REGIONAL

IMPHAL, NOV 7: Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla on Friday said the national song “Vande Mataram” awakens the spirit of unity among people and devotion to the country. Bhalla also called upon everyone to uphold the timeless ideals of patriotism and national harmony that the ‘Vande Mataram’ song so beautifully embodies. In a post on X, the Raj Bhavan said the governor of Manipur joins the nation in celebrating 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’, the “immortal song that awakens the spirit of freedom, unity, and devotion to our Motherland”. The song was written by Bengali novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay on the occasion of Akshaya Navami, which fell on November 7 in 1875. The song first appeared in the literary journal, “Bangadarshan”, as part of Chattopadhyay’s novel, “Anandamath”. “On this historic occasion, the governor pays tribute to the deep patriotic spirit of the people of Manipur, whose rich cultural heritage and unwavering love for the nation reflect the very essence of ‘Vande Mataram’,” the Raj Bhavan statement said. Former chief minister N Biren Singh also paid his tributes to the national song. In a post on X, Singh said, “On this historic day, we celebrate the 150th anniversary of our soul-stirring National Song, Vande Mataram. “Mother, I Bow to Thee” and let the anthem of resilience echo throughout the nation.” He said the song “ignited the flame of freedom in every Indian heart during our struggle for independence”. “Let us bow in reverence to our motherland, drawing strength from her eternal spirit to build a united, prosperous India,” he added. (Source: PTI)

AGARTALA, NOV 7: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said that his government has kept 40 per cent of the total budgetary outlay during the 2025-26 financial year for tribal welfare. The state’s budget for the current fiscal stands at Rs 32,000 crore. While speaking at a progamme at Chailengta in Dhalai district on Thursday, the chief Minister said the development of the northeastern state is not possible without upliftment of the tribal people. “Driven by this reality, the state government has kept over 40 per cent of the budget for tribal area development during the 2025-26 financial year. The government is also focusing on skill development of the tribal, especially the resettled Bru people,” he said. Several thousand Bru families, who were living in Tripura since late 1990s because of ethnic violence in their home state Mizoram, were rehabilitated in several districts of this state following an agreement signed in 2020. “Under the PM Kaushalya Yojana and MukhyamantriDakkhata Yojana, the government provides skill training to these Bru people,” the chief minister said. Saha said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a visit to a Bru resettled village in Ambassa, had asserted that providing houses, water, and other benefits would not be enough for sustainable livelihood for them. “The Skill Development Department is providing training to them. The Bru people have said that they are happy and thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We must provide skills to the Bru people to ensure their employment,” he said. The chief minister claimed that no political party or government had raised a voice for a permanent solution to the Bru people for the past 23 years. “The BJP-led government, on humanitarian grounds, solved their issues by signing an agreement. Our government is with you and working for your development. The government is working to make people self-reliant,” he said. Saha said when the agreement was signed in 2020 for the Bru people, a series of talks were held, and finally they were resettled in 12 locations in the northeastern state. “We have provided toolkits to 895 people and driving licences to 200, for which Rs 1.45 crore was spent,” he said. Earlier, the chief minister distributed toolkits for skilled Bru candidates and virtually inaugurated new buildings of a school and several government departments. (Source: PTI)

  GUWAHATI, NOV 5: Former union minister and four-time BJP MP Rajen Gohain on Wednesday joined regional political outfit Assam Jaitya Parishad (AJP). Gohain, who had resigned from the BJP on October 9, switched over to the regional party at a programme here in the presence of AJP president Lurinjyoti Gohain and general secretary Jagadish Bhuyan, among others. He had represented the Nagaon parliamentary constituency for four terms from 1999 to 2019 and had served as the Union Minister of State for Railways from 2016 to 2019. Gohain, 74, had said that he resigned from the BJP as the party had “failed to fulfil the promises made to the people of Assam and betrayed the indigenous communities by allowing outsiders to settle in the state”. He also charged the BJP’s state leadership with “encouraging communal politics and dividing the centuries-old Assamese society”. The assembly elections in the state are due next year. (Source: PTI)  

GUWAHATI, NOV 5: A two-day conclave aimed at strengthening the dairy, livestock and cooperative sectors in Assam concluded on Wednesday. The meet, which brought together experts, policymakers, academics and practitioners to share insights and innovative strategies, was organised at the initiative of Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, an official statement said. The second day of the conclave witnessed a series of thematic sessions and a lead lecture that focused on advancing dairy technology, improving livestock management and promoting sustainable poultry development. Participants highlighted the need to modernise dairy infrastructure and strengthen the start-up ecosystem to create new opportunities for rural youth and women entrepreneurs. Discussions also emphasised the critical role of financing models from NABARD and MSME in enabling sustainable dairy-based entrepreneurship. A lead lecture on the ‘Status of Livestock Sector in Assam’ was delivered by Jayanta Kumar Goswami, director, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Assam, who provided an overview of the sector’s current landscape, its challenges and emerging opportunities. He highlighted that livestock and allied activities play a vital role in enhancing rural livelihoods, ensuring nutritional security and empowering women, particularly among smallholder and marginal farmers. Speakers stressed on the importance of bio-security measures and hygienic meat processing systems to promote viable and safe piggery ventures in the state. The potential of the piggery sector as a major contributor to rural income and nutrition security was strongly advocated. Experts emphasised the need to adopt scientific breeding and sustainable fodder systems to increase the productivity of goat and sheep farming in rural areas. The session on poultry development addressed issues related to backyard and commercial poultry farming, feed efficiency, hatchery management and bio-security. It also highlighted the need to strengthen local poultry breeds, improve market linkages and expand cold chain infrastructure to ensure profitability and sustainability in the sector. (Source: PTI)