters, Sarma claimed that the yatra, which began on a bus, was disrupted by an alleged disagreement between Gaurav Gogoi and former APCC president Bhupen Borah. “APCC president Gaurav Gogoi started the ‘Parivartan Yatra’ on a bus and got into a fight with former APCC president Bhupen Borah. You can ask him whether it is true or not. Just yesterday, inside the…

06 Feb

From Quantity to Quality: Assam Tea Sector Urged to Rethink Growth Model

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Assam's tea industry, one of the largest in the world, is at a critical juncture, requiring innovation and structural reform as emphasized during the 88th Annual General Meeting of the Assam Tea Planters’ Association (ATPA). The region, which produces approximately 1.25 to 1.3 billion kilograms of tea annually—half of India's total—is facing an economic challenge where despite global tea production increasing from 1.5 billion kilograms in 1950 to nearly 6 billion in 2023, prices have fallen, squeezing profit margins for producers. Industry leaders have highlighted the need to transition from merely increasing production to enhancing value through quality, branding, and…

06 Feb

Sibsagar Commerce College Hosts Vulture Conservation Awareness Session for Youth

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

Aaranyak, a leading biodiversity conservation organization, in collaboration with the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), hosted a comprehensive awareness and sensitization program on vulture conservation at Sibsagar Commerce College. The event sought to educate students and faculty about the crucial ecological roles vultures play and emphasize the urgent need for their protection, as articulated in an Aaranyak communiqué. Wasima Begum, a conservation official from Aaranyak, highlighted the dangers posed by harmful bacteria found in animal carcasses and discussed how vultures act as nature’s "sanitation workers," preventing disease spread by effectively disposing of dead animals. She underlined the ecological services vultures…

06 Feb

Assam Chief Minister praises Bharat Taxi as a people-centric urban mobility reform

Banasree SarkarAssam

The first cooperative-based taxi aggregator in India, Bharat Taxi, was hailed by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who described it as a long-overdue change in the nation's urban mobility sector. Sarma claimed in a post on X that the project demonstrates the Center's dedication to cooperative governance and people-centric reforms. The moment for the #BharatTaxi reform has arrived. The Chief Minister stated, "Hon'ble Union Home & Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji has delivered a cooperative model that puts people, not platforms, at the center by putting Hon'ble PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji's vision into action." Sarma praised the…

06 Feb

INC Holds Grassroots Training Camp for 222 Booth Committees in Assam

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

In an effort to strengthen its grassroots election network, the Indian National Congress organised a training camp for Booth Level Agents (BLAs) covering all 222 booth committees under the 83rd Margherita Legislative Assembly Constituency in Assam. The training programme was held on February 5 at the Margherita Congress Bhawan and was attended by a large number of party workers, booth representatives, and local leaders. The programme was organised by the Margherita Block Congress Committee with the aim of preparing party workers for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections. Booth Level Agents play a key role during elections, as they work at…

06 Feb

Party Discipline Row: Assam Congress Issues Show-Cause to Joint Secretary

Sonakshi SarkarAssam

The Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) has served a show-cause notice to Pankaj Saikia, the Joint Secretary of APCC, following allegations of inappropriate comments he made regarding Bhupen Kumar Borah, the former state Congress president. The notice, issued by Bipul Gogoi, the General Secretary (Organisation) of APCC, highlights that the APCC President, Gaurav Gogoi, has brought these comments to attention. Saikia is required to respond within 24 hours to explain why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him for violating party discipline.