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Rail budget criticised in northeast

Guwahati, Mar 15 : The railway budget for 2012-13 presented in parliament Wednesday was criticised in the northeast, with an industry body and a powerful student's body lamenting it had neglected the region.

The budget, presented by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, introduced four new trains for the northeastern region, including an air conditioned weekly service to Mumbai from Guwahati's Kamakhya station.

Besides, the budget proposed a daily express train between Kamakhya and Tezpur, a weekly express train between Dibrugarh and Kolkata and a daily passenger train between Rangiya and Tezpur.

The budget also proposed to increase the frequency of the Dibrugarh-Chandigarh express from once to twice a week.

Of the 84 Adarsh stations which will be taken up in 2012-13, the budget proposed to include only two in Assam - New Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar in Lower Assam.

The budget proposed to take up new line surveys between Imphal and Moreh in Manipur while the stretch between Guwahati to Tinsukhia via Lumding will be surveyed for electrification.

The budget also proposed to complete gauge conversion projects between Rangapara North-North Lakhimpur and Balipara-Bhalukpong in north Assam.

The budget also targeted completing the stretch between Gauripur and Bilasipara in Dhubri district and the stretch between Dudhnoi in Assam's Goalpara district and Mendipathar in Garo Hills of Meghalaya.

Proposals for new lines between Chaparmukh (Nagaon distict)- Dibrugarh, Dimapur-Tizit in Nagaland and Rupai-Parashuramkund on the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border had also been sent to the Planning Commission for appraisal.

Federation of Industry and Commerce of the North East Region (FINER) termed the announcements cosmetic.

"The northeastern region has once again been neglected. It has got mere cosmetic announcements like the new trains. However, the railway minister is silent while addressing the concerns of the northeast of rail connectivity throughout the region within a time bound period through a master plan in consultation with the stakeholders," said FINER chairman R.S. Joshi.

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) burnt a copy of the budget in Guwahati on Wednesday, alleging the neglect of the northeastern region.

Assam chopper service takes wings

ROOPAK GOSWAMI

Guwahati, Mar 12 : Beginning this week, you can hitch a ride on a chopper from Guwahati to 10 important destinations in Assam. Pocket pinch: Rs 4,000 per person, per ride.

Assam’s first commercial passenger chopper service will take off from Guwahati on Thursday and connect the capital with the Bodo Territorial Council area, Dhemaji, Karbi Anglong, Halflong, Lilabari, Tezpur, Dhubri, Kaziranga, Manas and Majuli daily, saving scores of people the trouble of having to undertake tortuous journeys across the state.

Two seven-seater helicopters, B3 Eurocopter and Bell 407, taken on lease by Rudra GTL, that started a dedicated air cargo service in the Northeast last December, will also fly to north Bengal, Meghalaya and Manipur.

“We have planned to start the helicopter services in Northeast from Guwahati keeping in mind the huge potential in the region which is largely constrained because of the geographical conditions,” Manosijj Roy, director Rudra GTL, told The Telegraph.

Rudra GTL is a joint venture initiative by Rudra Group of Companies and GTL Group of Companies.

Roy said the matter has been discussed with transport minister Chandan Brahma who has encouraged “us to go ahead” with the 30-minute rides.

“Safety measures have been given top priority,” he added.

“Various far-flung districts of the region will be connected to Guwahati through this service. Although the areas have poor road connectivity, they are not very distant from one another. As a result, we are in a position to make multiple sorties between the different stations, thereby reducing the cost per flight, making it a very viable option,” Roy said.

The district administrations have allotted certain areas where choppers copters can land, Roy said. In some areas, helipads will be built over time.

The chopper destinations in Meghalaya, Manipur and north Bengal are Barapani, Imphal and Bagdogra.

Roy said one of the copters, Bell 407, would also be used as a heli-ambulance service to aid the health sector in the Northeast.

“We will be able to provide this service at a much lower rate, increasing its reach to all strata of society. With the inflow of lot of corporate entities in the healthcare sector, we have already tied up with most of the firms to help them avail of our services,” he said.

Tourism is an important sector the service is targeting, with choppers connecting Kaziranga and Manas National Park.

“We have spoken to Asaam Tourism Development Corporation Ltd authorities who have encouraged us to go ahead with it,” he said.

“We have trained people who have been allocated to the various areas to set up and run the operations in co-ordination with the local district administration,” he said.

The Airport Authority of India is also drawing up a plan to expand various airports in the state. The plan includes a parallel runway and taxi track at Guwahati’s Lokpariya Gopinath Bordoloi International airport.

V.P. Agarwal, the AAI chairman, met Tarun Gogoi last month, to discuss the proposed expansion plan for Rowriah airport in Jorhat, Mohanbari airport in Dibrugarh with night-landing facility and revival of Rupshi airport in Dhubri.

Insurance boon for rural N-E

SAURAV BORA

Guwahati, Mar 12 : Insurance majors are upping the ante in rural Northeast, with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LICI), the largest state-owned insurance group in the country, leading the way.

In the Guwahati division — a high growth market covering a part of lower and central Assam, as well as Meghalaya — LICI has just two districts left without a branch or satellite office.

LICI (Guwahati division) senior divisional manager S. Kumar told The Telegraph, “As of today, only two districts — Baksa (BTC) and West Khasi Hills in Meghalaya — remain uncovered in the Guwahati division, which has as many as 20 branch offices. However, in about two months, a branch will be set up at Barama in Baksa. In West Khasi Hills, we are in the process of finalising a location which is approachable and accessible.”

LIC has three other divisions in the region – Bongaigaon, Jorhat and Silchar. While Bongaigaon has 12 branch offices and two satellite offices, Jorhat 18 branch offices and seven satellite offices while the Silchar division has 14 branch offices and 13 satellite offices.

Jorhat currently ranks number one in the country in terms of the number of policies sold. “As on February, 2012, our growth rate has been 20.41 per cent. We have set up premium points, satellite offices and appointed senior business associates to cater to the interior areas. However, in terms of reaching out to the remotest districts where there is a huge potential, we still have a long way to go,” said L.K.M. Syiem, divisional manager in-charge, Jorhat division, which covers parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland as well.

There is a key rural clientele under the Bongaigaon division as well. “The rural market is good and accordingly we have micro insurance schemes for those who are not financially sound. The premium under Jeevan Madhur is as low as Rs 60 per month. We are contemplating branches in East and South Garo Hills which have not been covered,” Ashim Bhuyan, divisional manager in-charge, Bongaigaon division, said.

The Centre has instructed the insurance and non-life insurance companies to set up at least one branch or satellite office by the end of this year.

“A number of districts, especially in the northeastern states do not have a single insurance company branch. For instance, of the 56 districts under review in the Northeast, 31 do not have any branch,” Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had stated in a meeting with the chief ministers of east zone states and members of PSUs and financial institutions in Calcutta recently.

Private sector insurance companies, too, are going rural.

Aviva Life Insurance, which has forayed into the Northeast in 2003, is eyeing the interior markets. “Although there are 10 physical units in the Northeast, of which three are in Guwahati, the thrust, of late, has been on the rural areas. We have schemes tailor-made for the low-income group. Under our Jan Suraksha scheme, a person’s life can be insured with a premium as low as Rs 200 per annum,” said Zakir Ahmed, associate vice president (Northeast), Aviva Life Insurance.

The Northeast, as a matter of fact, was among the country’s top performing zones of Aviva Life in January. “In the Northeast, Aviva had registered a growth of 39 per cent in 2010. The growth rate is even higher in the small towns. For instance, Sivasagar branch was ranked second best in the East in 2011. In March last year, the branch which covers policy holders from places such as Geleky, Nazira, Sonari among others, registered a sale of Rs 1 crore,” Ahmed said.

Aviva has covered the interior areas of the region through its business service associates (BSAs). “The BSAs play a significant role in boosting our business as they act as sales managers with a number of agents under them,” he said.

Bharti AXA General Insurance Company Ltd, which ranks among the fastest growing multi-line insurance companies in India, is also planning to reach out to the “undeserved segment”. “We are planning to penetrate deeper into rural and semi-urban markets across the northeastern states through strategic tie-ups with microfinancial institutions to reach out to the undeserved segment. Our strategy would be to focus on building the SME (small and medium enterprises) line of business,” Manish Mishra, zonal vice-president, East, Bharti AXA General Insurance, said.
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Tremor mock drill planned in north-eastern states

ALLAHABAD: After conducting a mock drill in Delhi to make people aware about rescue action in case of earthquake tremors, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is planning to conduct a similar drill in the north-eastern states.

NDMA member Prog Harsh Gupta told TOI: Though the mock drill carried out in Delhi lagged behind in various aspects and things were not carried out as should be in case of natural calamity as tremor, but it did make people aware of the seriousness that everyone has to take in times of natural disasters. "We cannot predict earthquakes but one thing that is in our hand is to minimize the after effects and causalities that follow a big tremor." Prof Gupta is an alumni of Allahabad University and was in the city recently to participate in a function of UPRTOU.

On December 23 last, the Government of India enacted the Disaster Management Act which envisages the creation of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), headed by the Prime Minister and State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMAs) headed by respective chief ministers to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to disaster management in India.

Prof Gupta added that since all the states of the north-east can be hit by a major earthquake, the mock drill, like the one which was carried out at Delhi is the need of the hour. "The proposed mock exercise would be conducted somewhere in April and May and would involve not only the populace of various cities of the entire region but also the administration, right from the chief ministers to the local panchayat level as everyone has to be made aware of the steps that should be taken after a tremor has occurred, be it for the survival of the individual or the functioning of the government machinery in handling post tremor crises," he said.

He said though predicting earthquake has never been possible for the scientists across the globe and nature has time and again showed its immense power in form of tremors, but Indian scientists have embarked on an ambitious project which would understand the seismic signature beneath the earth by drilling a 8km deep drill at Koyna. National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) in Hyderabad will launch a $75-million, 30-month project to drill an 8km deep borehole in Koyna, a region in western India that experiences frequent small-to moderately-sized earthquakes.

The borehole will be laced with sensors that measure chemical, electrical and gravitational perturbations. "The Koyna site is ideal since a copious swarm of earthquakes, both induced and natural, occur all the time," says Prof Gupta, the team's leader. The project, to be done in collaboration with the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program will be the fourth such earthquake observatory. Similar boreholes have been drilled on the Kola Peninsula in Russia; in Bavaria, Germany; and on the San Andreas Fault in California. The earlier efforts all have taken place at the boundaries of tectonic plates; the Indian site will be the first intraplate borehole designed to look for earthquake precursors. Koyna is also unique because the borehole will be near a large dam, where the rise and fall of reservoir water levels frequently induces earthquakes.

This project would give us a deep understanding of the behavior of the earth's interior just before the occurrence of the tremor and after it has occurred which would eventually make us more knowledgeable in terms of predicting the devastated tremors.

Burma to involve NE MPs in democracy campaign

GUWAHATI: Burma Centre Delhi (BCD) has decided to involve parliamentarians from the northeast in democracy campaign for Myanmar.

BCD founder-member Alana Golmei told TOI that a forum of NE MPs would be soon floated on the lines of Indian Parliamentarian Forum for Democracy in Burma (IPFDB).

IPFDB was formed in 2005 and has been very vocal about democracy in Myanmar. Last year, it was one of the bodies which actively campaigned for the release of 2000 political prisoners in Myanmar. It also sent 100 signatures of Indian parliamentarians to the Thein Sein government last year asking for release of political prisoners.

"We are also going to involve parliamentarians from the northeast with Burma's democracy cause through another forum. The forum will be called Indo-Burma MP Forum and it will have all NE MPs. We are targeting NE MPs as the region, as an immediate neighbour, has a crucial role to play in Burma's cause for democracy," said Golmei.

She added that as there is a forum of northeast MPs for Bangladesh already, it has become essential to have a similar body for Myanmar too. Golmei informed that a meeting with NE MPs will be held in New Delhi shortly to discuss the emerging reforms in Myanmar and how the parliamentarians can champion the cause of democracy in the neighbouring country.

"Northeast being the immediate neighbour has an important say in India-Burma bilateral issues. Under the Look East policy, northeast has a crucial role to play," said Golmei. Despite being surrounded by many countries, the northeastern states' engagement with neighbouring countries have been minimal - be it in the field of trade and commerce or other policy related issues.

"Now the time has come for the northeast to lobby for its interest and benefit with its neighbouring countries. With signs of political reforms emerging in Burma, we need to prepare the northeast so that the region has a say in affairs related to Burma or other Southeast Asian countries," she added.

Myanmar is making some remarkable strides with its political reforms. The country is slated to hold by-election on April 1 this year followed by general election in 2015. Myanmar will also host Southeast Asian Games in 2013 and will also hold Asean in 2014. All these upcoming events have sent a positive signal across the world, and Thein Sein government's political reforms are being closely watched by world leaders.

Tibetans demand 'free Tibet'

According to official records, there are about 8,000 Tibetan refugees in northeast India.

Guwahati, Mar 12 : Tibetans in India's northeast gathered here Saturday to commemorate the 53rd anniversary of the Tibetan uprising which forced the Dalai Lama to flee to India.

On the occasion, the exiles urged the international community to help resolve the Tibetan issue.

Over 500 Tibetan refugees from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Meghalaya held prayers for a free Tibet and expressed solidarity with those who have immolated themselves in Tibet since 2009.

"Of the 26 who self-immolated, 19 have died and the condition of eight is serious. We appeal to the UN for immediate medical intervention in Tibet," Tibetan Welfare Officer Lhakpa Tsering told IANS on Saturday.

According to official records, there are about 8,000 Tibetan refugees in northeast India.

Security situation in Northeast reviewed

Guwahati, Mar 12 : A high-level delegation led by the Minister of State for Home Affairs M Ramachandaran recently visited Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya to review the internal security situation in the region.
Ramachandaran held meetings attended by senior officials from the Centre, Assam Police and intelligence agencies.
The government is keen to bring to end incidents of extortion, abduction and the growing influence of Maoists in the region.

The minister also had discussion with the Governor J B Patnayak.

"The minister reviewed the security situation in Assam. He discussed the recent blast in Guwahati and the abduction of the asst. general manager of State Bank of India. The minister suggested that an anti-kidnapping cell should be formed," said Jayanta Narayan Chaudhury, DGP, Assam.

On his arrival in Arunachal Pradesh, the Union minister called on the Governor, Gen. J J Singh and discussed the internal security scenario of the state.

Ramachandran revealed that the Central Government has sanctioned a special financial package of Rs 130 crore to Arunachal Pradesh for modernization of police forces in troubled-torn Tirap and Changlang districts.

The central team also reached Shillong for a security review meeting and later visited the integrated check post at Dawki.

They interacted with villagers at Indo-Bangla border and talked about issues related to border fencing.

"The entire situation will be resolved in a most amicable manner by the government of India. You'll not have any problem. If there is any problem this entire problem will be resolved in an effective manner as soon as possible," said Ramachandran.

Border fencing at Meghalaya-Bangladesh border is great importance to India, as it helps prevent cross-border crimes including smuggling and illegal migration.

The border fence, due to treaty obligations, has not been constructed on the Zero line, where the actual border lies, but aournd 150 yards inside Indian Territory, as necessitated by terrain and other deciding factors.

No hurdle for rail extension in Tripura

Agartala: The impasse over land acquisition for the 44 km Agartala-Udaipur railway extension project is over as the land owners have assured the government to sell their lands, official sources said.

"The state government was facing problems since 2009 for extension of railway tracks from Agartala to Udaipur in Gomati district as landowners declined to sell land according to the price set by North East Frontier Railway, but now they have agreed to receive the payments when government conceded their demands of buying lands as per present market rate," SDM of Bishalgarh, Tamal Majumder said.

He said, 75 per cent landowners have received their payments and the rest have agreed to collect the cheques after depositing necessary documents, he said.

NF railway sources said, "The railway extension project would be completed by this year. There were problems of acquiring a patch of land near Harishnagar Tea Estate in Bishalgarh sub-division of Sepahijala district. The problem was solved recently following a meeting between state government officials, local people and local representatives of different political parties and District Magistrate".

SDM said the land would be handed over to the North East Frontier Railway (NFR) by March itself so that works could be resumed.

12 more Myanmarese held in Tripura

The influx of Myanmarese into India through Bangladesh continues, with 12 more, including a woman, being held for illegally entering Tripura, police said Thursday.

With this, 95 Myanmarese, comprising Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist tribals, seeking jobs in India have crossed over to Tripura from Bangladesh since mid-2011.

"Acting on a tip-off, the Assam-bound 12 Myanmarese were arrested by the Tripura police at Mungiakami on the Assam-Agartala national highway, 40 km north from Agartala, late Wednesday night," a police spokesman said.

"The detainees told the police they were going to Silchar (in southern Assam) in search of jobs," the police officer said.

"All the foreign nationals are Rohingya Muslims who entered Tripura illegally through unfenced Sonamura border from eastern Bangladesh," he added.

On Thursday, the Myanmarese nationals were presented before a local court, which sent them to 14 days' judicial custody. The illegal entrants would be sent to Bangladesh after completion of legal formalities, the police official said.

They told the police officials that authorities in Myanmar were indifferent to the problems of the people living in the mountainous regions bordering India and Bangladesh.

"Intermittently, the Myanmarese Army has unleashed atrocities on a section of nationals, especially Rohingya Muslims and Buddhist communities," the official said after interrogating the Myanmarese nationals.

Over 50,000 Myanmarese have been living in different parts of neighbouring Mizoram, bordering Myanmar and Bangladesh, and working at various shops and factories after obtaining work permits.

Since the mid-1990s, over 225,000 Myanmar nationals, mostly Rohingya Muslims, have been sheltering in the Teknaf region in Cox's Bazar district of southeastern Bangladesh.

Four Indian northeastern states of Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Assam share an 1,880-km border with Bangladesh, while Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh share a 1,640-km unfenced border with Myanmar.

The mountainous terrain, dense forests and other hindrances make the unfenced borders porous and vulnerable, enabling illegal immigrants and intruders to cross over without any hurdle.

Tripura to probe illegal financial firms

Agartala - The Tripura government has set up an Economic Offences Wing (EOW) to take action against illegal non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), which take deposits from people illegally promising hefty returns, a minister said here Wednesday.

"The EOW, headed by a Superintendent of Police (CID), was formed recently to probe the activities of the NBFCs and UIBs (un-incorporated bodies). At the district level, the wing would be led by the

district police chief," Tripura finance minister Badal Chowdhury said at a meeting here.

He said: "These NBFCs and UIBs have been formed under the Companies Act 1956. The state government has limited authority to take proper action against these organisations."

The minister said that the state government has been asking the central government to form a regulatory body to supervise and to take appropriate actions against these bodies.

According to the minister, 117 NBFCs and UIBs have been functioning in Tripura for the past several years. "The state government has taken some action against 16 such groups."

Opposition leader (Congress) Ratan Lal Nath said: "Various NBFCs have already duped lakhs of gullible investors in Tripura to the extent of nearly Rs.18.36 crore and their network disappeared all of a sudden."

Unauthorised NBFCs and UIBs have mushroomed in the northeastern region in recent years. They mobilise deposits from people by promising abnormally high rates of interest, at 25 to 30 percent per annum.

After collecting the money, they shut down their operations and leave the area.

The finance minister said the Tripura government last year amended the "Tripura Protection of Interest of Depositors (in financial establishments) Act, 2000" to take more stringent action against the illegal NBFCs and UIBs.

The amended act provides for imposition of fine of Rs.10,000 for every flawed provision and act by the NBFCs and UIBs and in addition Rs.1,000 per day for continuation from the date of default.

"Large number of unauthorised NBFCs and UIBs have been collecting money, alluring people with assurances of very high returns and cheating innocent depositors," Chowdhury said and urged the people not to deposit their hard-earned money in such companies.

"There is a need to put in place a regulatory body at the national level with its official arm extending to state level," said the minister.

The NBFCs and the UIBs, not recognised by the Reserve Bank of India, the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) or the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), cannot do any monetary business or take deposits from people.

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