No word in Rail Budget on track conversion in Tripura:Minister
Agartala: A Tripura minister on Saturday expressed concern that the Union Railway Budget did not include sanction of funds for conversion of railway tracks from narrow gauge to broad gauge in the state. “We have sought clarification on plans of converting the meter gauge railway lines into broad gauge since there is no mention of the issue in the rail budget. We have asked the railway minister for his intervention,” Transport minister Manik Dey told reporters here. There was mention in the rail budget about broad gauge conversion in the Lumding-Silchar sector in Assam, but it was silent on the Agartala sector, he said. “Earlier, the NF railway and the former rail minister repeatedly assured us of conversion from narrow gauge to broad gauge from Dharmanagar to Agartala along with Lumding-Silchar route,” Dey said. The two MPs from Tripura, Jitendra Chowdhury and Shankar Prasad Datta met Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda on July 10 and took up the matter with him, he said, adding, Gowda assured to look into the matter. There was no word about extension of railway lines from Agartala to Sabroom in south Tripura district and he had written twice to Gowda since the rail budget was placed in Parliament, the minister said. (PTI)
NCW chief says Naga Customary Laws hurdle women rights
Kohima: The Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Mamta Sharma has made clear to the policymakers Nagaland Government that Naga customary laws are ‘good’ in certain areas such as in resolving land disputes, but these laws are hindering and oppressing the socio-political rights Naga women. Official reports said Ms Sharma and other NCW members had a brief meeting with Minister for Social Welfare Kiyanilie Peseyie, Additional Chief Secretary C J Ponraj and other senior officers of Nagaland and Nagaland State Commission for Women members yesterday at Kohimas where Ms Sharma said although the customary structure of the state was ‘good in some ways’ such as dealing with land issues, it had muffled the rights of women including barring 33 per cent reservation for women. The reservation gives women the right to participate in decision-making bodies. The NCW members added that gender inequality should be solved through education. In response Kiyanilie said women played a vital role in all developmental activities of the society. Regarding the issue of women reservation he said ‘let the court give the right verdict’. He expressed happiness over the performance of women organisations which recently joined Social Welfare department. He Added that crime rate against women was comparatively very less in the state. (UNI)
Padi Richo appointed president of Arunachal Congress
Itanagar: Senior Congress leader Padi Richo has been appointed as the president of Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC). Richo replaces Mukut Mithi after the latter was elected to Rajya Sabha for a second consecutive term. According to a party release here on Saturday, Congress President Sonia Gandhi approved Richo’s appointment yesterday in New Delhi. Born on August 22, 1965, at Ziro in Lower Subansiri district, Richo has held many important organisational positions starting from the grassroots level in the party. Apart from being a Cabinet minister and MLA from Ziro Hapoli Assembly constituency, Richo has also been AICC member, general secretary and vice president of Pradesh Congress Committee, national executive member of Indian Youth Congress and convener (North East) of INTUC, among others. He has also been president of the INTUC state unit since 2004. While extending his gratitude to the Congress chief, Richo said that strengthening the party in the state would be his foremost priority. He also called for better co-ordination between the party and the government and said he would work in close co-ordination with Chief Minister Nabam Tuki with a view to fulfilling that objective. “I am sure that the rank and file (of Congress) will work with unity and a common sense of purpose to further the cause of the party in our state,” he said. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader and Chief Minister Nabam Tuki congratulated Richo on his appointment, as did AICC General Secretary in-charge of Arunachal Pradesh, Luizinho Faleiro, the release added. (PTI)
‘Health sector a priority agenda of Arunachal government’
Itanagar: Reiterating that the health sector would always remain priority agenda of his government, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki has directed the department to come up with a vibrant human resource policy for rational deployment and transfer and posting of staff for approval. Chairing the pre-budget discussion-cum-consultation of the department here, Tuki pointed out that posting doctors, nurses and other para medical staff in various hospitals and health centres had been posing a great challenge which should be addressed through an effective policy. Some of the important observations of the CM included supportive supervision and monitoring of health facilities to be strengthened, a press release from the CMO said here today. Stressing on “Health for all” to be the buzz word of the department, the chief minister directed all state health authorities to visit the districts for monitoring. Health Minister Kalikho Pul apprised the CM of major issues of the department like transfer and posting policy and shortfall of critical manpower, the release said. Earlier, Health and Family Welfare Secretary Indra Mallo through a Power Point presentation highlighted the status of major schemes of the department and NRHM. She briefed the achievements and major outcomes of the department, saying that the state had improved in many health indicators and achieved major targets set by the state and the Centre. Chairing another meeting yesterday, Tuki directed the Social Justice & Empowerment and Tribal Affairs Department to obtain need-based approval of schemes from the state government to avoid resource wastage and mis-utilization of funds released by various union ministries. (PTI)
3.8 magnitude quake strikes Assam
New Delhi: A slight intensity earthquake, measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale, struck Nalbari, Assam at 0544 hrs on Saturday. Located 5 km deep, the epicentre was at 26.2 degrees North and 91.4 degrees East, an India Meteorological statement said here. (UNI)