Tag: Assam

Assam Ratan Tata

Semiconductor Manufacturing In Assam Will Put State On Global Map: Tata

By LokMarg

Manufacturing of semiconductors in Assam will put the state on the global map, said industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata, whose conglomerate has put in Rs 27,000 crore in investments for a semiconductor plant in Jagiroad.

“The investments being made in Assam transform the state in complex treatment for cancer care. Today, the state government of Assam in partnership with the Tata group will make Assam a major player in sophisticated semiconductors,” Ratan Tata posted on his X timeline, attaching pictures of him, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran.

Tatas, in collaboration with the Assam government, has already set up several cancer care hospitals across the state.

“This new development will put Assam on the global map. We wish to thank the Chief Minister of Assam Mr. Himanta Biswa Sarma for his support and vision that has made all this possible,” Ratan Tata’s X post added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw assured that the first semi-conductor chip would be rolled out

“We will have the first made in India chip by December 2024. We the first attempt at this was made as far back as 1962 but unless you have the correct policy and right conviction it can’t happen. PM Modi has the conviction that for Viksit Bharat we need electronics manufacturing. From TVs to power electronics, in everything we need semiconductors” the Minister had said.

On March 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stones for the three semiconductor facilities with financial implications of about Rs 1.25 lakh crore – 2 in Gujarat and 1 in Assam. Tata Group is setting up two of these three plants – one in each of the states.

The semiconductor industry in India is still in a nascent stage, with various local and multinational companies intending to tap its vast potential.

Tata Semiconductor Assembly and Test Pvt Ltd (“TSAT”) will set up a semiconductor unit in Morigaon, Assam. With a capacity of producing 48 million chips per day, this facility is being built for Rs 27,000 crore. Segments that will be covered are automotive, electric vehicles, consumer electronics, telecom, and mobile phones.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who was present during the foundation stone ceremony, said that industries in India had never considered the northeast region for businesses during previous industrial revolutions.

The region which was neglected in the past was included in the technological revolution by Prime Minister Modi, Sarma had asserted.

Tata Group hopes that the commercial production of semiconductors chips at the two plants – in Gujarat and Assam – whose foundation stones were laid on Wednesday, would start in 2026. Chip shortages during Covid realised the importance of indigenous manufacturing to fill deficiency, for national security and galvanise indigenous innovation.

Meanwhile, American chip maker Micron’s high-end semiconductor fabrication plant at Gujarat’s Sanand, which is India’s first, is coming into reality at a rapid pace. It is expected to be operational in late 2024. (ANI)

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Assam Modi Tea

Modi Spends Time At Tea Garden In Assam

By LokMarg

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a two-day visit to Assam, took some time out from his tour to spend some time at a tea estate.

Taking to his X handle, he urged tourists to visit Assam’s tea gardens during their visits to the state.

“Assam is known for its splendid tea gardens, and Assam Tea has made its way all over the world. I would like to laud the remarkable tea garden community, which is working hard and enhancing Assam’s prestige all over the world,” the X post read.

The tea community in Assam, which comprises a sizeable portion of the state’s population, plays a critical role in dozens of Assembly constituencies.

Assam’s lush tea gardens have more to offer to the world than just the beverage itself.

Assam produces nearly 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India’s overall tea production.

Tea plantation in Assam has come a full circle as thousands of small farmers have taken to growing the crop, primarily shifting from paddy. The tea plantation business has seen unemployed youths taking up tea cultivation as a business venture. Some even cultivate it in their backyards , while many have started their tea stories through startups.

A stay in the tea garden, playing golf and driving through tea estates could be some unforgettable experiences. This beautiful state has sprawling lush green tea estates with old-world bungalows, most of which have golf courses attached to them. Besides classical clubhouses for post-golf sessions, some of these estates have even airstrips for tourists to arrive and take off in chartered aircrafts.

Tea growers in Assam are celebrating the plantation industry reaching a crucial milestone of 200 years. Tea estates around plantations, hitherto unexplored and unpicked, in the state’s upper reaches first came to be established way back in 1823.

Renowned globally for its richly coloured and aromatic tea, Assam’s tea industry, which is the country’s largest, provides livelihoods to millions with many others directly or indirectly dependent on the plantations. The state is famed for both Orthodox as well as the CTC (Crush, Tear, Curl) varieties of tea.

In 1823, Robert Bruce discovered wild tea plants growing wild in the upper Brahmaputra Valley. Subsequently, a tea garden was started by the government in 1833 in the erstwhile Lakhimpur district.

Today, Assam now produces nearly 700 million kg of tea annually and accounts for around half of India’s overall tea production. The state also generates annual foreign exchange earnings estimated at an equivalent to Rs 3,000 crore. (ANI)

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Parliament Budget Session 2024

Assam Legislative Assembly’s Budget Session To Start On Feb 5

By LokMarg

The Budget Session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin on February 5 and the session is scheduled to go on until February 28.

Tight security arrangements have been made in the state assembly premises ahead of the budget session which will be continued till February 28.

Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog will table the state budget 2024-25 on the floor on February 12.

Dr Numal Momin, Deputy Speaker of the Assam Legislative Assembly told ANI that, the budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will be started from tomorrow and will be continued till February 28.

“The state budget will be tabled on February 12. Many important issues will also be discussed during this session. Many bills will be tabled. All arrangements have been made for this session,” Dr Numal Momin said.

Earlier Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the Assam Polygamy Ban Bill will be introduced in this assembly session.

Apart from it, the new Assam Tourism (Development and Registration) Bill, 2024, several other new bills, and amendment bills will be introduced in the budget session. (ANI)

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Assam Rifles Soldier In Manipur Opens Fire On Colleagues Before Shooting Self

Assam Rifles Soldier In Manipur Opens Fire On Colleagues Before Shooting Self

By LokMarg

An Assam Rifles jawan opened fire on his colleagues, injuring six of them in south Manipur before shooting himself on Wednesday, officials said.

The firing incident took place at an Assam Rifles Battalion, deployed close to the India-Myanmar border, according to a statement released by Inspectorate General Assam Rifles (IGAR) today.

As per the information from the IGAR, all the injured soldiers were non-Manipuris and they were rushed to the military hospital in Churachandpur for further treatment.

The jawans have now been reported to be stable.

“In light of the ongoing ethnic strife in Manipur, it is important to share the details of the incident transparently to dispel any potential rumours and avoid any speculation,” said the IGAR official statement.

“This unfortunate incident should not be correlated with ongoing conflict, given the fact that none of the injured are from Manipur,” the statement read.

The central paramilitary force said that an investigation into the incident has been ordered to ascertain the facts.

“All Assam Rifles battalions have mixed class composition including those belonging to various communities from Manipur. All personnel have been staying and operating together despite polarization of society to maintain peace and stability in Manipur,” it added.

Manipur has been witnessing ethnic strife between the Meitei and the Kuki-Zo tribal communities since May 2023. (ANI)

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Assam

Assam Now Just One Step Away From Becoming Insurgency Free

By LokMarg

A peace dialogue between the central government and a faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) which has been on for over a decade now, is set to be signed this evening here in the national capital in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

A 30-member delegation arrived in Delhi earlier this week, which includes 16 ULFA members and 14 from the civil society. The Memorandum of Settlement will be signed between the government of India, the government of Assam and representatives of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) at 5 pm today.

The insurgent group ULFA came into being in April 1979 in the aftermath of an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan). The illegal influx in Assam has been on, though with varying degrees, ever since India’s independence.

Locals in Assam feared a massive change in demography, which may pose a threat to their culture, land, and other political rights.

ULFA was split into two factions in 2011 when the pro-talk faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa decided to return to Assam from “abroad” and participate in peace talks while the other group ULFA (Independent), led by its commander Paresh Barua, was opposed to negotiations unless the ‘sovereignty’ clause was discussed upon.

Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction gave up violence and agreed to unconditional talks with the government. Anup Chetia, another top ULFA functionary, later joined the pro-talks group a couple of years after.

Anup Chetia, who is currently in Delhi told ANI over the phone earlier this week, that the talks between ULFA and the government were in the final stage.

In 2011, ULFA submitted a 12-point charter of demands to the government which includes constitutional and political arrangements and reforms, protection of the identity and material resources of the local indigenous population of Assam, which has since been under discussion at various levels.

The Union government in April sent it a draft agreement. A series of talks with officials concerned in the Central government has taken place since the delegation arrived in Delhi before the signing of the peace pact.

The Union government has signed peace deals with rebel Bodo, Dimasa, Karbi, and Adivasi outfits in Assam over the last three years. The banned ULFA-Independent led by Paresh Baruah would be the only major insurgent outfit in the state once the deal with the ULFA pro-talks faction is inked.

Since Himanta Biswa Sarma became chief minister in May 2021, over 7,000 insurgents from various rebel groups have shelved their guns to join the mainstream. The state government has been running various rehabilitation programs to accommodate these former insurgents to live a respectable life.

HImanta Biswa Sarma has on various occasions since becoming the chief minister appealed to ULFA(I) leader Paresh Baruah to return to the mainstream and join the massive development process that has taken place in the state. CM Sarma also emphasised the need to resolve all the outstanding issues through dialogue.

Assam has witnessed decades-long insurgency, necessitating operations from the central paramilitary and Armed forces. The most prominent operations against ULFA were Operation Bajrang and Operation Rhino. The insurgency in Assam led to the loss of lives of civilians, personnel of armed forces, state police personnel, and of course the members of insurgents.

Due to the insurgency activities, the Disturbed Areas Act and Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) had to be brought in in Assam in 1980. However, now it is just limited to a few districts in Upper Assam. (ANI)

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LS Speaker about Opposition parties

LS Speaker Accepts No-Confidence Motion Against Govt Moved By Oppo

By LokMarg

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday accepted the no-confidence motion against the government moved by Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on behalf of  opposition parties of I.N.D.I.A alliance.

After Gogoi moved the motion, the Speaker asked about the number of members supporting the motion. He admitted the motion and said the time of the debate will be decided later.
The House resumed its normal functioning after the Speaker accepted the demand for no-confidence motion. Opposition members expressed their opinion on the bills being introduced by the government.

The two Houses have seen repeated adjournments since the commencement of monsoon session of Parliament on July 20.

Gogoi represents Kaliabor constituency in Assam and is an MP from the northeast region.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi, which has nine members in Lok Sabha, also gave no-confidence motion notice against the government.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said the government is “ready” for every situation.

“Let the No Confidence Motion come, Government is ready for every situation. We do want a discussion on Manipur…Before the commencement of the session, they wanted a discussion. When we agreed, they brought up the issue of Rules. When we reached an agreement on Rules, they brought in the new issue that the PM come and initiate discussion. I think these are all excuses…” Meghwal told ANI.

Gaurav Gogoi had earlier in the day submitted a notice for no-confidence motion against the government in the Lok Sabha.

The decision to bring a no-confidence motion was taken at a meeting of opposition I.N.D.I.A alliance parties held on Tuesday. As many as 26 Opposition had earlier come together naming their alliance as I.N.D.I.A.

Opposition MPs said that they know the numbers are in favour of the government in Lok Sabha but no-confidence motion is a way to seek reply from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues including the violence in Manipur.

“This No Confidence Motion is a political move with a political purpose – a political move which will bring results…The No Confidence Motion will compel him (Prime Minister) to come to the Parliament. We need a discussion on the issues of the country, especially on Manipur, inside the Parliament. Forget the numbers, they know the numbers and we know the numbers..,” CPI MP Binoy Viswam said.

Manickam Tagore, Congress Whip in Lok Sabha said INDIA alliance is together and it had proposed the idea of no-confidence motion. “Yesterday it was decided. Today, Congress party’s leader is moving it. We wanted to break the arrogance of Mr Modi. He is behaving as an arrogant person – not to come to the Parliament and make a statement on Manipur…We feel that it is our duty to use this last weapon,” he said.

AAP MP Raghav Chadha said that some parliamentary procedures are used to have a long-duration discussion and to compel the government to give a reply.

“Many a time in India’s Parliamentary history, critical instruments of debate, dialogue and discussion within Parliament are exercised. Regardless of the outcome of those instruments and motions, they are exercised with the sole objective of a long-duration discussion on an important issue subsequent to which the PM of India is compelled to come to Parliament and respond to the issues raised by the people and the Members of the Lok Sabha,” he said.

“I think these parliamentary instruments actually strengthen India’s democracy and must be exercised time again and again to pressurise the government to come before the Lok Sabha and answer the questions,” he added. (ANI)

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Manipur DGP

SC Refuses To Stay delimitation Exercise Underway In Assam

By LokMarg

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the ongoing delimitation exercise underway in Assam but agreed to hear a challenge made to it by opposition leaders of the state.

A bench of Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra issued notice to the Centre on the plea and asked Centre to file affidavit within three weeks.
Refusing to stay the delimitation process of Election Commission initiated in Assam, the bench said it wouldn’t issue any order restraining poll panel to take any further steps regarding delimitation exercise in the state.

“At this stage when delimitation has commended having due regard to issuance of the draft proposal on June 20, 2023, it would not be proper to interdict the process at this stage. Hence, while reserving the constitutional challenge, we are not issuing any orders restraining the Election Commission to take any further steps”, the apex court stated in its order.

The apex court was hearing a plea filed by ten opposition leaders from Assam challenging the recent draft proposal of the Election Commission of India (ECI) for the delimitation of Assam’s 126 Assembly constituencies and 14 Lok Sabha constituencies.

The petition also challenged Section 8A of the Representation of People Act, 1950 as per which the Election Commission is exercising its power in conducting the delimitation process.

The petitioners filing the petition through advocate advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi challenged the provision on the grounds of the same being arbitrary and opaque apart from also being discriminatory to the State of Assam.

The petitioners who have filed the petition are Lurinjyoti Gogoi (Assam Jatiya Parishad), Debabrata Saikia (INC), Rokibul Hussain (INC), Akhil Gogoi (Raijor Dal), Manoranjan Talukdar (CPI(M)), Ghanakanta Chutia (Trinamool Congress), Munin Mahanta (CPI), Diganta Konwar (Anchalik Gana Morcha), Mahendra Bhuyan (Nationalist Congress Party), and Swarna Hazarika (Rashtriya Janata Dal).

The petitioners have challenged recent proposals of the ECI readjusting the extent of 126 Assembly and 14 Lok Sabha Constituencies in Assam by a draft order issued on June 20.

The petition challenged the methodology adopted by the ECI by taking different Average Assembly Size for different districts and argues that population density or populous-ness has no role to play in the process of delimitation.

“While the Constitution of India envisages an exercise whereby Constituencies are to be readjusted so as to ensure that all constituencies are comprised of an almost equal population, by relying on 2001 census figures, the Election Commission has created three categories of districts and has taken different yardstick for the three categories resulting in possible deviation of up to 33 per cent between the population of largest and smallest constituency,” the petition stated.

Petition contended that delimitation for the rest of the country has been conducted by a high powered body headed by a retired Supreme Court Judge and the same Commission was formed for Jammu and Kashmir as well.

“However, the provision of Section 8A discriminates against Assam and three North-Eastern States, for which the Election Commission has been prescribed as the authority to conduct delimitation,” it further stated.

The petition has also highlighted certain statements of the Chief Minister of Assam who has publicly stated that the present exercise will be beneficial to one party i.e., BJP while being damaging to other opposition parties.

Such statements, the petition submitted, while do not inspire any confidence in the exercise, also give rise to apprehensions that the ECI exercise has not been independent and has been heavily dictated by the State government, it added.

The apex court is also seized of two PILs regarding the delimitation of four North-Eastern States including Assam.

In December of last year, the Election Commission began the delimitation of Assembly and Parliamentary Constituencies in Assam by using 2001 Census as per Section 8A of the Representation of the People Act, 1950. (ANI)

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Badruddin on vegetable prices

Sarma Creating Divide Between Muslims And Asamese: Badruddin Ajmal

By LokMarg

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal on Saturday accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of trying to separate Asamese Muslims from the youth with his remarks on the rising prices of vegetables in the state.

Speaking to media persons at Garigaon in Guwahat, the AIUDF chief claimed that Assam CM Sarma’s statement that “Miya” (Muslim) vendors were responsible for the price rise of vegetables in the city was demeaning and hurtful towards the minority community.
“The CM said people from the Miya community will not be allowed to sell vegetables and spices in Guwahati. This kind of statement isn’t appropriate for the chief minister of a state. He is the head of the state and it isn’t right for him to be making such remarks. We are disheartened by the CM’s remarks,” Ajmal, also a perfume baron, said.

The AIUDF chief alleged further that Sarma’s statement creates a chasm between the Muslims and the other Asamese people, including the youth.

“By making such statements, the Assam CM is trying to separate the Muslims from their fellow Asamese brothers and sisters. The government will have to bear the responsibility for any unrest that this statement foments,” the AIUDF chief warned.

Earlier, on July 13, the Assam CM said the soaring prices of vegetables in state capital, Guwahati, was largely because of the fact that the vendors largely belong to the “Miyan” (Muslim) community.

“Miya vendors are responsible for the rising prices of vegetables in the city. Most of the vendors, who are selling vegetables at inflated rates, are from the Miyan community,” CM Sarma told reporters earlier.

Reacting to Sarma’s remark, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, said, “There is a mandali (group) in the country, who will blame Miyan-ji even when a buffalo does not give milk or a hen does not lay eggs in their homes. They would, perhaps, not hesitate to blame their personal failures on Miyan bhai as well.” (ANI)

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Kharge and rahul meet north eastern leaders

Kharge, Rahul To Meet Leaders Of North Eastern States Tomorrow

By LokMarg

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former MP Rahul Gandhi will meet the leaders of North Eastern States Congress units except Assam on Saturday to discuss the election strategy for the upcoming general elections scheduled next year.

The meeting will be held at the All India Congress Committee (AICC) office at 10 am.
On Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi held a meeting with leaders of the Uttarakhand Unit at the party headquarters in Delhi to review party preparedness for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls in 2024.

During the meeting, former Chief Minister of Uttrakhand Harish Rawat and PCC Chief Karan Mahara also remained present.

A similar meeting was held with leaders of Maharashtra Congress and discussed strategies to strengthen the party’s roots in the state.

During the meeting, they held discussions with the leaders of the Maharashtra Congress and took stock of the prevailing political situation, chalking out a three-point strategy to strengthen its base in Maharashtra ahead of the 2024 Loksabha elections and assembly polls in the state.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Congress general secretary, KC Venugopal, said that three major decisions were taken in the meeting. “All the senior leaders of the party will take responsibility for their Parliamentary constituencies. Secondly, from the month of September a ‘padayatra’ (foot march) will be carried out in every district of the state under a senior leader, which will be followed by a “bus yatra” in the month of December when all the leaders will jointly visit all the constituencies together,” Venugopal said.

“The meeting was quite fruitful and lasted for four hours and all the leaders have a unanimous belief that the Congress will sweep the parliamentary elections in Maharashtra. During the meeting Rahul Gandhi specially referred to the Maharashtra leg of his Bharat Jodo Yatra where he got a phenomenal response, which was among the best in the country,” he said further. (ANI)

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Assam flood situation

Assam: 67 Villages Submerged, 545.50 Hectares Of Crop Damaged

By LokMarg

The flood situation in Lakhimpur district of Assam has deteriorated after several new areas were inundated by flood waters, affecting nearly 60,300 people.

The flood waters have submerged 67 villages under 4 revenue circles of the district.
Around 545.50 hectares of crop area are still under water.

According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), nearly 37,700 people were affected in Nowboicha revenue circle area of the district and 22,510 people in Bihpuria revenue circle.

The district administration has set up seven relief distribution centres in the flood hit areas.

More than 10,000 domestic animals, poultry have also been affected in the deluge.

On the other hand, the water level of the Brahmaputra river is rising up following incessant rainfall and flowing above danger level mark at Tezpur in Sonitpur district and Neamatihat in Jorhat district.

The water level of Disang river is still flowing above danger level mark at Nanglamuraghat in Sivasagar district.

The ASDMA flood report stated that, 2696 people were affected in Dhemaji district and 2866 people affected in Biswanath Sub-Division in Sonitpur district.

In last 24 hours, flood waters breached one embankment, damaged 4 embankments, 4 roads, one bridge and a protection bundh etc.

On the other hand, river erosion continues in several areas in Lakhimpur, Goalpara, Charaideo, Sivasagar, South Salmara districts and Biswanath Sub-Division. (ANI)

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