Students from Assam, Tripura and Mizoram call on Goswami
New Delhi: A group of 20 students accompanied by three teachers from the remote part of Assam, Tripura and Mizoram called on Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami here on Thursday. Welcoming the students, Mr Goswami expressed the hope that this visit will go a long way in helping them understand this vast country. The students are on a National Integration tour being conducted by Assam Rifles to promote harmony and awareness. The tour is aimed at integrating the youth with the nation and promoting concept of unity in diversity. Assam Rifles conducts National Integration Tours to showcase the richness and varied culture of India to students hailing from far-flung areas of North East. It gives them a window of opportunity to widen their horizons and give wings to their imagination. Apart from visiting places of historical and educational importance they have time for recreation and enjoyment also. (UNI)
Minimum wages of private security agency employees fixed
Guwahati: Assam government after consultation with the Minimum Wages Advisory board has fixed the minimum rate of wages payable to the employees of ‘Private Security Agency Houses”. In addition to the rate of wages fixed, the employees and security personnel will be entitled to Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) to the extent of 75 per cent of the rise or fall in the Index Point of All India Consumer Price index for Industrial Workers, an official release said today. Rate of VDA will be calculated every six months on the basis of the changes in CPI during the intervening period. Besides these, they will be paid wages as per the rate fixed on the net payment basis and any serving charges etc. will not be deducted from the Minimum Wages. As per this schedule, the employees will be allowed a day of rest every week which will ordinary be Sunday, but the employers may fix any other day of the week as rest day for any employee or class of employees. As per the notification, the minimum daily wages of Assitant Security Officer has been fixed at Rs 300 and monthly Rs 9000; Supervisor’s daily wages at Rs 250 and monthly Rs 7500; Gunman’s (Armed) daily wages Rs 220 and monthly wages Rs 6600; Security Guard’s (Unarmed) daily wages at Rs 180 and monthly wages Rs 5400; and for other Unskilled Employees daily wages at Rs 160 and monthly Rs 4800. (PTI)
‘Button Mushroom has scope in Nagaland’
Kohima: One of the most popular variety of edible mushroom, the Button Mushroom (Agaricus bisporous), has been experimentally grown in Nagaland by the Department of Horticulture at Mushroom Development Centre, 4th Mile, Dimapur, which has shown that it can be grown in a commercial way. In a press release the Horticulture Officer of the Mushroom Development Centre at Meyashi said that the Button Mushroom is being produced for direct consumption, for the canning industry and for the preparation of soups and sauces. He said that the standard production technology for growing the mushroom involves four steps of composting, spawning, casing and cropping. Meyashi also said that its productivity is about 40 per cent of the raw material used, grown on paddy straw based compost, grows in low temperatures below 20 degree Centigrade, which makes it suitable for cultivation in hilly region and that presently, it is the most popular mushroom grown in India for domestic as well as export markets. (UNI)
Two NDF militants nabbed
Haflong (Assam): Two suspected Dimasa National Democratic Front terrorists were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation by the police and the army. According to police officers, the arrested militants were identified as Stamp Dimasa alias Joisholal Hagjer (36) and Probesh Hagjer (24). They were arrested in the wee hour from a locality under Maibong police station in Dima Hasao district. Two more persons, however, managed to flee, the officers said. The security agencies also recovered one AK-56 rifle and its 20 rounds of live ammunition, two mobile handsets with SIM cards, some cash and a car from their procession. (PTI)
Three dead in road accident
Tezpur (Assam): Three persons died and three others were injured in an accident when their vehicle hit a tree on the roadside during wee hours on Thursday on the National Highway 15 here, police said. The speeding multi-purpose vehicle in which they were travelling, hit a tree after skidding off the road on NH-15 near Tezpur Medical College under Bihaguri police outpost in Sonitpur district. The deceased were identified as Milan Nath (55) and Anu Nath (25) of Kawoimari area. One more person, Deva Nath, was referred to the GMC Hospital in Guwahati, but he succumbed to his injuries. The three injured were rushed to the Kanaklata Civil Hospital here, police officers added. (PTI)
Guwahati to host street festival
Guwahati: A four-day street festival showcasing several cultural programmes will be held here this week. The carnival, to be held on December 28-31 at the busy Fancy Bazar locality, is being organised by the NGO ‘Friends of Guwahati’ and is supported by Kamrup (Metro) district administration, GMC, GMDA, Assam Tourism and the city’s traffic police. Kamrup (Metro) DC Ashutosh Agnihotri said “This is a welcome initiative. The administration is supporting anyone and everyone who is trying to create a sense of joy in the city.” Different cultural programmes, including devotional, instrumental music, folk songs and rock show will be organised during the festival. (PTI)
Smugglers from Bihar arrested
Siliguri: Two smugglers from Bihar were arrested while transporting Rs 1.3 crore worth of red sandal woods in an Assam bound track bearing number of Nagaland transport department by the Customs sleuths from the commercial town of West Bengal, police said on Thursday. Neeraj Kumar Pandey and Sreenivash Kumar, the residents of Chapra, were arrested while carrying 248 pieces of aromatic sandal woods weighing some 6400 kilos, proscutor for Customs department Ratan Banik confirmed. (UNI)