NORTHEAST NEWS DATED: 27.01.2014

HEADLINES

• Assam Janaki Ballav Patnaik appeals underground militant groups to abjure violence.

• Defying bandh call given by militant outfits, thousands of people joined together to celebrate Republic Day in Meghalaya.

• Government's flagship 'New Land Use Policy' helps in strengthening the state economy says Governor Purushothaman

• Governor exhorts people to root out corruption and criminal activities from the state.

• Security forces arrested three cadres of two militant groups in Karbi Anglong district of Assam.

NEWS IN ORDER REPUBLIC DAY

Along with the rest of country the North Eastern States yesterday celebrated 65 th Republic Day with pomp and gaiety under tight security. In Assam, the state Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik appealed the underground militant groups to abjure violence and come to the discussion table to solve the issues for an overall development of the state. Hoisting the tricolour in Guwahati, Mr. Patnaik condemned the recent incidents of violence in many districts across the state and said the culprits will be punished. He appealed to all militants organisation to shun violence and join the mainstreams for the development of the state. The government was committed to provide equal opportunities to all ethnic groups and was pursuing the matter of according Scheduled Tribes status to six major communities, he said.

DAY-MEGHALAYA

In Meghalaya, despite of call bandh given by militant outfit thousands of people joined together to celebrate the Republic Day yesterday. Unfurling the tri-colour in Shillong, Governor K K Paul expressed "anxiety" over the four month-long agitation by pressure groups to demand implementation of Inner Line Permit and the spurt of militant activities in Garo Hills region of the state. He also informed that the GDP Growth of the state in the past few years has been extremely encouraging. This growth needs to be inclusive to cover even the most marginalized government has allocated funds to supplement the resources available under the Indira Awas Yojana for construction of individual houses for Blow Poverty Line Families.

DAY-MIZORAM

The government's flagship 'New LandUse Policy' helped in strengthening the state economy, resulting in GSDP growth rate at 11 per cent during the 11th Plan period, Mizoram Governor said yesterday. Delivering his customary address after unfurling the tricolour at the Assam Rifles ground in Aizawl, Mr. Purushothaman said the economic growth rate was higher than that of the national growth recorded at 7.8 per cent. The Governor emphasised on the need to make the state self-sufficient in energy and made a special mention of the proposed construction of 210-MW Tuivai Hydro Electric Project, to be executed on Public Private Partnership mode, for which Viability Gap Funding to the tune of 340 crore rupees has been approved by the Union Finance Minister.

DAY-ARUNACHAL

In Arunachal Pradesh celebrating the Republic Day state Governor Nirbhay Sharma exhorted the people to root out corruption and criminal activities from the state. The Governor urged the youths and their mentors to ensure that the energy of the youth was not diverted towards disruption. He informed that special emphasis has been laid on women's safety and investigation of offences against women. A women police station has been started at Itanagar and for the first time where 20 women sub-inspectors and 180 women constables were recruited, he said.

DAY-TRIPURA

Hoisting the tri-colour at the Assam Rifles ground in Agartala on the 65th Republic day, Tripura Governor yesterday said the state has set an example of good governance and raised a high moral of democracy. The state has earned an award for best governance in the country this year from a publication house which is independent and has no political interest, the Governor said, adding that the people in this state had cast 93.5 per cent votes in the last assembly election, which showed the strength of democracy in the state.

BLAST

In Manipur, four powerful bomb blasts rocked state capital Imphal yesterday morning. The blasts took place at different places of Imphal in spite of elaborate security arrangements to contain untoward incidents in view of the boycott called by militant outfits against the Republic Day Celebration. Police sources said, the first explosion took place at the Imphal River bank just nearby the office complex of Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West at Babupara under Imphal Police Station at around eight in the morning. The second blast took place at the high security zone of the Manipur Police Firing Range near Kalimai temple under the same police station around 9.00 am. The third blast took place at Chingmeirong near Cheiraoching turning point under Lamphal Police Station at around 10 and the fourth blast, at Singjamei Chinga near the Assam Rifles post at around 11.00 am. No one was injured in the incidents, police sources said.

ARREST

In Assam, security forces have arrested three cadres of two militant groups in Karbi Anglong district yesterday. Karbi Anglong Superintendent of Police said that, security forces arrested one cadre of Karbi National Liberation Army under Dokmoka police station. In another incident, police apprehended two cadres of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit group) at Hamren . Arms and ammunitions have been seized from them.

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