Railways Must Look East

By SN MathurIn the highly competitive world economy of today, transport cost is a significant determinant of competitiveness, which makes an efficient surface transport network a concomitant for better economic integration. Somehow, the surface transport networks in several parts of Asia continue to be fragmented, and consequently their potential as instruments of economic growth at the regional...

Fake PhD Degree Scam: Meghalaya HC Grants Bail To 'Accused'

Shillong, Jun 5 : The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Chandra Mohan Jha who was arrested after his CMJ University was found selling fake PhD degrees to thousands of students all over the country."The court has granted bail to CM Jha today," DGP PJP Hanaman told a news agency.While the hearing was going on in the court, the CID officials were busy raiding Jha's residence in the...

Chakmas Threaten To Boycott MDC Bypoll in Mizoram

Aizawl, Jun 4 : Mizoram government has sent armed police troops to thwart possible communal violence in the poll-bound Borapansury-II town under Chakma autonomous district council (CADC) in southern Mizoram. Chakma organisations have threatened to boycott by-election to the Borapansury-II MDC (member of district council) seat slated for tomorrow, in protest against allocation of land to the Mizo...

PRISM Slams Govt For Spending Rs 288 Lakh For Purchasing Cars

Aizawl, Jun 4 : Aizawl-based corruption watchdog People's Rights to Information and Development Society of Mizoram (PRISM) slammed the Mizoram government for spending Rs 288 lakh on purchase of cars for legislators.PRISM, in a press statement said that 36 out of 40 legislators were already given Rs eight lakh each for purchase of private cars since the new assembly was constituted in December last...

Education For Poor Students From Northeast India

Imphal, Jun 4 : The North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) in collaboration with a Hyderabad-based educational foundation will facilitate free higher education to poor students of the region.Announcing this here today, Neso secretary-general Sinam Prakash said he would leave for Hyderabad on Thursday to meet officials of Dr YSR Educational and Welfare Foundation to finalise the matter.The foundation...

Bangladesh Seizes 100 Rocket Launchers Near India border

Dhaka, Jun 4 : Police in northeastern Bangladesh recovered a huge cache of illegal arms on Tuesday, including more than 100 rocket launchers, in a forest near the border with an insurgency-hit part of India. A Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) commander in Habiganj district said they found the arms and ammunition at Satchhari forest range two days after launching a search following a tip-off. "So...

Northeast India AIDS Cases Show Alarming Trend

Imphal, Jun 4 : There has been an alarming annual rise of new HIV cases in the North Eastern states from 5549 (new cases) in 2001 to 6460 (new cases) in 2011. The total number of HIV infected persons in the whole North East region is 63,049 cases with Manipur leading the list with 25369 cases and Sikkim recording the lowest with just 593 cases. This is just a contrast to the national trend where...

Green Light To Mizoram Rail Project

Aizawl, Jun 3 : A major project envisaging extension of the railway network in Mizoram is all set to begin in right earnest.The extension will be made from the state’s only railhead at Bairabi to Sairang, 51km and 20km from Aizawl respectively, by a 51.3km broad gauge line.The project found itself in murky waters as the issue of payment of compensation to landowners and the forest department proved...