REGIONAL

IMPHAL, AUG 19: The Congress on Wednesday said the Manipur government must prioritise the resettlement of internally displaced people and restoration of normalcy in the strife-torn state before the census exercise. Addressing a press conference here, state Congress president and former chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh questioned how the house listing would be conducted when displaced people are staying at relief camps. In Manipur, more than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic strife between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023. “Not less than 60,000 internally displaced people are staying in different relief camps in both hill and valley areas. The majority of their homes have been demolished. So how will house-listing of such people be conducted? The Centre also needs to know this. The state government must apprise the Centre of such problems,” he said. People belonging to one community cannot enter into localities where citizens of another community have a majority in several districts, he said. “Under such prevailing situations, how will a proper census and house listing be conducted? Let displaced people first return to their native places, and till then, census should be deferred by the Centre,” the three-time CM said. Emphasising that the situation of Manipur is different from other states, the Congress leader said, “The government must prioritise the resettlement of internally displaced people and restoration of normalcy before undertaking the census. Efforts should be made to ensure people belonging to various communities move freely across districts.” On illegal immigrants, he said, “There may be a presence of such people. But their presence is not just in Manipur but in Nagaland and Mizoram as these states share international border.” The self-enumeration phase of Census 2027 was scheduled to begin on August 17. The main house-listing operation will start from September 1 to September 30 this year. Students, demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before the census, staged a demonstration outside the Directorate of Census Operations in Imphal on Sunday, prompting the police to fire tear gas shells to disperse them. Hundreds of protesters in Imphal East and Imphal West districts also held a torch rally on August 16 evening, demanding implementation of the NRC before any census activity in the state to identify illegal immigrants. (Source: PTI)  

SHILLONG, AUG 19: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Wednesday approved amendments to the Acts governing three private universities to align their operations with UGC norms and increase government representation on their management bodies. The Cabinet approved the Maharashtra Institute of Technology of Meghalaya (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and the Mahatma Gandhi University (Amendment) Bill, 2026, under which the governor will be the Visitor of the two institutes, replacing the earlier provision that allowed the sponsoring body to nominate the Visitor. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said the amendments were aimed at ensuring uniformity in the functioning of private universities and compliance with regulatory requirements. “The amendments are intended to bring the provisions relating to the Visitor in line with UGC norms and ensure uniformity with other universities in the state,” Sangma said. The amendments also increase government representation on the Board of Management from one to two members and on the Board of Governors from two to three members of both universities. The Cabinet also approved the Martin Luther Christian University (Amendment) Bill, 2026, aimed at aligning the university’s functioning with UGC regulations. Under the amendment, the university will be restricted to operating within Meghalaya, while provisions relating to distance education and the power to affiliate colleges will be removed. “These changes will ensure that the university’s framework remains compliant with the applicable regulatory norms,” Sangma said. PTI

GUWAHATI, AUG 18: The flood situation in Assam continued to improve on Tuesday even as nearly 24,000 people are still reeling under the deluge across five districts, said an official bulletin. According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), more than 23,800 people have been affected in Golaghat, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Nagaon and Sivasagar districts. Nagaon is the worst-hit district with nearly 15,000 people affected, followed by Sivasagar with almost 4,500 people and Jorhat with approximately 3,500 people reeling under floodwaters. The flood situation has improved since Monday, when almost 32,000 people were affected across four districts. With no new fatality reported, the total number of deaths in this year’s floods remained unchanged at 105. The ASDMA said that the administration has been operating 10 relief camps and relief distribution centres in four districts, taking care of 806 affected people at present. The authority has distributed 5.74 quintals of rice, 1.53 quintals of dal, 0.46 quintals of salt and 17.37 litres of mustard oil among the flood victims of the state during the last 24 hours. At present, 115 villages are under water and 3,206 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, the ASDMA said. Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by flood waters in different districts of the state. At present, the Dhansiri river at Numaligarh is flowing above the danger level. Due to the widespread flooding, 14,645 domestic animals and poultry are affected across the state.    

IMPHAL, AUG 18: Manipur Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh on Tuesday said 46 militants belonging to the proscribed Kangleipak Communist Party (Taibanganba) surrendered before the police, and assured them of providing assistance so that they can earn a livelihood. The members of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (Taibanganba) laid down their arms at a “Homecoming Ceremony” organised by the state government at the 1st Manipur Rifles parade ground here. Addressing the gathering, Singh said, “I think as a result of a conflict that broke out three years ago, many took up arms. I warmly welcome KCP (Taibanganba) and the group members, who laid down their arms. They understood that arms cannot bring progressive development.” The chief minister was referring to the ethnic violence that erupted in the state between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities on May 3, 2023. The clashes left at least 260 people dead and thousands of others homeless, forcing them to live in relief camps across the region. The CM said the surrender of 46 members of the banned outfit was effected under the revised surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy of 2018. The government will also provide assistance of skill development programmes to help them get a suitable livelihood. “A state can develop only when there is peace and security and with strengthening of police administration. A peaceful land can come when sections of people drop the desire to take up arms,” Singh said. Forty-six militants of the banned Kangleipak Communist Party (People’s War Group) surrendered before security forces in Manipur last month. In his address, Director General of Police Mukesh Singh said that by giving up armed activities, the cadres have chosen to return to their families, communities and duties as citizens. He said that Manipur Police will continue to perform its constitutional duties with firmness. At the same time, for those who truly give up violence and want to rejoin society, the police will support the legal process of surrender, verification and rehabilitation, the police officer said. The DGP also asked the surrendered cadres to remain fully committed to their decision, as the “success of this homecoming will not be judged by today’s event, but by how they behave in future”. (Source: PTI)  

IMPHAL, AUG 18: The Manipur government on Tuesday reiterated its stand that the National Register of Citizens (NRC) updation should be taken up in the state and that a delegation of MLAs will be visiting New Delhi to apprise the central leaders of the issue. Manipur government spokesperson and MLA Dr Sapam Ranjan Singh told reporters that “The government has been very, very serious on the issues pertaining to NRC and the census and concerns related to demographic imbalances and changes. The concerns of the people are also ours.” Singh said, “Manipur Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution on August 5, 2022, urging that the NRC be taken up in the state. The resolution was subsequently reaffirmed by the Assembly on March 1, 2024. This has been a long-standing issue of utmost concern for our government. The government has been corresponding with the Union Home Ministry.” He also said that a team of MLAs would visit New Delhi to seek guidance and urge the Central government to take up the NRC updation. Singh said, “We have been pushing for NRC right from before and have been continuing the request to central leadership. We had already planned that a team of MLAs will be going to Delhi to seek guidance and also to request them to make sure that NRC is taken up before the census. It’s the responsibility of all of us. I am sure positive directions will come up.” He also stressed that the issue should be addressed collectively, irrespective of political party, community or other differences, as it concerns the future of the state and its people. Singh also reiterated that the state government acknowledges the demand of civil society organisations and the people of Manipur that NRC should be conducted before the Census. On the ongoing bandh and protests, Singh said that peaceful protest is a democratic right and appealed to the protesters to express their grievances peacefully and democratically without resorting to violence or causing inconvenience to the general public, students and people whose livelihoods may be affected by the disruptions. Regarding the NRC process, he stated that the matter requires discussion and consideration at various levels and that several aspects may need to be addressed before the NRC can be taken up. (Source: PTI)    

GUWAHATI, AUG 18: Aiming to woo the younger generation, the Assam government on Tuesday decided to set up a new department dedicated to the youth of the state, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said. Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting here, he said that a new hydrocarbon policy was also approved in order to give incentives to exploration of minerals and crude even if there are no findings. “The cabinet approved setting up of the Youth Empowerment and Welfare Department. With this, Assam will probably become the first state to have a dedicated youth department,” Sarma said. The proposed department, which will start functioning from September 17, will look after all issues related to the youth, including the Employment Exchange, he added. “Most of our government’s programmes revolve around the youth. Out of 10 programmes by us, nine are dedicated to the youth. That is why the youth supported us every time. This is nothing new, but a continuous process for the youths,” he said. The CM also said that the cabinet has approved a new hydrocarbon policy to give incentives for exploration of oil reserves. “The crude happening in Assam is all from old discoveries. In the last 20 years, we have not found any new minerals because we have not done any exploration. There is a risk in exploration as they may not result in findings and all investment will be useless then,” he added. In order to create a positive environment, the state government will give incentives like GST rebate or subsidised land lease agreements, Sarma said. “We have been producing around 4 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) of crude annually. If we don’t have new reserves, this will start declining after 10 years,” he added. (Source: PTI)                

GUWAHATI, AUG 17: Assam MLA Akhil Gogoi has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the recent severe floods in the three districts of Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat as a ‘national disaster’ and provide Rs 10 lakh to each affected family and business enterprise. The Raijor Dal MLA from Sivasagar assembly constituency, in a letter to the Prime Minister, submitted a 22-point charter of demands to facilitate urgent recovery, resettlement and long-term rebuilding caused by the devastating floods. The legislator also called for a CBI investigation into the causes of the July 19 floods, specifically focusing on illegal coal mining in the Assam-Nagaland border areas and illegal sand/stone mining along the bed of the River Dikhow with the help of alleged political patrons. Gogoi said that the disaster threatens not only human lives and agricultural land but also the civilisational heritage of Assam, and as such, the floods in the three districts should be declared a national disaster. He also urged for a special ‘Reconstruction package’ of Rs 1,000 crore to rebuild infrastructure in the two worst-affected Assembly constituencies of Sivasagar and Nazira. He urged Modi to ensure that the one-time financial assistance of Rs 15,000 declared by the Assam government is given to every flood-affected family previously excluded due to error or omission. The MLA also called for initiating measures through the agriculture department to irrigate affected fields and supply high-quality seeds to every farmer in the three districts. The PM should ensure that alternative settlement of land and a pucca house be given to every family who lost their homes in Nepalikhuti village of Nazira district along with allocation of houses under central and state schemes in the three affected districts. Gogoi further urged that river embankments in the three districts should be raised and strengthened, damaged embankments are reconstructed, and modern sluice gates be constructed at strategic locations to drain discharge from rivers. He also called for sanction and approval of comprehensive desiltation projects for the Dikhow, Darika, Janji, Mitong and Namdang rivers along with construction of drainage bridges on national highways to drain out water from towns and adjacent areas. Gogoi appealed to the Prime Minister to allocate sufficient funds for the repair, renovation and reconstruction of damaged educational institutions, religious places and public infrastructure. The Raijor Dal MLA’s demands also include comprehensive financial compensation for damaged fisheries, small tea growers, agarwood cultivators, youth-managed cooperatives of piggery, poultry, duck, goat farms, plant nurseries, agricultural farms and the local handloom and handicraft sectors for equipment and inventory losses. Gogoi, in his letter released to the media on Monday, further urged for providing free books and uniforms to all affected students in government, private and semi-private schools and waive admission fees from primary to degree level. The government should also organise mobile medical units in all flood-hit villages every third day to prevent water-borne diseases. Gogoi said the catastrophic floods have inflicted extensive damage on individuals and torn apart the socio-economic fabric of the affected districts, for which the immediate attention and financial support of the central government is required. The recent devastating floods in the state have so far claimed 104 lives. (Source: PTI)    

IMPHAL, AUG 17: Hundreds of students on Monday took out a rally demanding implementation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Manipur before any census activity is conducted in the state. The students took out the rally from Tiddim Road in Imphal West district for nearly 2 km to press for their demands. They held posters and raised slogans that said “No NRC, No Census.” They also demanded that internally displaced people (IDPs) must return to their original homes before any census activity is taken up. The protests were held under the aegis of the ‘Campaign for Just and Fair Delimitation (JFD) Student Wing’. The students also called for the government to defer the census exercise until the NRC is conducted, citing concerns over citizenship identification and demographic changes in the state. At DM College of Teacher Education in the state capital, a separate group of student protesters, mostly girls, attempted to disrupt a census training programme. They were, however, stopped by security forces. School students of CC Higher Secondary School in Imphal East also came out on the streets to raise slogans demanding NRC. The house-listing phase of Census 2027 is scheduled to begin with self-enumeration from August 17. The main house-listing operations is scheduled from September 1 to September 30 this year. (Source: PTI)        

GUWAHATI, AUG 17: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said floods last month caused damage worth Rs 480 crore and affected 26,681 houses. He said 96,842 families affected by the latest wave of floods in the state have received Rs 15,000 each, and the government will expedite PMAY house construction in hit districts. Addressing a press conference here, Sarma said rapid damage assessment work is underway in Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. “The second phase of the assessment survey will be finished on September 10 or 11. If there are any complaints, then our people will be ready to conduct the third phase of damage assessment. If there are any complaints, then our people will be ready to conduct the third phase of damage assessment. Our target is to release the flood damage amount to the flood-affected families before Durga Puja,” he said. The CM said after consultation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state will try to expedite construction of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) houses for eligible beneficiaries in Charaideo and Sivasagar. On financial assistance, CM Sarma stated, “Till now, 96,842 flood-affected families have received financial assistance of Rs 15,000 each. The state government has spent Rs 146.26 crore on this. Maybe we will have to provide this financial assistance to 3,000-4,000 more flood-affected families.” On Sunday, CM Sarma reviewed the ongoing relief, rehabilitation and restoration efforts in flood-affected Sivasagar, Charaideo, Jorhat and Golaghat districts. During the review meeting, the CM directed officials to expedite restoration and ensure every affected family receives timely assistance and support. The review covered damage assessments, interim relief, restoration of schools and Anganwadi Centres, bank moratoriums, insurance claims and medical and veterinary camps. Assam Chief Minister wrote on X, “Nearly Rs 150 crore disbursed as interim relief. Remaining claims will be cleared by tomorrow.” He further stated that, 75 percent of flood damage assessment has already completed and over 1,000 surveyors on ground to finish the rest, immediately. “793 schools under repair, to be ready for classes to resume. Roads and public infrastructure being rebuilt on priority. High capacity pumps running round the clock to dewater low-lying areas of Sivasagar. Health camps being scaled up, with close monitoring for any disease outbreak. Loan relief and insurance claims reviewed – all eligible people urged to file by August 30,” the Chief Minister said. “We are mapping compensation and benefits to reach every household. My instructions to officials are clear: no one gets left behind, speed is non-negotiable, and there is zero tolerance for a lackadaisical approach,” the Assam Chief Minister said. On August 12, the Assam Government will spend approximately Rs 1,000 crore for the relief, assistance and rehabilitation of people affected by the unexpected and abnormal floods that have affected Sivasagar, Charaideo and Jorhat districts of Upper Assam since July 19. (Source: ANI)