REGIONAL

  TUTING : The Indian Army’s Spearhead Gunners on Wednesday conducted the maiden Integrated Welfare (IW) health outreach programme at Singa village under the banner “Seema Arogya Abhiyan – Healing at the Last Mile.” The initiative aimed at extending essential healthcare services and medical awareness to one of the remotest frontier regions of Arunachal Pradesh, where basic medical and civic facilities remain limited beyond Tuting. As part of the humanitarian outreach, the Indian Army organised a medical camp for the tribal communities of Upper Siang district, reaffirming its commitment towards the welfare of residents living in isolated border areas. During the camp, 45 villagers were screened and provided medical treatment by the Army Medical Officer. The programme also focused on creating awareness on basic healthcare, hygiene, and preventive medical practices. Villagers expressed gratitude to the Indian Army for organising the outreach programme, describing it as a vital support system in a region where access to healthcare facilities remains extremely scarce. The initiative also helped strengthen the bond between the Indian Army and local communities residing in far-flung border villages.

ITANAGAR : Governor Lt Gen KT Parnaik (retd) has extended warm greetings to the people of the state, especially the Adi community, on the occasion of Etor Gidi. In his message, the Governor described Etor Gidi as one of the most cherished agricultural festivals of the Adi tribe, reflecting the deep bond between humanity, nature, and community life. Parnaik said that the festival, celebrated at the beginning of the farming season, symbolises unity, collective responsibility, and the spirit of cooperation. Referring to the traditional practice of repairing and strengthening fences around agricultural fields, the Governor said it demonstrates the values of mutual support and shared commitment towards community welfare. Highlighting the cultural significance of the festival, he said Etor Gidi showcases the rich heritage of the Adi community through traditional rituals, prayers, the vibrant Delong dance, and communal gatherings at the Dere and Musup. “I am sanguine that this Etor Gidi inspires us to uphold the timeless values of unity, hard work, and harmony with nature,” the Governor said. He expressed hope that the age-old tradition would continue to preserve indigenous customs and wisdom while strengthening social harmony and cultural identity among younger generations. The Governor also wished that the festival would bring happiness, prosperity, good health, and abundant harvests to every household.

IMPHAL : The Manipur unit of the Congress on Thursday alleged that the frequent violence in the state was due to the state and Union government’s inability to properly use their constitutional powers in addressing vexing issues. This came a day after three suspected militants gunned down as many church leaders in Kangpokpi, while a man was killed in the Noney district. Addressing a press conference, state Congress chief O Ibobi Singh said, “We strongly condemn the killings. Three persons belonging to one community were killed on Wednesday morning, while a civilian of another community was killed in the evening in what appears to be a retaliatory act.” “How long will the Central government remain a mute spectator to the series of killings happening in the state. It appears as if the state has been left on its own, and the different communities are being allowed to engage in killings,” said the three-time former chief minister. Referring to the ethnic violence in 2023, Singh said, “Even the Supreme Court had previously said the law and order in the state has completely collapsed.” “Killings between communities will never bring any solution. It’s time to shun revengeful,” the Congress leader said, reiterating that law and order is the responsibility of the state government. “Constitutional powers given to the government are not being rightly used by both the state and union governments. This, I believe, is the cause of the unrest,” he said. Manipur witnessed the killing of at least 260 people and the displacement of thousands in violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : Assam has exported its first consignment of agarwood chips worth Rs 2.35 crore to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, officials said. Agarwood, also known as Oud, is one of the world’s most valuable aromatic raw materials, and is widely used in luxury perfumes, incense, cosmetics and traditional products across the Gulf, Europe and Southeast Asia. The shipment marks a “significant milestone” in the state’s agro-forest economy, as it is the “first legally approved export of agarwood chips”, according to a release issued by the All Assam Agarwood Planters and Traders Association. It is expected to open a new chapter for an industry with vast global demand and strong revenue potential, the association said. The consignment, comprising 100 kg of agarwood chips to Saudi Arabia and 12 kg to the UAE, was dispatched from the cargo terminal of the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport on Wednesday. The agarwood chips were exported after securing all statutory clearances, the release said. “This achievement is the result of years of research, policy advocacy, farmer engagement, plantation development, processing innovation and international compliance efforts,” All Assam Agarwood Planters and Traders Association chairman Jehirul Islam said. Assam-grown agarwood is highly valued for its superior quality, rich aroma and high oil content, giving the state a strong advantage in international markets, the officials said. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL : Normal life was paralysed in at least three districts of Manipur on Thursday by shutdowns called by the Kuki Zo and Naga communities against the killing of three church leaders and a civilian a day ago. Government offices recorded thin attendance while educational institutions remained closed in the heavily affected districts of Kangpokpi, Churachandpur and Chandel. A 48-hour shutdown in Manipur has been called from Thursday midnight by Kuki Inpi Manipur, the apex body of Kuki tribes in the state, to protest the killing of three Thadou church leaders near Kotlen in Kangpokpi district on Wednesday morning. Protesters forced the closure of market areas, business activities and vehicular movement along the National Highway 2 that connects Imphal with Dimapur in Kuki-majority Kangpokpi district, an official said. Churachandpur district-based Zomi Students’ Federation – General Headquarters called for an indefinite shutdown in the town areas of the district from 6 pm on Wednesday. The Chandel Naga People’s Organisation also imposed a shutdown in the Chandel district against the killing of a Naga person in Noney district on Wednesday evening, which brought business activities and vehicular movement to a halt. Wilson Thanga and his wife were returning home in Dolang village on a four-wheeler when they were attacked by suspected militants. While Thanga died on the spot, his wife suffered injuries in the attack. Manipur witnessed the killing of at least 260 people and the displacement of thousands in violence between the Meitei and Kuki communities since May 2023. (Source: PTI)        

GUWAHATI : The Assam cabinet on Wednesday approved the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state, but the tribal population will be kept outside its purview, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The draft of the UCC Bill will be laid before the assembly on May 26, the chief minister said at a press conference here after chairing the first cabinet meeting of his second term as the head of the government. The UCC will primarily cover the four subjects — minimum age of marriage, prohibition of polygamy, equal rights for daughters in parents’ property and matters relating to live-in relationships. “This is a major decision taken in the first cabinet meeting and aligns with the commitment we made during the elections,” the CM said. Sarma said Uttarakhand, Goa and Gujarat have already implemented the UCC, but his government has customised it for the requirements of Assam. ”We have completely exempted the tribal population from the purview of UCC. All rituals, traditions and customs practised by the people of Assam outside the scope of UCC,” he said. The UCC will deal with succession, marriage, live-in relationships and compulsory registration of marriage and divorce, he added. It will create a uniform set of laws for all residents — excluding Scheduled Tribes and Adivasi communities — and will replace various religion-based personal laws with a common legal framework to ensure equality and transparency, define core legal terms and recognise various customs and modern family structures, Sarma said. The CM also stated that religious practices and rituals related to marriages will not fall within the purview of the UCC. The cabinet also adopted several austerity measures in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for fuel conservation amid the prevailing West Asia crisis. The measures include downsizing convoys of the governor, CM, ministers and government officials, reduction of government fuel consumption by 20 per cent and a six-month ban on procuring new cars or foreign items by the government. The other austerity measures include no official or private foreign trips by ministers and officials except in the case of medical emergencies, no physical meetings or seminars for six months. The government will rent only electric vehicles, if required, and efforts to scrap 15-20-year-old vehicles will be expedited. The Cabinet also adopted the BJP’s election manifesto as the guiding principle of governance for the next five years and will form the base of policy formulation in the state, Sarma said. ”The decisive mandate received by the BJP-led NDA in the 2026 assembly elections is a public endorsement of the BJP’s ‘Sankalpa Patra’ which is a formal governance agenda committing the government to deliver 31 specific promises over the five-year term”, he said. A Manifesto Implementation Cell (MIC) will be established in the Chief Minister’s Office to coordinate, monitor and report on the implementation of the promises made during the election and to address interdepartmental issues as they arise. The cabinet also approved the constitution of a task force under the chief secretary to decide on how to provide government jobs to two lakh youth in the next five years, and he will submit the report within three months, the CM said. The chief secretary will discuss the matter with all government departments, corporations, universities, Sixth Schedule Councils so that youth can get jobs, he added. The cabinet also approved that the closing ceremony of Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s year-long centenary celebrations will be held on September 8 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The Cabinet also gave its nod that a Rs 32 crore museum will be set up with memorabilia of the singing maestro at the Srimanta Sankardeva Kalakshetra here. Of the toal amount, Rs 13 crore will be provided by the North East Council and the remaining by the state government. The cabinet also approved the appointment of Devajit Saikia as the Advocate General for a second term of five years. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI : The Assam cabinet on Wednesday adopted several austerity measures following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for fuel conservation amid the prevailing West Asia crisis, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. The decisions were taken at the first cabinet meeting chaired by Sarma in his second term. ”The Assam cabinet went through the appeal made by the PM to save foreign exchange and came out with certain recommendations”, the CM told a press conference. As part of the austerity measures, the state government decided to downsize the convoy of the governor, CM, ministers and other officials. It has also been decided that no government official will go abroad for official or private trips for the next six months, except in the case of a medical emergency, he said. ”We have decided not to purchase any new vehicles for the next six months and will encourage scrapping of vehicles in a big way,” Sarma added. The state government will also reduce fuel expenditure by 20 per cent as compared to the last financial year, he said. Sarma added that seminars and other physical meetings will be discouraged, with greater emphasis on online conferences and virtual meetings. Modi had recently urged austerity and fuel-saving measures, warning that the ongoing military conflict in West Asia could trigger a crisis “bigger than the global COVID pandemic.” (Source: PTI)        

IMPHAL : Three persons were allegedly killed and several others injured in an ambush by suspected militants in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district on Wednesday, police said. The incident happened between Kotzim and Kotlen villages when members of the Thadou Baptist Association (TBA) were returning from Churachandpur, they said. Among those killed was Reverend V Sitlhour, a former general secretary of the Manipur Baptist Convention, they said. The victims were travelling in two vehicles, police said, adding that they were gathering more details about the attack. (Source: PTI)

GUWAHATI : Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday said that the law will take its own course in the case filed by his wife against Congress leader Pawan Khera for alleging that she possessed multiple passports and undisclosed properties abroad. As per the Supreme Court order, he (Khera) appeared before the Crime Branch on Wednesday, and the police will definitely ask him questions, the chief minister said at a press conference here after chairing the first cabinet meeting of his second term in office. “The law will take its own course, but we have already received in writing from the Union government that the documents Khera displayed were fake,” he said. Police investigations, therefore, will not take long, and they will be able to submit the chargesheet within the stipulated time, the CM said. ”If he continues to cooperate, the submission of the chargesheet or final report will be faster, but if he does not, it may take time. We want to conclude the case as soon as possible,” Sarma added. Khera came to the Crime Branch office here earlier in the day and said he was cooperating with the investigation. “I have been summoned by the police and have come accordingly. We respect the law and the judiciary, so I am here as per legal procedure,” he said. Khera said he would speak to the press in detail after the questioning was completed. The chief minister’s wife had filed criminal complaints against Khera and others at the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges against the Congress leader include making false statements in connection with an election, cheating, forgery, use of forged documents as genuine, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, and defamation. (Source: PTI)