Author name: OnlineAge

GUWAHATI : Legendary American hard rock band ‘Guns N’ Roses’ will perform here on November 17, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday. This will be the second international concert in the city after Post Malone’s performance here in December last. ”Delighted to welcome the legendary Guns N’ Roses to Guwahati on November 17, 2026, bringing one of the world’s most iconic rock bands to Assam”, the CM posted on ‘X’. ”Following the historic success of Post Malone’s concert, Assam’s rise as a global live entertainment destination continues to gather momentum”, he said. Sarma said as fans travel from across India and beyond, they will experience Assam’s hospitality, culture and vibrancy, while creating new opportunities for tourism and the local economy. The concert will be held at the Veterinary Ground at Khanapara. This will be ‘Guns N’ Roses’ third visit to the country after their performance in Mumbai last year, and also in 2012 at the same venue along with Bengaluru. Besides Guwahati, the band will also perform in Bengaluru on November 14 as part of the Asia leg of their ongoing world tour. The Assam government had approved a new policy in May last year for promoting ‘concert tourism’ with Guwahati, Dibrugarh and Jorhat as hubs and also joined hands with Bigtree Entertainment, which operates online ticketing platform BookMyShow, to organise various national and international musical concerts in the state. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL : Thousands of people took out a rally demanding NRC updation in Manipur before the conduct of the Census in the state. The rally, organised by 14 civil society organisations, started from Tiddim Ground and covered a distance of 5 km before concluding at Thau Ground, both in Imphal. Tight security was ensured to prevent any untoward incident. The rallyists held placards that read ‘Do not neglect Manipur’ and ‘No NRC update, no Census’ and raised slogans demanding that illegal immigrants be identified and deported. The agitators’ spokesperson, Shanta Nahakpam, said, “The BJP raised the issue of illegal immigrants during election campaigns in Assam and West Bengal. Manipur, too, has several issues, including illegal immigration and border fencing.” “We feel there is no desire on the part of the Centre to conduct NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Manipur. We want NRC updation and subsequent delimitation of assembly seats,” Nahakpam added. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh had in March said the state government is making all efforts to ensure a fair Census. The Manipur government had earlier announced that house listing operations for Census 2027 will be conducted in the state between September 1 and 30, with an option for self-enumeration from August 17-31. Elections to the 60-member assembly are likely to be held early next year. (Source: PTI)    

DIMAPUR : Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Monday inaugurated four incubation and food processing centres across the state under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) 2024–25, aimed at strengthening market linkages for farmers and entrepreneurs while creating employment opportunities for the youth. After inaugurating the Food Processing Centre at the State Industrial Area, Toluvi, Dimapur, Rio virtually launched three other projects — the Incubation Centre for Entrepreneurs and Infrastructure Development at the Industrial Growth Centre, Ganeshnagar under Chümoukedima, the Incubation Centre for Food Processing at Tuensang, and the Modern Aggregation Centre at Longnak in Mokokchung. Addressing the gathering, Rio said small-scale industries, particularly food processing, offer the most viable path for Nagaland’s economic growth. He said the incubation units are aligned with the Government of India’s vision of building a “Viksit Bharat” and can serve as catalysts for rural entrepreneurship and value addition. Rio noted that there is strong demand for such initiatives from both farmers and the state government. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s target of transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, he stressed the need for collective efforts to ensure Nagaland is not left behind in the country’s growth trajectory. He said the benefits of the centres would directly reach farmers once the units become fully operational, and added that the government plans to replicate the model across all districts. Such expansion, he said, would enable each region to identify and process crops best suited to its local conditions, thereby enhancing productivity and income generation. Expressing confidence in the state’s youth, Rio said Nagaland possesses abundant talent and rich natural resources. He urged young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the opportunities created through the new facilities and contribute to sustainable economic growth by combining traditional knowledge with innovation. MLA and Advisor for Industries and Commerce Hekani Jakhalu described the four centres as pilot projects developed after extensive study and planning based on local potential. She said the department aims to replicate the model across the state and ensure that every district has an independent processing centre by 2028. Emphasising the importance of value addition, Jakhalu said food processing is not merely about installing machinery but about creating an integrated value chain linking farms, factories and markets. She described the sector as a critical bridge between agriculture and manufacturing. Advisor for SCERT and Food Processing Achumbemo Kikon said the department would be guided by six key pillars — Production, Processing, Preservation, Packaging, Pricing and Patenting — to advance the sector in mission mode. He stressed that processing infrastructure would be effective only if supported by adequate production and called for cooperation from farmers, villages and stakeholders to strengthen the state’s economy. Among those present were Minister for Rural Development Metsübo Jamir, Advisor for Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Zhaleo Rio, Advisor for Agriculture Mhathung Yanthan, Advisor for Science and Technology Kuzholuzo Nienu, Advisor for Sericulture and Minority Affairs Imkong L. Imchen, and MLA Dr Sukhato A. Sema. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday allocated portfolios to 12 newly inducted ministers. The chief minister retained Home and Political, PWD, Power, Information and Public Relations, and departments not allotted to any other minister. Among the senior ministers Ranoj Pegu retained the Education Department, Ashok Singhal has been allocated his previous Health & Family Welfare, and Medical Education & Research, while Bimal Borah has been given Cultural Affairs and Industries, Commerce & Public Enterprises, and Act East Policy Affairs. The Finance Ministry has been given to Sarma’s close associate Jayanta Malla Baruah. “With the approval of the Hon’ble Governor of Assam, I am pleased to announce the allocation of portfolios amongst the members of the Council of Ministers of the Government of Assam,” Sarma posted on X. The 12 ministers were sworn in on June 5, while four other ministers were administered the oath of office on May 12 along with the chief minister. The portfolios of the four ministers were announced earlier. (Source: PTI)