Guwahati, Sept 18: Assam’s single-window clearance system has facilitated more than 2.5 million approvals as the State government seeks to create a faster and more predictable business environment for investors, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said at the ICC Global Business Summit 2026 in New Delhi.

Highlighting the State’s efforts to strengthen ease of doing business, Sarma said the government was focusing on simplifying approvals, making industrial land available and providing continued support to investors throughout the life cycle of a project.

“Our single-window system has facilitated more than 2.5 million approvals. We are organising and creating industrial land banks so that any industry that wants to set up in Assam does not have to wait for land,” Sarma said.

He said the government’s approach was to remain engaged with investors throughout the implementation of serious projects rather than limiting its role to the initial approval stage.

“Our approach is to remain engaged throughout the life of a project for serious proposals. We will designate a senior nodal officer to coordinate across departments, support site identification, statutory coordination, utility planning and resolution of issues within the applicable legal framework,” he said.

Sarma said the measures were aimed at ensuring that investor interest translated into actual economic activity.

Referring to the Advantage Assam 2.0 Infrastructure and Investment Summit held last year, Sarma said the State had received investment commitments worth Rs 5.80 lakh crore.

“We have been able to convert Rs 3.5 lakh crore of investment on the ground within a year. Some projects are already operational,” he said.

Sarma also highlighted the growth in the State’s industrial base, saying more than 3,700 new factories had been registered in Assam since May 2021, representing nearly 1.11 lakh factory workers.

“These represent projects and enterprises taking shape on the ground, and they represent employment and enterprise capacity,” he said.

According to Sarma, Assam’s nominal Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is estimated at Rs 7.45 lakh crore in 2025-26, with real growth of more than 10 per cent, and is projected to reach Rs 8.71 lakh crore in 2026-27.

“This number reflects a broader economic transformation in Assam. The capacity of infrastructure in Assam is expanding and new opportunities are opening up for enterprises and employment,” he said.

He said the industrial sector was estimated to account for 35.54 per cent of the State’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) at current prices in 2025-26.

The Chief Minister also said Assam’s geographical location was becoming increasingly important as India deepened its engagement with Southeast Asia, particularly for trade, logistics, technology, energy and supply chains.

“We see Assam as a bridge between the Indian market and the wider Asian market. This also gives the State a role in connecting the Northeast more deeply with the rest of India,” he said.

Sarma also linked the State’s investment potential to its expanding connectivity infrastructure, including highways, railways, inland waterways, aviation and logistics facilities.

He pointed to the multimodal logistics park at Jogighopa, the inland water terminals and the expansion of the Pandu and Dhubri terminals, besides the development of the Brahmaputra as a navigable economic corridor.

Assam now has seven operational airports, with further expansion underway, while the new Guwahati terminal can handle 13 million passengers annually, according to the Chief Minister.

“These are reducing the cost of distance and creating new possibilities for logistics, manufacturing, tourism, services and regional trade,” Sarma said.

The Chief Minister said Assam’s location could enable projects established in the State to serve markets across the Northeast, the rest of India and the wider Asian region.

He further highlighted emerging opportunities in advanced manufacturing, renewable energy, green hydrogen, bamboo-based second-generation ethanol and tourism.

The State is also targeting 6,000 MW of renewable energy capacity by 2030 and is developing opportunities in green hydrogen and bamboo-based second-generation ethanol.

Sarma further highlighted Assam’s tourism potential, citing its three UNESCO sites, seven national sites, the Brahmaputra, around 800 tea gardens and its cultural and spiritual heritage. He said opportunities existed in hotels, resorts, convention facilities, wellness, destination management and river tourism.

Sarma urged the business community to explore Assam’s industrial locations and engage with enterprises already operating in the State, saying the government was seeking to create an economic platform that could integrate the Northeast more deeply with India’s growth.

Tamulpur, Sept 18: A wild elephant carcass has been recovered from No. 1 Darangapar in Kumarikata along the India-Bhutan border in Tamulpur district on Friday, marking the second elephant death in the area in three days.

Forest Department personnel reached the spot after receiving information from local residents and launched an investigation into the cause of the elephant’s death.

“The elephant carcass was found after we received information from local residents. The investigation is underway and the actual cause of the death will be known only after the post-mortem examination,” an environmental NGO official said.

Baksa DFO Dhirendranath Basumatary and Kumarikata Forest Range Officer Prabhat Barman were present at the site, where officials inspected the carcass.

The official said Forest Department personnel, including the DFO and Forest Ranger, had reached the site and that local residents and the village headman had been asked to provide information about the circumstances surrounding the death.

The latest death comes three days after a wild elephant calf was found dead near Anthaibari in No. 2 Dongergaon along the Bhutan border on September 15.

In that incident, local residents spotted the carcass of the elephant calf on the bank of the Barnadi river near Anthaibari, with foam coming out of its mouth, and alerted the Forest Department.

Tamulpur Forest Range Officer Babul Brahma, a team of forest personnel and a veterinary doctor reached the spot following the report. The Forest Department subsequently conducted a post-mortem examination and buried the carcass on the riverbank.

A wild elephant calf was found dead near Anthaibari in No. 2 Dongergaon In Tamulpur on September 15 (Photo: AT)

Following a preliminary investigation, Forest Department personnel had suspected that the calf died due to food poisoning. However, the cause of the latest death remains unclear pending the post-mortem examination.

The deaths come amid continued human-elephant conflict along the Bhutan border in Tamulpur. A large herd of wild elephants has reportedly been descending from the Bhutan hills in search of food in recent days, damaging houses and agricultural fields in the border areas.

The latest incident has caused concern among local residents, with authorities continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

Imphal, Sept 18: Manipur witnessed 523 days of bandhs, shutdowns and economic blockades and 385 days of internet service suspension since the unprecedented violence broke out in the State on May 3, 2023, according to official records of the State Home Department.

The data covers the period from May 3, 2023, to September 8, 2026 with a total of 1,225 days, or three years, four months and six days.

According to the records, the State witnessed 107 days of bandh, shutdown or economic blockade in 2023, despite transport activities remaining severely disrupted during the initial weeks and months of the conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities.

The number of such days stood at 113 in 2024, comprising 63 days of bandhs or shutdowns and 50 days of economic blockades.

In 2025, Manipur recorded 78 days of bandhs, shutdowns and economic blockades, including 49 days of bandhs or shutdowns and 29 days of economic blockades.

The current year has recorded the highest number so far. From January to September 2026, the State witnessed 225 days of bandhs, shutdowns and economic blockades, including 136 days of bandhs or shutdowns and 89 days of economic blockades.

The entire State or parts of Manipur witnessed suspension of internet services for 385 days between May 3, 2023, and April 4, 2026, according to the official data.

The government cited the need to prevent the misuse of social media by anti-social elements for circulating images, posts and video messages that could incite public passions and have serious repercussions on the law-and-order situation.

In 2023 alone, internet services were suspended across the entire State for 218 days.

The latest suspension mentioned in the records affected Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur, Thoubal, Kakching, Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Jiribam and Pherzawl districts. Services were suspended for five days from April 7, 2026, with the order revoking the ban issued on April 12.

Manipur also witnessed 261 days of curfew during the period covered by the records, with the entire State or one or more districts placed under curfew between May 3, 2023, and April 9, 2026.

The longest curfew period was recorded in Litan village in Ukhrul district, where curfew remained in force for 209 days from February 8 to September 4 this year, according to the official records.

Shillong, Sept 18: Four back-to-back bomb attacks targeting Meghalaya government and police establishments rocked the State capital, prompting authorities to tighten security measures, officials said.

No casualties were reported in any of the incidents between Wednesday evening and early Thursday, while the perpetrators and their motive remain unknown, officials said.

The latest incident was reported in the early hours of Thursday when miscreants hurled a petrol bomb at the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) campus in Laitumkhrah, triggering a fire on the premises. Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the blaze.

Around the same time, unidentified miscreants set a police booth at Nongmynsong on fire, officials said.

According to police officials, a female passerby alerted personnel at the Nongmynsong Police Outpost about the incident at around 3.50 am. Personnel from the Fire and Emergency Services rushed to the spot and brought the fire under control.

The booth, however, could not be salvaged. No one was injured in the incident.

“As part of the initial investigation, a tyre may have been set on fire to cause the blaze at the police booth. Investigation is on to identify the culprits behind the arson,” a police official said.

The two incidents came hours after a petrol bomb was hurled at Lumdiengjri Police Station on Wednesday night. The bomb struck the rear portion of the room of the officer-in-charge, causing minor damage.

Earlier on Wednesday evening, a petrol bomb attack was reported at the Directorate of Mineral Resources (DMR) office at Risa Colony. A private vehicle belonging to a DMR employee was damaged in the incident, while local residents managed to douse the fire.

“We are investigating all the incidents. Security measures have been tightened,” a senior police officer said.

Police are examining CCTV footage and other available evidence to identify those responsible and ascertain the motive behind the attacks.

The back-to-back incidents have led to heightened security around government and police establishments across Shillong, officials said.

With inputs from PTI

The Unified Payments Interface (UPI), a mode of instantaneous payment using mobile phones, has captured the imagination of people around the world as a preferred way of going about buying and selling commodities and services of all kinds. Today almost half the adult population of India uses UPI for making payments on person-to-merchant (P2M) and person-to-person (P2P) transactions, thereby replacing king cash.

Implications of digital payments

The accelerating pace of adoption of digital payments has far-reaching consequences for the economy. It transforms the ecosystem of trade and commerce, consumption, saving and investment, acquisition and holding of assets, which in turn brings about far-reaching changes in all aspects of the socio-economic landscape, injecting efficiency. Everybody, including the government, benefits. Hence, promotion of digital payments makes ample sense.

How UPI evolved

The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), as an umbrella organisation, was set in motion as part of the Vision Document 2005-08 of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and UPI was launched by the NPCI in 2016 as a part of a journey – ATM, IMPS and then UPI. UPI has completely transformed and revolutionised the way we make payments.

Factors behind UPI revolution

When a customer initiates a UPI payment, his bank account is debited and the receiver’s bank account is credited through a process known as the clearing and settlement system and an interface like BHIM. What makes UPI attractive is its use by customers at no cost, along with its convenience. The NPCI, being a not-for-profit company, backed by the RBI, Indian Banks’ Association and the government, could make this possible.

The providers of interfaces like BHIM, Google Pay, PhonePe, etc., also developed ecosystems like QR codes, integrating merchants and customers and providing them sound boxes to let them know whether payments have been credited to their accounts.

How keeping UPI free makes sense

The NPCI is set to impose 0.4% MDR on UPI transactions worth Rs 2,000 or more on person-to-merchant transactions from 15 October 2026, raising around Rs 20,000 crore, according to a rough estimate. This will be used to pay banks and FinTech companies to compensate them for helping spread digital payments.

Why do banks need MDR? A bank is required to provide cash deposit and withdrawal facilities free of cost from time immemorial. As customer deposits are the most important raw material for lending by banks, they had to allow cash withdrawals as a service to these customers. This is how modern banking evolved. The cost incurred by banks for providing such payment services is recovered implicitly through the spread they enjoy between deposit and lending rates, the so-called net interest margin.

The handling of physical cash by the government, the RBI and the banking system was an expensive proposition. The cost-of-conducting-business study by the RBI revealed that servicing a customer at the counter was almost double that of pushing him to an ATM. In fact, pushing customers to go for mobile payments was expected to cost them even less. This broadly explains how keeping UPI payments free makes ample sense, benefiting banks even without MDR. If people shift to cash due to MDR, banks may end up losing out.

At present, the government subsidises UPI payments to some extent, which is a cost. However, the government and the RBI may have to incur a much higher cost to print and handle currency if MDR on UPI leads to negative fallout.

MDR – a credit card concept

MDR arose out of a credit card mechanism developed by VISA and Mastercard in the USA. The so-called MDR is a small amount, usually 1.5-2.5% of the transaction amount, which merchants are expected to pay as a fee. The price charged by the merchant includes part or all of this additional cost, which the customer pays indirectly. However, customers enjoy credit benefits for some days along with rewards, which is not the case with UPI payments.

As UPI is a pure fund transfer from one account to the other in real time, it cannot be equated with such an MDR concept. The government assumes that customers will not be affected by MDR on UPI as merchants will absorb the same. It will be almost impossible to impose the same. As a result, MDR on UPI will have a negative fallout, with the possibility of killing the goose that lays the golden eggs.

A possible way out

A basic issue is how FinTechs get their revenue from digital payments when UPI is free. These players providing APIs and QRs earn revenue from merchants for these services. The data captured is also used for business intelligence serving commercial interests. If this is not enough, then the government and the RBI should have a scheme to compensate them. However, it should be in a graded manner to keep the monopolistic tendency of one or two players cornering most of the transactions through their services under check.

UPI is the most important component of digital payments as a public good. The government maintains its stronghold on the economy as the ultimate controller of currency and the financial system through regulatory bodies. Banks operate under regulatory provisions, including obligations on currency circulation. As such, banks derive maximum benefit through the money multiplier economics. Any possibility of more cash supply due to MDR will be suboptimal. Hence, keeping UPI free makes ample sense. As suggested above, there should be other ways of compensating non-banks as part of digital payments while keeping monopolistic tendencies under check.

India’s story on UPI should not be harmed through an ill-advised policy stance.

By

Dr RB Barman

(The author is a former Executive Director of the RBI, and former Chairman, National Payments Corporation)

Silchar, Sept 18: In a significant development ahead of the first Silchar Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP secured two seats unopposed after Congress candidates and other contestants withdrew their nominations on Thursday.

In Ward 20, Congress candidate Rupali Das withdrew from the contest, resulting in the unopposed election of BJP nominee Bhakti Sen Talukdar. She consequently became one of the first councillors elected to the newly constituted municipal corporation.

A similar situation emerged in Ward 9. Although Congress candidate Amalendu Dey withdrew his nomination, BJP nominee Bijendra Prasad Singh was initially expected to face SUCI candidate Apan Lal Das. However, Das also withdrew from the contest at the last moment, leaving no candidate in the fray against the BJP nominee. Bijendra Prasad Singh was subsequently declared elected unopposed.

The development handed the BJP an early advantage even before formal polling commenced for the historic civic election.

The Congress suffered another setback when its Ward 12 candidate, Mousumi Das, withdrew her nomination. The seat, however, will witness a contest as an Independent candidate remains in the fray.

Several Independent candidates, including some BJP dissidents who had filed nominations after being denied party tickets, also withdrew from the electoral race on the final day.

However, BJP dissidents Rathindra Saha, Saheli Deb and Sanghita Chakraborty remained in the contest from their respective wards, leaving the party to face rebel challenges in those seats. Interestingly, Rathindra Saha, popularly known as Madhab Saha, had restricted the entry of BJP leaders in his house with a poster outside his residence.

The withdrawals have altered the political equations in several wards as Silchar prepares for its first election following its elevation to a municipal corporation, voting for which is scheduled on October 3. Counting will be held on October 6.

NORTH LAKHIMPUR, Sept 18: In the ongoing operations against intermediaries and touts in and around the offices of the state government departments and agencies, Lakhimpur Police arrested more than a hundred persons from different parts of the district.

The police crackdowns were carried out outside police stations, District Transport Offices (DTOs), revenue circle offices, pension offices, and Block Development Offices (BDOs) as part of the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s ‘zero tolerance’ policies to eliminate unofficial channels and ease citizen access to government schemes.

Lately, a village headman was arrested for accepting bribe from a villager applying for land-related services. Safiqul Islam, the Gaonburha of Mohghuli under Nowboicha LAC, was arrested for taking a bribe of Rs 20,000 from an applicant inside his office on September 6. On a lately uploaded video circulated in social media, Gaonburha Islam was seen receiving the amount in cash from an elderly person.

Meanwhile, an advocate was arrested for the abetment of suicide of a minor domestic help in Laluk, Lakhimpur district. Advocate Saheba Ahmed, the accused who also runs an NGO, was arrested by police on Wednesday evening for allegedly abetting suicide one Arifa Begum (14) in 2025 following FIR by the victim’s mother.

According to the victim’s mother, who also worked as a domestic help at Saheba Ahmed’s residence, Arifa sipped herbicides in Saheba Ahmed’s residence following assault and humiliation by the latter on November 5, 2025. Later, she died in Assam Medical College and Hospital, Dibrugarh on November 10, 2025.

The victim’s mother also alleged that Saheba forced her to file a case against a young person reported to be the boyfriend of her late daughter for her death.

Saheba has been booked under Section 108 of BNS and put on police custody.

Saheba Ahmed is known for having a dubious distinction of being allegedly involved in various antisocial activities through her NGO, the International Human Rights Commission based in Laluk.

Aizawl, Sept 18: A Delhi-based group of Myanmar nationals has urged the United League of Arakan and its armed wing, the Arakan Army, to investigate the burning of a volunteer checkpoint in Siaha district and take action against those responsible for it.

The group, India for Myanmar, said the checkpoint of the Mara Thyutlia Py at Khaikhy village was set on fire on Monday following a dispute involving Rakhine merchants. It also called for compensation to those affected and an official apology to the people of Mizoram.

According to the group, the dispute reportedly began over delays in the movement of goods caused by transportation problems during the rainy season. It alleged that the confrontation later escalated into a violent attack on volunteers manning the checkpoint.

The volunteers managed to escape, but the checkpoint was set ablaze, it said.

India for Myanmar described the incident as serious, alleging that the attack endangered the lives of Indian nationals and involved the destruction of property on Indian soil. The group condemned the alleged actions of the Rakhine merchants and said the incident was particularly disturbing given the assistance provided by people in Mizoram to Myanmar nationals fleeing political unrest and armed conflict in their country.

The group also appealed to Myanmar nationals living in India to respect Indian laws, local community norms and government regulations.

GUWAHATI, Sept 18: Nearly 27,000 people visited the Assam State Museum between January and August this year, averaging around 150 visitors a day — a modest footfall for an institution that preserves Assam’s cultural and historical memory.

The figure is particularly striking when compared with other city attractions. Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra receives over 1,500 visitors even on a lean day, while the State Zoo attracts more than 2,000 visitors daily. The Guwahati Planetarium receives nearly 500 visitors on an average weekday.

However, Director Sujata Suchibrata said the museum is receiving encouraging support from the Indigenous and Tribal Faith and Culture Department, with several plans in the pipeline for museums across the State.

Established in 1940, the museum at Ambari houses nearly 13,000 artefacts, more than 2,000 of which are on display. Its galleries offer visitors an opportunity to encounter Assam’s history through objects that have survived the people and times that created them.

Centuries-old artefacts, manuscripts, textiles and remnants of forgotten worlds provide glimpses into how Assam’s people lived, created, struggled and evolved. For children, a visit can open a window into a world beyond the screens and classrooms that increasingly shape their understanding of the past.

“Every attraction here caters to a particular kind of visitor. Scholars love manuscripts and epigraphy, while children are generally more interested in the Natural History, Textile and Village Life galleries,” said Loly Hazarika, Assistant Curator.

The museum also offers internships to undergraduate students in line with the National Education Policy and conducts programmes with educational institutions. Through initiatives such as ‘Museum on the Move’ and exhibitions such as ‘Oitijya’, it has been taking aspects of Assam’s history and culture beyond its premises.

“For us, outreach through initiatives such as ‘Museum on the Move’ is not just about taking the museum to the people. It is also about developing an interest among the youth in this field and familiarising them with the different career avenues associated with it,” said Abhilash Rajkhowa, District Museum Officer, Tezpur.

The high-tech Freedom Fighters Gallery takes visitors through the lives and contributions of more than 13,000 freedom fighters. A conservation laboratory also works to preserve the artefacts and assists the other 14 museums across Assam.

“Everything from humidity and lighting to even basic exercises such as dusting is carried out with utmost care. We have various equipment to measure and monitor the conditions in which the artifacts are kept,” said Antareen Talukdar, Laboratory Chemist.

‘Oitijya’, celebrating Assam’s history, indigenous traditions and heritage, is scheduled for the first half of November. Renovation and retrofitting works are also under way, with some galleries temporarily closed.

“But the larger challenge may not lie with the State Museum at all. It lies with us. For all that it preserves, too few people seem to be walking through its doors to see, understand and remember their own heritage,” a visitor said.

“A city that forgets to visit its past will eventually find itself with nothing to leave its future. The doors in Ambari remain open, guarding 13,000 quiet truths of who we are. The tragedy is not that our history is fading – it is that we are choosing to walk right past it,” he added.

Guwahati, Sept 18: The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on June 25, 2015, by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with the objective of transforming 500 cities by providing basic civic amenities.

The mission was launched with an ambitious promise to make Indian cities more liveable, resilient and better equipped. It aimed to address some of the most fundamental requirements of urban life, including water supply and sewerage, storm-water drainage, green spaces and better mobility.

Recognising that India’s urban challenges were evolving, the government introduced the second phase of the mission, AMRUT 2.0, on October 1, 2021. The expansion aimed to move beyond the objectives of the first phase, with a strong focus on creating water-secure cities and an outlay of Rs 2,99,000 crore. Its main aims and objectives included universal coverage of water supply in all statutory towns, 100 per cent sewerage and septage management in 500 AMRUT cities, rejuvenation of water bodies, urban aquifer management and rainwater harvesting.

More than 11 years have passed since the launch of the first phase of the mission. The mission has brought several projects and changes to cities across the country, while the challenges faced by urban areas have also contributed to the launch of its second phase, which promised further development.

But it is also high time to ask a simple question: have these efforts made our cities better places to live?

As the biggest urban centre in Assam, Guwahati has evolved rapidly over the past decade. New roads, buildings and flyovers aimed at improving connectivity have changed the city’s landscape. The transition from AMRUT to AMRUT 2.0 is significant for a city like Guwahati. Yet, every year, the monsoon brings people into difficult situations as they struggle with waterlogging.

For a city like Guwahati, the idea of water security should not be limited to drinking water. Guwahati receives heavy rainfall every year, yet the city repeatedly struggles to manage the excess water. Heavy rain leaves roads submerged, traffic comes to a standstill, and people struggle to reach their workplaces, schools and homes. In some residential and well-developed areas, waterlogging is no longer an unusual event; it has become something residents expect whenever there is heavy rainfall.

The problem takes on greater significance when we consider that storm-water drainage is one of the areas identified under AMRUT. According to the official AMRUT 2.0 data, two projects have been approved for the city. One is the augmentation of the Maa Kamakhya Water Supply Scheme, with an outlay of Rs 14.28 crore. The other is the restoration of a water body inside the CRPF camp at 9th Mile, with a total outlay of Rs 1.75 crore.

These projects, aimed at improving water supply and rejuvenating water resources, are necessary for a growing city. But the issue is not only about ensuring access to water; it is also about managing it when there is too much of it.

AMRUT itself identifies storm-water drainage as an important component of urban development. Yet, in the case of Guwahati, the scenario appears different. The city’s AMRUT projects have largely focused on parks and open spaces. The current AMRUT 2.0 projects listed for Guwahati focus on water supply and the rejuvenation of a water body.

In fact, the latest data from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, updated on March 2, 2026, listed three grounded AMRUT projects for Guwahati, but none was related to drainage. This does not mean that the flooding problem has been ignored. The Assam government has undertaken several projects to address the city’s flooding woes.

The Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) has launched the programme ‘Mission Flood-Free Guwahati’. In August 2025, the Asian Development Bank approved a $125-million project for storm-water management. Yet, the question remains: after so many measures and initiatives, why do people continue to suffer whenever it rains?

The problem, therefore, is not simply about the number of projects or the amount of money being spent. It is about whether these efforts are actually helping people avoid the difficulties caused by waterlogging.

Why are these questions being raised? Because AMRUT was launched with the promise of transforming Indian cities. Its success should be measured not only by the green spaces created or parks developed, but also by the quality of people’s everyday lives.

Can a family live without worrying during heavy rainfall? Can a child reach school safely? Can a person return home without getting stranded in traffic because of waterlogging?

If AMRUT was created to make Indian cities more liveable, Guwahati will remain an underdeveloped city until its people experience greater comfort and security during the monsoon.

For the people of Guwahati, transformation should mean more than getting a new flyover or seeing more high-rise buildings. It should mean being able to return home safely when the rain hits the city.

By

Priyakshi Choudhury

New Delhi, Sept 18: The houselisting phase of Census 2027 has been extended by nearly a month in the flood-affected Charaideo and Sivasagar districts of Assam, Registrar General of India said on Thursday.

In a gazette notification, Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan said phase one of the Census exercise – houslisting operations and housing census (HLO) – have been extended in these two districts up to October 31.

In Assam, the HLO took place from August 17 to September 15, but due to the prevailing flood situation, training programmes and other preparatory activity works related to the Census in Sivasagar and Charaideo districts were suspended in August.

“Provided that in respect of the Charaideo and Sivasagar districts of the state of Assam, the period of houselisting operations of the Census of India 2027 shall be extended up to October 31, 2026,” the notification issued on Thursday said.

The first phase of Census 2027, the month-long HLO exercise started from April 1 and will continue till September 30 this year in all states and Union territories with each state or UT government specifying a 30-day period during which the HLO will be completed in its jurisdiction.

The decadal exercise which was scheduled to take place in 2021 got postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The mammoth exercise to give a headcount of country’s population will be conducted in two phases – HLO from April to September, 2026; and population enumeration (PE) in February 2027.

The HLO systematically lists out all the structures, houses and households throughout the country for preparation of a sound frame for conduct of the population enumeration.

“...the Central government hereby declares that the houselisting operations of the Census of India 2027 shall take place between April, 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026 in all states and Union territories during the period of 30 days specified by each state and Union territory,” a notification issued by the Registrar General of India and Census Commissioner had said in January.

“There shall also be an option for self-enumeration which shall be conducted in 15 days’ time period just before the start of house-to-house houselisting operations of 30 days,” he said. 

PTI

NEW DELHI, Sept 18: Assam is set to gain a major push to its river cruise tourism and inland waterway economy with global luxury cruise operator Scenic Group planning an investment of around Rs 750-800 crore over the next decade to develop river cruising on the Ganga and Brahmaputra to international standards.

Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said that the proposed partnership would mark a significant step in placing India on the global river cruise tourism map.

The announcement followed a meeting in New Delhi on Wednesday evening with a delegation from Scenic Group led by its founder and chairman Glen Moroney, along with Ashish Phookan, managing director of Assam Bengal Navigation.

For Assam, the initiative could provide a significant boost to tourism infrastructure along the Brahmaputra and create new opportunities for local businesses, particularly in hospitality, transport, handicraft, food, culture and adventure tourism.

“The Brahmaputra is one of Assam’s defining geographical and cultural assets, but its potential as an international river-cruise destination remains relatively underdeveloped. Greater participation by an established global luxury cruise company could help bring international standards in cruise vessels, passenger services, safety, shore excursions and destination management,” Ajay Sharma, an expert from the hospitality sector based in New Delhi, told The Assam Tribune.

The proposed investment could also strengthen Assam’s position as a gateway to the wider Northeast tourism circuit, he said.

“River cruises operating on the Brahmaputra can connect visitors with destinations and experiences linked to Assam’s wildlife, indigenous communities, cultural traditions, tea estates and heritage sites. This could encourage longer tourist stays and generate spending beyond the cruise vessels themselves,” Sharma added.

Interestingly, the economic benefits from the initiative could extend to communities along the river. Cruise tourism typically creates demand for local guides, boat operators, drivers, hotels, restaurants, performers, artisans and suppliers.

“Assam’s handloom and handicraft sectors could also gain from increased exposure to high-spending international tourists,” Sharma said.

The partnership is also significant from the perspective of Assam’s growing role in India’s inland-waterway network. Improved navigability and infrastructure on the National Waterway-2, the Brahmaputra, have the potential to support both tourism and commercial movement.

“The development of cruise infrastructure could complement the broader effort to expand inland water transport in the Northeast,” said Samir Pal, another expert from the hospitality industry.

For Assam, the initiative also offers an opportunity to project the State’s identity internationally. “A professionally developed luxury cruise experience could combine the Brahmaputra’s landscape with Assam’s cultural heritage, including traditional music, cuisine, weaving and indigenous traditions,” Pal said.

Sonowal said that India’s “revived and rapidly improving inland waterways” are attracting major global players, while highlighting the participation of Assam-based entrepreneurs in the initiative.

Significantly, the involvement of Assam Bengal Navigation is particularly important as it represents a bridge between local expertise and international cruise-tourism capabilities.

Assam Bengal Navigation has been operating river cruises on the Brahmaputra and Ganga for the last several years. The company currently offers luxury cruise itineraries on both waterways, including journeys through Assam covering destinations such as Kaziranga and Majuli.

Experts believe that Assam Bengal Navigation partnership with global luxury cruise company Scenic Group could be a major expansion of luxury river cruising on the Ganga and Brahmaputra.

The proposed collaboration could help integrate Assam’s existing river-tourism ecosystem with global standards and markets.

“If implemented as planned, the Rs 750-800 crore investment over the coming decade could thus have implications extending beyond luxury tourism, potentially supporting employment, local enterprise, infrastructure development and the international positioning of Assam and the Northeast as river-based tourism destinations,” Pal said.

Guwahati, Sept 17: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on Thursday, said the government has so far spent around Rs 1,000 crore under the Chief Minister’s Atmanirbhar Asom Abhijan (CMAAA), as he urged young entrepreneurs to use the assistance effectively and build sustainable businesses.

“Our objective is to ensure that our youth have a bright future. We want to provide them with the means to develop their investments and enterprises,” he said at a distribution ceremony at Jyoti-Bishnu Antorjatik Kala Mandir, Khanapara, Guwahati.

More than Rs 278 crore in financial assistance was distributed to 82,219 entrepreneurs under CMAAA 1.0 and 2.0, marking the launch of the government’s month-long “Seva Sankalp Abhiyan”.

According to the government, CMAAA 1.0 covers 9,578 entrepreneurs, while CMAAA 2.0 covers 72,641.

Of the CMAAA 1.0 beneficiaries, 9,552 are from the general category and 26 from the professional category. Under CMAAA 2.0, there are 72,447 general-category and 194 professional-category entrepreneurs.

“This year, we will add another 50,000 candidates. I believe the CMAAA family can eventually expand to five lakh beneficiaries. But this will be possible only when the candidates succeed,” Sarma said.

Under the scheme, entrepreneurs in the general category are eligible for Rs 2 lakh, while those in the professional category are eligible for Rs 5 lakh.

Himanta Biswa Sarma addressing the beneficiaries at Jyoti-Bishnu Antorjatik Kala Mandir (Photo: @himantabiswa / X)

The assistance comprises 50% grant and 50% interest-free loan, besides skill development training and marketing support.

The Chief Minister said beneficiaries receiving the initial Rs 25,000 had been invited alongside those receiving subsequent instalments so they could learn from entrepreneurs who had already established their businesses.

“We have invited both groups so that those receiving Rs 25,000 can take inspiration from those who have progressed,” he said.

Sarma also urged banks to extend further credit support to CMAAA beneficiaries after they received the full assistance.

“After they receive Rs 2 lakh, we have asked the banks to consider involving them in schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana and PMEGP,” he said.

Explaining the disbursement process, Sarma said beneficiaries initially receive Rs 75,000, followed by Rs 25,000 after completing three days of training.

After the first Rs 1 lakh is disbursed, their businesses are assessed to determine whether the funds have been properly utilised.

“After the first Rs 1 lakh is disbursed, we analyse the beneficiaries and, through CM Fellows, provide them with support. After a year, we approach the beneficiaries and assess whether the funds have been utilised properly. Once we are satisfied that the first Rs 1 lakh has been used well, we provide the next Rs 1 lakh,” Sarma said.

He said around 12,000 beneficiaries received the full Rs 2 lakh last year. “The remaining 13,000 could not receive the next Rs 1 lakh because they were not eligible at that stage. Of these 13,000, 9,578 have now become eligible to receive the additional Rs 1 lakh,” he added.

Sarma said this meant that of the original 25,000 beneficiaries, around 21,000 had ultimately become eligible for the full Rs 2 lakh, while around 4,000 did not qualify for the subsequent assistance.

He said some beneficiaries had also secured government jobs and informed the authorities that they were no longer able to utilise the scheme’s assistance for their businesses.

Sarma cautioned beneficiaries that the sustainability of the scheme would depend on how effectively the financial assistance was used.

“If the scheme is not utilised well, it will have to be closed. If we have to close it, the future of our youth will be affected. A significant amount of funds is required to run this scheme,” Sarma said.

He said the government’s primary objective was to create employment opportunities and encouraged young people to become entrepreneurs and job creators.

“The success stories of our young entrepreneurs should be loud enough to drown out negativity and show Assam the immense talent, courage and potential that exists among our youth,” he said.

Guwahati, Sep 17: The Gauhati High Court said the Assam administration appears to be “misusing” the law while demolishing 21 dwelling units on private agricultural land in Goalpara district.

Hearing a petition filed by 21 people whose houses on their own farmland were razed to the ground earlier this month, Justice Devashis Baruah said that prima facie, it showed that there was no imminent danger to justify such drastic action of demolishing houses on private land.

“Rather, it also prima facie appears to be a misuse of the Disaster Management Department Act, 2005,” said the order passed on September 11.

The high court granted the district commissioner as well as the circle officer an opportunity to file affidavits regarding the proceedings.

Justice Baruah also took note of the additional affidavit filed by the petitioners that included photographs of the demolition carried out and the losses suffered, which have been brought on record.

The judge asked the authorities to file a response to this additional affidavit, after which the court will decide on compensation for the victims if the demolition exercise undertaken by the district commissioner and the circle officer is found to be unauthorised by law.

The high court has fixed the matter for the next hearing on October 13.

On September 5, the circle officer of Matia in Goalpara issued notices, asking the owners to demolish their houses within 24 hours or face legal action.

During the early hours of September 7, the dwelling units of the 21 petitioners, all of whom are Muslims, were demolished.

In its earlier order on the day of the demolition, Justice Baruah had observed that the actions of Respondent No 3, the circle officer, prima facie appeared to be “illegal, unauthorised and violative of the principles of natural justice”, which is a facet of Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

“It is absolutely unthinkable in the present day when there are galore of settled principles that such notices were issued in this manner without providing even an opportunity to the petitioners. Further to that, the notices do not reflect any imminent danger to invoke such drastic powers on private lands,” he had said.

The court cited the Assam Agricultural Land (Regulation of Reclassification and Transfer for Non-Agricultural Purpose) Act, 2015, under which no permission is required from the deputy commissioner when agricultural land, not exceeding one bigha, is intended to be used or transferred for construction of one’s own dwelling house, provided the construction is limited to a two-storey structure.

The notices by the circle officer showed that the patta land parcels belonged to the petitioners, it had added.

A flood warning, an election result, and a cultural feature may arrive through the same phone screen, but they do not ask the same thing of a reader. Regional news typography must help people spot urgency, understand place names, and move between English and local-language coverage without losing trust. That makes type more than decoration: it becomes part of the delivery system.

                                  Figure 1. The three-part reading path for time-sensitive mobile news.

 Start With the Moment of Use

Before choosing a font, map the reading situation. A commuter may see only a lock-screen headline; a rural reader may be on a slower connection; another reader may open an in-depth report in the evening. The hierarchy should therefore survive interruption and imperfect conditions.

News moment

Typographic priority

Practical choice

Breaking alert

Immediate recognition

Short headline, sturdy sans serif, strong weight contrast

Live update

Fast scanning

Time stamps, tabular numerals, compact spacing

Explainer

Sustained reading

Comfortable measure, generous leading, restrained emphasis

Culture feature

Editorial character

Expressive headline face paired with a quiet text face

                           Figure 2. Illustrative editorial priority scores, not audience-performance data.

Make Language Support a Reporting Requirement

A font that looks polished in English can fail when Assamese names, diacritics, currency symbols, or numerals enter the story. Test real copy, not a designer’s alphabet sample. Build a specimen from district names, public offices, dates, weather units, election figures, and quotations.

This is also where a newsroom should decide whether an off-the-shelf family is enough. A broad retail family may work when its script coverage and technical quality already match the publication. Custom font design becomes useful when the newsroom needs distinctive headline forms, additional language support, special symbols, or a tightly controlled range of widths for crowded mobile modules. A variable font can reduce the number of separate files while giving designers a continuous range of weight or width, but only if the publishing platform and performance budget are tested.

A useful pre-publication check includes:

· complete glyph coverage for every published script;

· clear distinction between similar letterforms and numerals;

· consistent punctuation, quotation marks, and rupee symbols;

· stable line breaks on common mobile widths.

“If a name, number, or warning becomes ambiguous, typography has stopped being a style choice and become an editorial risk.”

Give Headlines and Interfaces Different Jobs

One typeface can carry the whole product, but two coordinated voices often work better. A serif can add authority and local editorial character to features, while a sans serif keeps alerts, navigation, captions, and live blogs crisp. The distinction should be functional, not ornamental.

                     Figure 3. An illustrative role comparison; final choices must be tested in the required scripts.

 What Brand Systems Can Teach Newsrooms

Large service brands face a newsroom-like problem: one identity must remain clear across many devices and contexts. Telefónica commissioned Telefonica Sans as part of a broader brand system. Plugsurfing, an EV-charging platform, used a customized version of TT Fors to bring consistency to digital touchpoints. The lesson is not to imitate either look. It is to specify roles, languages, weights, symbols, and screen behavior before rollout.

For a regional publisher, that specification might reserve a condensed weight for short alert labels, tabular figures for results pages, and a calmer text style for analysis. Documenting these choices prevents every desk or vendor from solving the same problem differently.

Editors exploring retail families, variable fonts, or custom development can use TypeType as a practical reference point, then test candidates against real regional headlines and interface states. 

License the Delivery, Not Just the Design

A desktop license may cover layout work but not automatically cover a news website, mobile app, e-paper, social template, or third-party distribution. Confirm rights before launch and keep the license record with the design system.

Use case

Question to confirm

Editorial desktops

How many users may install the files?

Website and e-paper

Are webfont use and traffic limits covered?

Mobile news app

Does the license permit embedding in an app?

Social and video

Are static graphics and motion outputs allowed?

Custom font

Who may use, modify, and redistribute the final files?

Avoid the Four Failures Readers Notice First

· Shrinking instead of editing: A long headline at 20 pixels is still a long headline; rewrite it.

· Using color as the only signal: Urgency must remain visible to color-blind readers and in poor displays.

· Skipping numerals: Election counts, rainfall, dates, and prices expose weak spacing quickly.

· Testing one language at a time: Mixed-script headlines can change rhythm, height, and line breaks.

A Compact Newsroom Test

Before approval, place the candidate type system into one alert, one live update, one 800-word report, one photo caption, and one bilingual headline. Review those samples on a low-cost phone as well as a desktop. If the hierarchy remains obvious, names stay intact, numbers align, and the licensing matches every channel, the typography is ready to carry the news.

(The views, opinions, and claims in this article are solely those of the author’s and do not represent the editorial stance of The Assam Tribune)

Guwahati, September 17: Teer Result is a lottery game. People who buy tickets for the Juwai Teer game can check the lucky number for the first and second rounds, here Winners are decided on the basis of the number of arrows shot in a particular round.

Juwai Teer Result is based on an archery game organized by Club Juwai

The teer lottery is a legal game governed by rules framed under the Meghalaya Amusement and Betting Tax Act.

Juwai Teer Results , September 17, 2026:

First Round (1.30 PM) : 39

Second Round (2.15 PM) : 05

Imphal, Sept 17: Of 608 deaths reported from relief camps housing internally displaced people (IDPs) in Manipur, post-mortems were conducted in only 20 cases, a figure that has raised questions over how deaths in the camps were investigated.

The figures were placed before the Supreme Court during a hearing on Thursday, where the Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana questioned why post-mortems had not been conducted in all cases of unnatural deaths.

The court has now directed the Manipur Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report on 25 unnatural deaths reported from relief camps, including their causes, post-mortem findings and measures taken to prevent similar incidents.

The Bench also sought an explanation for the payment of only Rs 20,000-Rs 30,000 to families of those who suffered unnatural deaths, despite compensation of Rs 5 lakh-Rs 10 lakh being contemplated for affected families.

The proceedings were part of a batch of petitions concerning the investigation, protection, relief and rehabilitation of people affected by the ethnic violence that erupted in Manipur in 2023.

The figures on deaths in relief camps were contained in a report submitted by an IAS officer stating that 608 deaths had occurred in relief camps, while post-mortems had been conducted in only 20 cases, before the court.

Speaking exclusively to The Assam Tribune on Thursday, L. Surchandra, former coordinator of Mekola Relief Camp in Imphal West, said he encountered four deaths during his tenure -one unnatural and three natural. He said a post-mortem was conducted in one of the natural-death cases.

One reported case of unnatural death at the camp involved 20-year-old Sukham Chanu Devi, who died by suicide at Mekola Relief Camp on January 7, 2025.

The experience at Mekola offers a ground-level perspective to the wider issue now being examined by the Supreme Court.

The prolonged displacement has also raised concerns over the protection and well-being of children.

Keisam Pradip Kumar, chairman of the Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MCPCR), told The Assam Tribune that the Commission had strongly recommended a “State Action Plan for Transitional Support” for children living in relief camps.

According to Pradip Kumar, the proposed plan should provide for protection, educational support, access to all government-sponsored schemes available to IDPs and a mental-health support system, among other measures.

He identified protection and privacy as major concerns contributing to mental-health distress among people living in relief camps, stressing the need for stronger support systems for displaced families.

Pradip Kumar also said the Commission had taken up several suo motu cases relating to IDP children.

Meanwhile, the court was apprised of the progress of investigations into cases arising from the Manipur violence.

Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati informed the Bench that 42 Special Investigation Teams (SITs) had been constituted across eight districts to investigate the cases.

Chargesheets have been filed in 302 cases, closure reports in 1,583 cases, while 1,135 cases remain under investigation. Trials have commenced in 38 cases. The Court took the figures on record.

The Bench was also apprised of cases being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Former Maharashtra DGP Dattatray Padsalgikar, appointed by the Supreme Court to supervise the CBI investigations, submitted his 16th status report dated September 8.

The report recorded that the CBI had filed final reports in 28 cases, including six closure reports, of which four had been accepted.

The Court noted that the CBI cases involve 978 cited witnesses, of whom only six have been examined so far. There are currently 38 accused persons in custody in these matters.

The pace of CBI trials was also discussed during the hearing. Advocate Nizamuddin Pasha submitted that the Special CBI Court at Guwahati was handling several other matters in addition to the Manipur cases, limiting the number of days that could be devoted to the latter.

He also pointed to logistical difficulties in examining witnesses remotely and the need to secure the areas from which vulnerable witnesses appear.

CJI Surya Kant said the Court had already communicated its concerns to the jurisdictional CBI court and expressed confidence that the High Court would ensure that the Manipur cases received adequate attention.

“Let’s see for some time…if further intervention is required, we will do that,” the CJI said.

The Bench also observed that there may be a need to create two additional special NIA courts in Assam.

“Once (additional) NIA courts are created and pressure eases, we are sure that CBI courts will be able to deal with only Manipur cases,” CJI Kant observed.

The Supreme Court had on August 10 urged the authorities to consider setting up two trial courts exclusively to deal with Manipur violence cases investigated by the CBI and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The latest hearing comes as authorities continue to deal with the consequences of the violence, including prolonged displacement and the challenges surrounding the protection, rehabilitation and eventual return or resettlement of affected people.

Dubai, Sep 17:  Tavengwa Mukuhlani has been appointed as the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) new deputy chairperson until November 2027.

Mukuhlani, who currently serves as the Chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket and represents the nation on the ICC Board, is set to take over the position from Imran Khwaja, following the latter’s departure.

Mukuhlani is a member of the ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs (F&CA) and Nominations Committees, and he leads the HR and Remuneration Committee. He is set to become the first Zimbabwean to hold the position of Deputy Chair of the ICC.

His appointment comes at a crucial time for African cricket, as Zimbabwe prepare to co-host the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 with South Africa and Namibia. Drawing on his significant leadership experience at Zimbabwe Cricket and regional knowledge, Mukuhlani will offer important guidance as the ICC returns the major tournament to Africa for the first time in 24 years.

“I am deeply honoured by the confidence placed in me by my fellow ICC Board Directors and grateful for the opportunity to serve as Deputy Chair of the ICC. I look forward to working closely with our Chairman, Mr. Jay Shah, whose leadership, energy and ambition have brought a clear sense of purpose to the ICC, with a strong focus on growing cricket, creating opportunities for our Members and reaching new audiences and markets.

“Cricket is entering an exciting period, particularly with its return to the Olympic Games and continued global expansion. I look forward to supporting our Chairman, Mr. Jay Shah and fellow board directors in advancing our shared priorities and serving the best interests of cricket globally,” Mukuhlani said on his appointment.

ICC Chairman, Jay Shah said, “I warmly congratulate Tavengwa Mukuhlani on his election as Deputy Chair of the ICC. His experience in cricket administration, understanding of the global game and commitment to its development will be invaluable to the ICC Board.

“Tavengwa has earned the confidence of his fellow Directors, and I look forward to working closely with him to strengthen cricket across our Members and create greater opportunities for the game to grow worldwide. His election is also a significant milestone for Zimbabwe, as he becomes the first Zimbabwean to serve as Deputy Chair. With cricket expanding globally and returning to the Olympic Games, strong leadership will be vital. I wish Tavengwa every success in his new role,” he added.

--IANS

Dubai, Sep 17:  Sri Lanka’s young left-handed batter Sonal Dinusha has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for August 2026, earning the prestigious honour for the first time in his career after a sensational run of form against India.

Dinusha was the standout performer in Sri Lanka’s two-match home Test series against India, which the hosts lost 1-0. He finished as the highest run-scorer from either side with 420 runs at an outstanding average of 140.

The all-rounder began the series with a century in the opening Test at the Galle International Stadium. He followed it with a determined 84 in the second innings, even though Sri Lanka eventually lost by 165 runs.

Dinusha delivered an even more impressive display in the second Test at the SSC Ground in Colombo. With Sri Lanka aiming to avoid a series sweep, he scored 103 in the first innings and was unbeaten on 133 in the second, helping the hosts secure a hard-fought draw.

His performances saw him finish the series with three centuries and a half-century, and he was also named Player of the Match in Colombo.

“This recognition means so much to me, especially so early in my career, and I’m truly grateful to the ICC for this honour. The series against India will always hold a special place in my heart. Scoring three centuries was a dream come true, made even more meaningful by achieving them in Colombo and Galle in front of our home fans,” Dinusha said on the recognition.

“Although we didn’t get the overall result we hoped for, the way our team fought back in the second match showed the character, belief and determination we have as a side. I’m proud to have shared that fight with my teammates,” he added.

Dinusha, who made his Test debut against Bangladesh in a home series last year, has quickly established himself as a key player for Sri Lanka in the longest format.

“Representing Sri Lanka is a privilege I never take for granted, and this recognition gives me even more motivation to keep learning, improving and contributing to the team. I’ll continue to give my very best for Sri Lanka in the months and years ahead,” he said.

Dinusha was shortlisted for the award alongside England seamer Ollie Robinson and Bangladesh fast bowler Hasan Mahmud.

Robinson impressed during England’s home Test series against Pakistan, taking 16 wickets in August, including career-best figures of 8-80 in the opening Test at Headingley and 8-35 at Lord’s.

Mahmud, meanwhile, played a key role in Bangladesh’s historic Test victory over Australia in Darwin. He took six wickets in the first innings and three in the second as Bangladesh secured a famous win, with the two-match series eventually ending 1-1.

However, it was Dinusha’s remarkable batting exploits against India that earned him the ICC Men’s Player of the Month award for August.

--IANS

New Delhi, Sep 17:  Chinese‑made connected devices from port cranes to buses sold to Western countries pose growing security risks to them if left unchecked through a common methodology to assess risks, a new report has said.

The report from Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) said Chinese ZPMC cranes supplied to American ports contained cellular modems that could bypass firewalls, gather information and disrupt cargo handling.

Similarly, Yutong buses sold to Oslo contained connected battery and power controls that could allow the buses to be rendered inoperable by the manufacturer, the report said.

"Chinese connected vehicles carry cameras, microphones, and location sensors that gather data. Chinese-supplied apps, such as Hikvision’s Hik-Connect, send phone and SIM card identifiers to Chinese servers," the report said.

The publication urged allied countries of the EU to avoid instituting counterproductive sovereignty requirements, and to plan for a shared response that limits exposure by private purchase of Chinese consumer goods.

The think tank also highlighted concerns about Chinese‑supplied apps that transmit phone and SIM identifiers to servers in China and about connected vehicles and cameras that collect cameras, microphones and location data that could be aggregated to reveal sensitive infrastructure and military movements.

An ordinary private purchase by a family of a Chinese-built affordable solar inverter could compound into a structural threat if the manufacturer can change the operation of thousands of these devices and threaten the grid.

The International Energy Agency has warned about blackouts from malicious software updates to inverters and actors with connected capacity could spread disruption across borders before grid operators restore control, the publication said.

The report urged allies to adopt a common methodology, namely Digital Strategic Exposure (DSE), to assess risks across devices, cloud, subcontractors and jurisdictions and to limit “dangerous digital leverage”.

"Under DSE, Europe would gain a legally defensible way of making decisions to exclude Chinese products where risks cannot be contained, without unnecessarily excluding American technology. Partners could compare their reasoning without sharing confidential evidence," it noted.

—IANS

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Kolkata, Sep 17:  The Calcutta High Court on Thursday allowed former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to hold a public meeting at Sreerampore Court Maidan at Sreerampore in Hooghly district on September 26 while capping the maximum participation at 1,000.

A single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya also fixed the time limit of the public meeting between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Justice Bhattacharya also said that there should be no rally or procession after the public meeting and nothing could be done by the organisers to disrupt the smooth traffic movement on the nearby busy Grand Trunk Road.

Although the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress wanted to hold the meeting at Sreerampore with a participation of 2,000 party activists, the state government had objected, saying that the Sreerampore Court Maidan area was quite narrow and since the former Chief Minister is entitled to Z-plus category security, some space had to be left open in front for security reasons.

If 2,000 people gathered outside that remaining area, there was a possibility of trampling, the state government counsel argued.

However, the Trinamool counsel and MP Kalyan Banerjee countered by saying that the state's argument was not correct, since recently 50,000 people gathered at the same place on the occasion of a programme by acclaimed singer Shreya Ghosal.

After hearing the arguments of both sides, Justice Bhattacharya ruled that a maximum of 1,000 people could assemble at the public meeting.

Earlier, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction wanted to conduct a public meeting followed by a rally at Sreerampore on September 11.

However, due to complications surrounding police permission, the matter reached the Calcutta High Court. Then the same single-judge bench allowed her to hold a meeting at the Snanpiri Maidan at Mahesh in Sreerampore.

However, the board of trustees of the adjacent Jagannath temple approached the High Court to challenge the single-judge bench order. They said that the Snanpiri Maidan was private property, and it had been decided that no political programmes would be allowed there.

Thereafter, the division bench referred the matter back to the same single-judge bench of Justice Bhattacharya. Finally, on Thursday, Justice Bhattacharya’s bench gave conditional permission for the public meeting at a different location of the Sreerampore Court Maidan.

--IANS

Mumbai, Sep 17:  Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn, actors Anil Kapoor, Tiger Shroff and producer Boney Kapoor have shared heartwarming birthday wishes for PM Modi on his 76th birthday on Thursday.

Ajay took to his X, formerly Twitter, and penned a note for PM Modi, as he wrote, “Happy Birthday, @narendramodi ji! Watching you serve this nation, year after year, tirelessly and selflessly, is a reminder of what true seva looks like. Your commitment to the people of India, especially the last person in the last row, has always moved me deeply. On your birthday, I pray for your continued good health and strength, so that your journey of service to Bharat continues for many more years to come. Jai Hind”.

Actor Anil Kapoor shared 2 pictures of himself from his meeting with the PM, as he wrote, “Wishing our Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, a very happy birthday. Here’s to good health, strength and another year of dedicated service to the nation. @narendramodi”.

His elder brother Boney Kapoor wrote, “Warmest birthday wishes to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji on his 76th birthday @narendramodi May you be blessed with good health, strength and many more years of dedicated service to the nation”.

He further mentioned, “On this special occasion, let us take a collective Seva ka Sankalp, a resolve to bring more kindness, more compassion, and more humanity into our everyday lives. Let us serve others with humility, care for those in need, lend a helping hand without expectation, and strive to make a positive difference in the lives around us. May this spirit of Seva inspire us to build a kinder, more compassionate and stronger India”.

Tiger Shroff wrote, “What a beautiful celebration. Honoured to be a part of #SevaKaSankalp on the birthday of our Hon. PM @narendramodi ji. May we all take a step towards serving more, giving more and making a difference in the lives of those around us. Jai Hind”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi turned 76 on Thursday with birthday wishes pouring in from several celebrities and public figures. He has served as India's Prime Minister since May 2014. Over the years, his leadership has focused on initiatives such as Digital India, Make in India, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and infrastructure development. His birthday is often marked by public events, welfare activities, and community service initiatives organized by supporters and various organizations.

--IANS

Mumbai, Sep 17:  Actress Shilpa Shetty visited Lalbaugcha Raja in Mumbai on Wednesday along with her sister Shamita Shetty and friends to seek the blessings of Lord Ganesha during the ongoing Ganeshotsav celebrations.

The actress caught attention with her traditional festive look, especially her statement jhumkas, which she was heard describing as 100 years old.

In a video from the visit, Shilpa can be seen dressed in an elegant saree, paired with a sleeveless, high-neck maroon blouse. The actress completed the look with traditional jewellery, including the vintage jhumkas, bangles and rings, while keeping her hair neatly styled.

Shamita accompanied her sister in a royal blue ethnic ensemble.

The sisters were seen making their way through the crowded Lalbaugcha Raja pandal and offering their prayers. Shilpa was also heard requesting the authorities for some time to speak to the Mushak, Lord Ganesha’s vahana or mouse, as part of a popular devotional tradition.

In the video, Shilpa can be heard saying that she wanted to say something in Mushak’s ear. The tradition involves devotees whispering their wishes or prayers into Mushak’s ear with the belief that the divine vehicle will convey their desires to Lord Ganesha.

The actress appeared keen to follow the ritual but was denied permission considering heavy wave of devotees who wanted to seek darshan of Lalbaug cha Raja.

For the uninitiated, Shilpa has been a regular participant in Mumbai’s Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and is known for celebrating the festival with her family.

The actress who welcomed Lord Ganpati for one and a half day at her home, was seen dancing her heart out during the visarjan on Tuesday.

–IANS

Suva, Sep 17:  India's High Commissioner to Fiji, Suneet Mehta, on Thursday offered condolences on the passing of Fiji's Minister for Employment, Productivity,and Industrial Relations, Agni Deo Singh.

Signing the condolence book, the envoy and hailed Agni Deo Singh's role in strengthening bilateral ties.

"High Commissioner Suneet Mehta signed the Condolence Book for the late Hon. Agni Deo Singh, Minister for Employment, Productivity & Industrial Relations of Fiji. India extends its deepest condolences to the Government and people of Fiji, and to the bereaved family. We honour his dedicated service to Fiji and his valued contribution to strengthening the enduring India–Fiji partnership. He will be deeply missed. May he rest in eternal peace," the Indian High Commission in Fiji posted on X.

Earlier, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita offered condolences on the passing of Agni Deo Singh.

"My heartfelt condolences on the sad passing away of Honourable Agni Deo Singh, Minister for Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations of Fiji. I pray for strength and solace to his family in this moment of profound grief. May his soul rest in peace," he said, as per the Indian High Commission in Fiji.

Agni Deo Singh passed away in Australia's Brisbane on September 12, as per the Office of Fiji's PM.

Fiji's PM Sitiveni Rabuka offered condolences to Singh's family, loved ones, colleagues and friends, The Fiji Times reported. He hailed Agni Deo Singh's contribution to Fiji, particularly his service to workers.

"Prime Minister Rabuka acknowledges the late Honourable Singh’s dedicated service to the workers and people of Fiji and his invaluable contribution to the Government and the nation."

The funeral of Agni Deo Singh is set to take place on Sunday, The Fiji Times reported. Condolence books have been opened at the Ministry’s offices in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa for members of the public who want to pay tribute to him.

--IANS

Puri, Sep 17:  International sand artist Manas Kumar Sahu created a special artwork at his studio in Puri to wish Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his birthday. Students of the Sudarshan Sand Art Institute also created a sand-art animation dedicated to the Prime Minister.

Sand artist Manas Kumar Sahu said that he extended his birthday wishes to Prime Minister Modi through the sand animation. He said the artwork tries to show different aspects of the Prime Minister’s political journey and his work for the country.

Referring to Prime Minister Modi’s nearly 25-year political career, Manas Kumar Sahu highlighted topics such as ‘Make in India', the Ram Temple, Article 370, the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and GST. He also mentioned BRICS and ISRO’s Chandrayaan mission. He said that 'Operation Sindoor' was also included in his sand art.

The artist also said that the artwork shows that the Prime Minister's birthday falls on the day of Vishwakarma Puja. He connected Lord Vishwakarma with nation-building and skills related to construction, and described the Prime Minister as someone contributing to nation-building.

According to the artist, it took around one hour to create this special sand artwork.

On this occasion, students from the Sudarshan Sand Art Institute also created a sand artwork to wish the Prime Minister a happy birthday. One student stated that they prepared this pictorial artwork of the Prime Minister to convey greetings on his 76th birthday.

The student added that the sand animation and artwork created in Puri were part of a special sand art presentation organised to mark the Prime Minister's birthday. Artists and students extended birthday wishes to him through their creativity and depicted various episodes from his public life in their artworks.

The Prime Minister has been receiving greetings on his 76th birthday from around the country and from global leaders as well, who have all wished him good health on the big day.

--IANS

Guwahati, Sept 17: A group of 27 Bangladesh nationals were held in Guwahati and Bongaigaon after allegedly entering India through Meghalaya’s Dawki route on Wednesday.

The group had allegedly planned to use Guwahati as a transit point before proceeding to different parts of the country, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Border Branch, Srimanta Shekhar said on Thursday.

The DCP said the group had been facilitated by a network of agents to enter India. Of the 27 people apprehended, 16 were men and 11 were women and children.

According to the DCP, the group comprised people from Bagerhat, Sonargaon, Dhaka and other districts of Bangladesh.

They travelled by bus from Mymensingh district to the Bangladesh-Meghalaya zero point before entering Meghalaya on foot through Dawki.

From Meghalaya, they travelled to Jorabat in four-wheelers and then took auto-rickshaws from Jorabat to Paltan Bazar in Guwahati.

“We received inputs that a few people from Bangladesh had entered Assam through Meghalaya and would use Guwahati as a transit route. Based on the inputs, we received their videos and photographs and informed senior officers. The group had come to the Paltan Bazar ASTC campus and accordingly, the ICE, Paltan Bazar, Border Branch apprehended them,” the DCP said.

The apprehended persons were taken to the Panbazar Border Branch office for further interrogation. During questioning, police learnt that another group travelling with them had boarded the Jammu-Tawi Express bound for Jammu.

The police team immediately alerted the SRP, Panbazar, as well as the Railway Protection Force (RPF).

“As the RPF has an escort party and conducts checks on trains, the other group was intercepted after crossing Rangia and handed over to the GRP at Bongaigaon. In the entire operation, we held 12 Bangladesh nationals in Guwahati and 15 in Bongaigaon. Further legal formalities are underway and we will very soon try to send them back to their country,” the DCP said.

The Border Branch is continuing its investigation to identify the agents who allegedly facilitated their entry into India and determine the amount of money paid for the arrangements.

Bengaluru, Sep 17:  A 26-year-old nurse was allegedly attacked with acid and subsequently assaulted with a machete by her husband in full public view near Narayana Clinic in J.P. Nagar Third Phase on Thursday morning. The victim, identified as Madhumita, is currently undergoing treatment at an ICU facility in a private hospital and her condition is reported to be critical.

The incident occurred around 9.15 a.m. when Madhumita, who had been working as a nurse at the clinic for around one-and-a-half years, stepped out to have breakfast.

According to the police, her husband Venkatesh had arrived on a motorcycle and was waiting for his estranged wife near the clinic. The couple had reportedly been living separately for around a year and were not in contact with each other.

Venkatesh allegedly chased Madhumita when she came out of the clinic. She ran towards the cellar parking area of the clinic, where the accused allegedly caught hold of her and threw acid on her. He then allegedly grabbed her by the hair and attacked her repeatedly with a machete.

The assault reportedly took place in full public view. Several people raised an alarm and attempted to intervene, but the accused allegedly waved the machete at those who tried to approach him. Some members of the public reportedly attempted to rescue Madhumita by pelting stones at the accused, but were unable to overpower him.

Police have obtained video recordings of the assault that were made by members of the public. The footage is expected to form part of the investigation into the incident.

The accused was eventually overpowered and taken into custody after a traffic police officer arrived at the spot.

Madhumita, who hails from Kolkata in West Bengal, sustained serious injuries in the attack and was shifted to a private hospital for treatment.

The J.P. Nagar Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the attack and the reason behind Venkatesh allegedly carrying out the acid attack and subsequent machete assault on his wife.

Further investigation is underway in the shocking case.

--IANS

Sonapur, Sept 17: Prayers, flowers and gamusas marked the beginning of “Zubeen Divas” at Zubeen Khetra in Sonapur on Thursday, as people from across Assam gathered to remember artiste Zubeen Garg, a year after his death.

The three-day observance began in the morning with an all-faith prayer, followed by naam recitals that will continue at the memorial through the day.

Admirers arrived at the Khetra carrying flowers and gamusas, with many paying their respects at Garg’s final resting place.

Earlier, the Zubeen Khetra Managing Committee had suspended the lighting of earthen lamps at the venue, citing the safety of admirers expected to throng the Khetra over the three days.

Multi-faith prayers held at Zubeen Kshetra on Thursday 

Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, also visited Zubeen Khetra on Thursday morning and paid tribute to the singer.

Speaking to the press, Garima said she continued to speak to Zubeen and often visited the memorial when she wanted to feel closer to him or seek his advice.

“I speak to him every day. Whenever I feel anxious or want to tell him something or ask for his advice, I come here. I always talk to him. The environment here is different and I feel different whenever I come here. If I have been able to keep going till today, it is because of him,” she said.

She said people visiting the Khetra were expressing their love and respect for Zubeen in their own ways.

“Everyone expresses their love and respect in their own way here. The programmes will continue until around 6 or 6.30 pm today. Tomorrow, there will be cultural programmes, while on the concluding day, Bhagawad paath and bhaona will begin at around 6 pm and continue until about 9 pm,” Garima said.

Garima Saikia Garg paying tribute at Zubeen Kshetra

The memorial has been given a fresh appearance ahead of the programmes, with flowers and gamusas adorning the site and arrangements made for the large number of visitors expected over the next two days.

For many of those arriving at Sonapur, however, the visit is more than an anniversary observance. Since Garg’s death, admirers from different parts of Assam have continued to visit Zubeen Khetra to offer flowers, light lamps or simply spend time at the place where the singer was laid to rest.

As the three-day “Zubeen Divas” continues, Zubeen Khetra has become a gathering point for people seeking to remember the singer through prayer, music, culture and personal memories.

The memorial programme, organised by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs, Government of Assam, in collaboration with the Kalaguru Artists Foundation, will feature multi-faith prayers, naam prasanga, musical performances and traditional cultural programmes from September 17 to 19.

Guwahati, Sept 17: Assam is set to mark a year since the death of cultural icon Zubeen Garg with a series of tribute programmes across the state on September 19, with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) announcing district-level events to honour the artiste and keep his legacy alive.

The programmes organised by the student body will be held at district headquarters under the theme “Puhorore Sakigosi”, bringing together local artistes, students, prominent citizens and members of the public.

AASU president Utpal Sarma said participants would pay tribute to Garg through his music and a range of creative activities.

“On September 19, one year will have passed since we lost our beloved artiste Zubeen Garg. On the call of AASU, the ‘Puhorore Sakigosi’ programme will be organised at every district headquarters. AASU officials, local artistes, students and citizens will come together to publicly perform his timeless song ‘Mayabini’,” Sarma said.

The district-level programmes will feature musical tributes as well as painting competitions, naam recitals, quizzes and tree plantation drives.

The central programme will be organised by AASU at Latasil field in Guwahati, Sarma said.

According to the students’ body, the programmes are aimed not only at remembering Garg but also at highlighting his creative contributions, humanitarian ideals and deep connection with Assam.

Sarma also stressed the need for a structured effort to preserve and promote Garg’s creative works among younger generations.

“One year has passed, and from now on, we need to ensure that Zubeen Garg’s creations are preserved in a planned manner and introduced to the younger generation. His humanitarian ideals and his love for Assam must also be carried forward. The government needs to take an initiative in this regard,” he said.

Sarma said the passage of a year had also not diminished the demand among people for justice for the artiste.

“One question continues to trouble the people of Assam even after a year as to when will our beloved artiste get justice? The regular court proceedings have given people some assurance that the judicial process is moving forward, and therefore people have largely stopped coming out onto the streets,” Sarma said.

However, he maintained that the demand for justice remained strong among Garg’s admirers.

“The concern and anger in the hearts of the people have not disappeared. Until those responsible are given strict legal punishment and people are assured that justice has been delivered to Zubeen Garg, that feeling will remain. Once again, we demand justice for our beloved artiste,” he said.

The programmes will be held as Assam approaches the first anniversary of Garg’s death, with AASU calling for tributes across the state on September 19.

Sribhumi, Sept 17: Nearly 15 years after three unidentified bodies were buried in Assam’s Sribhumi district, their graves were opened in an extraordinary bid to solve the disappearance of a Tripura school teacher.

The exhumation was carried out on Wednesday following an order of the West Tripura Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court to determine whether any of the remains belonged to Ashish Shome, a teacher from Agartala who went missing in 2011.

A team of Tripura Police, including Crime Branch officials, travelled to Sribhumi and, with the assistance of local police, health department personnel and district administration officials, opened all three graves at the Sribhumi Town Graveyard.

The operation was conducted in the presence of executive magistrate Bikash Chetri. Remaining skeletal material from the graves was collected for forensic examination and DNA testing.

Ruhul Amin, an Inspector with the Tripura Crime Branch, said Shome went missing in May 2011 and was suspected to have been abducted. During the investigation, allegations emerged that unidentified extremists had demanded a ransom from his family.

Shome’s wife, Shelly Shome, paid a ransom to an unknown person in the Baraigram area of Sribhumi district, according to the investigation. However, her husband was not released.

A missing-person case was registered in West Tripura, following which police arrested some suspects and began investigating the alleged abduction. Despite the investigation, Shome’s whereabouts could not be established.

The case is currently being heard by the West Tripura CJM Court, Amin said.

“The case is now on trial at West Tripura CJM Court, and as per the instruction of the court, Tripura Police will send the bones to the FSL for DNA testing,” he said.

The three graves were opened after investigators were unable to establish which of the unidentified remains could potentially belong to Shome. The DNA samples collected from the remains will be compared with samples obtained from his family members in Agartala.

An unidentified body had earlier been recovered in the Sribhumi area and buried at the town graveyard after the required legal formalities. A DNA examination carried out during the earlier investigation did not establish a match with Shome, prompting a prolonged legal and investigative process.

Officials said three unidentified bodies had been buried in the area around that period, leading investigators to open all three graves for forensic sampling.

For Shelly Shome, the exhumation could finally offer an answer to a question that has remained unresolved for years, whether her husband is alive or dead.

However, the identities of the exhumed remains and whether any of them belong to Shome will be established only after the DNA test results are received, officials said.

With inputs from PTI

Miami, Sep 17:  Lionel Messi etched his name in the history books once again as he scored the 100th goal for Inter Miami as they secured a 2-0 victory over LIGA MX side Cruz Azul to win the Campeones Cup for the fifth time.

Messi opened the scoring in the 24th minute before Casemiro sealed the victory with a second-half header as Inter Miami lifted the trophy at Nu Stadium on Thursday.

The Argentine superstar made history with his goal, becoming the first player in Inter Miami’s history to reach 100 goals. He achieved the milestone in 115 appearances across all competitions.

Messi’s 100 goals for the club have come across four seasons. He scored 11 goals in 2023, followed by 23 in 2024 and 43 in 2025. He has added 23 goals so far in 2026.

Messi initially arrived in South Florida in the summer of 2023, kickstarting an era of success for the club. He was key in captaining Inter Miami to its historic first four trophies by winning the 2023 League Cup, the 2024 MLS Supporters’ Shield, the 2025 Eastern Conference title and the 2025 MLS Cup

Inter Miami took the lead when Luis Suarez delivered a precise cross from the right, with Messi heading the ball into the net from inside the box.

Cruz Azul had an early opportunity in the sixth minute, but Inter Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair made a fine save to deny Jose Paradela

The Mexican side continued to threaten at times, but Inter Miami held on to their advantage through the first half and most of the second.

Messi then played a key role in the second goal, delivering a corner from the left in the 81st minute. Casemiro rose above the defenders to head the ball home and double the lead.

The goal was Casemiro’s fourth since joining Inter Miami in the summer, while Messi registered his 15th assist across all competitions in 2026.

St Clair made six saves in total and produced another important stop in stoppage time to preserve the clean sheet.

The victory also marked a winning debut for new head coach Cristian Gonzalez, who took charge of Inter Miami for the first time in the championship match.

--IANS

Gangtok, Sept 17: Sikkim escaped casualties despite continuous heavy rainfall triggering a wave of landslides and mudslides across the state on September 16–17, disrupting transport networks, damaging homes and temporarily cutting off several areas.

Critical road corridors across North, South and East Sikkim were blocked by falling debris, rockfalls and mud deposits, with authorities continuing clearance and damage-assessment operations at several locations.

National Highway 10 was temporarily closed to vehicular movement at Bardang, 20th Mile, following a severe morning mudslide that reportedly swept a red passenger vehicle off the roadway. Road clearance operations remained suspended pending safety assessments.

Travel between Dikchu and Mangan was also completely halted following massive landslides at Zin Khola and 5th Mile.

The Dikchu-Singtam route was blocked at both Aapdara and Marchak, while overflowing mountain streams obstructed the Lingdem-Lhaven road at Lyok Kyong in Upper Dzongu.

 Residents in low-lying and vulnerable areas have been advised to remain alert 

Clearance crews were waiting for the rain to subside before deploying heavy machinery.

In Gangtok, mudslides spilled across roads near High Court Fatak and along the Sirik-Bojoghari stretch, reportedly damaging parked vehicles. Additional blockages were reported along Lingee Road near Ambisey Kholsab.

The situation was particularly severe in parts of Gyalshing district, where torrential rainfall since September 12 triggered landslides and flash flooding in Singlitam and Rimbi.

More than 160 residents were evacuated to emergency relief centres after critical infrastructure was damaged.

The main RCC bridge at Rimbi was destroyed, severing an important link along the Melli-Khechuperi-Yuksom corridor and leaving local commuters cut off.

Emergency crews have been working to clear debris, install temporary bamboo footbridges for pedestrians and prepare for the construction of a Bailey Bridge on higher ground to restore vehicular connectivity.

Authorities have also installed floodlights for round-the-clock monitoring of active slide zones and laid emergency pipes to provide water to displaced residents.

Field inspections led by Gyalshing District Collector Tenzing Denzongpa and other officials are underway to assess the extent of the damage. Affected landowners are scheduled to receive disaster relief compensation between September 18 and October 18.

Meanwhile, the Sikkim State Disaster Management Authority has warned that the Rimbi River has changed course, increasing the risk of secondary mudslides along roadside flanks. Residents in low-lying and vulnerable areas have been advised to remain alert and move to designated shelters immediately if instructed.

The adverse weather has also affected residential areas, with landslides and overflowing streams damaging homes and property.

In Lingding, a landslide partially damaged a house, while in Lower Bojoghari, stream water overflowed into Luing Road and the adjoining village, causing extensive property damage.

In Tumin Lingee, ongoing road extension work compounded water runoff, resulting in floodwaters entering the residence of Aadhes Bhattarai and leaving the occupants vulnerable.

 Vehicles severely damaged due to landslides and mudslides in Sikkim

In the Yuksom-Tashiding constituency, Minister-cum-Area MLA Tshering T. Bhutia conducted an emergency field inspection of the collapsed Rimbi-Singlitam road stretch along with local panchayat officials to assess damage to infrastructure and private property.

Bhutia assured affected families of immediate government assistance, including financial support for rebuilding homes on newly purchased land, while outlining temporary measures to restore connectivity.

Authorities continue to advise residents and commuters to exercise extreme caution and avoid non-essential travel on vulnerable mountain routes.

New Delhi, Sep 17:  Defending champions India made a winning start in the 46th Chess Olympiad in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, but their 3-1 win over Thailand was marked by a stunning defeat for Arjun Erigaisi on the top board.

Even though most of the top teams and rating favourites secured 4-0 wins against weaker teams in the Swiss League event, there were notable performances like that by Botswana, who played a fantastic match to hold a strong Brazil side 2-2 despite their players starting the match trailing their opponents by more than 400 Elo on each board.

But Erigaisi's defeat to Thailand’s Prin Laohawirapap was the biggest upset of the day, even though reigning World Champion D Gukesh, Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi won their respective games to secure a 3-1 win for the 2024 winner in the Open section.

Erigaisi had enjoyed the better position for much of the game, but a tactical oversight towards the end allowed Laohawirapap to turn the tables and secure a memorable win.

With both players running short of time, Erigaisi faced an extremely tricky position. He needed to find the third move to defend against the Thai player's threats while keeping his extra pawn and winning chances.

Instead, Erigaisi blundered and let his opponent unleash a dangerous sequence as his king came under attack. He tried to defend till 54 moves when Erigaisi resigned.

On the other boards, Gukesh defeated Alriyami Faris Rashid, Sarin beat Kulpruethanon Thanadon, while Vidit Gujrathi defeated Khumnorkaew Tupfah.

In other matches, Hosts Uzbekistan defeated Jamaica 4-0; top seed United States, playing without their top player Fabiano Caruana, beat Iraq 3.5-0.5; China blanked Uganda 4-0, as did Germany, Azerbaijan, France, Armenia and England among others.

In the women's section, defending champions India blanked Dominican Republic 4-0 with Koneru Humpy, Vaishali Rameshbabu, Vantika Agrawal and Savitha Shri B winning their respective games.

Uzbekistan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, China, the United States, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, France and Poland also won their respective matches 4-0.

--IANS

New Delhi, Sep 17:  The government has reduced the windfall tax and export levies on petrol, diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) as part of its fortnightly review of duties on petroleum products.

According to a Finance Ministry notification, the duty on petrol exports has been cut to Rs 0.5 per litre, comprising Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) of Rs 0.5 per litre, while the Revenue Integration Charge (RIC) remains nil.

For diesel, the duty has been reduced to Rs 20 per litre, comprising SAED of Rs 20 per litre, with no RIC.

In addition, the levy on ATF exports has been lowered to Rs 15 per litre through SAED.

However, there has been no change in the existing excise duty rates on petrol and diesel cleared for domestic consumption, the ministry said.

The government reviews the windfall tax on domestically produced crude oil and export duties on petroleum products every fortnight, depending on movements in global crude oil prices and refinery margins.

The latest revision follows several changes to petroleum export duties in recent months amid volatility in international oil prices and geopolitical tensions.

In the previous revision effective September 1, the government had reduced the export levy on diesel to Rs 1 per litre from Rs 3 per litre and cut the windfall tax on diesel exports to Rs 19 per litre from Rs 24 per litre.

In August, the government had raised the export duty on petrol to Rs 3.5 per litre from Rs 2.5 per litre. The total duty on diesel was increased to Rs 25.5 per litre from Rs 15.5 per litre, while the ATF export levy was raised to Rs 22 per litre from Rs 14.5 per litre.

--IANS

Guwahati, Sept 17: Despite two visits by the Chief Minister to flood-hit Sivasagar and his assurance that reconstruction work would be undertaken, not a single rupee has reached the district nearly two months after the disaster, claimed Sivasagar MLA and Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi on Thursday.

Gogoi made the remark as he began an eight-hour hunger strike near Janata Bhawan in Dispur, demanding relief, compensation and rehabilitation for people in three flood-affected districts of Upper Assam.

Holding photographs of the devastation caused by the floods in Upper Assam, Gogoi began the protest at the site but had to shift it following pressure from the police. He later said he would continue the hunger strike near Ganesh Mandir.

Calling the hunger strike part of a larger democratic movement for the rights and rehabilitation of flood- and erosion-affected people, Gogoi said promised assistance had failed to reach many affected families.

"The Chief Minister visited Sivasagar twice, and I also met him and submitted a memorandum seeking intervention for the three affected districts. He said reconstruction would be undertaken, but so far, not a single penny has been allocated for Sivasagar," Gogoi said.

Renewing his demand for a CBI inquiry into the causes of the floods and alleged lapses in flood management, the Raijor Dal chief called for the removal of Assam Water Resources Minister Sushanta Borgohain and the arrest of Sonari MLA Dharmeswar Kowar and Nazira MLA Mayur Borgohain.

"The government is trying to hide what happened. We want a CBI inquiry to establish what caused this situation and fix accountability. We are demanding the resignation of Sushanta Borgohain," he said.

Gogoi claimed around 60 per cent of roads in Sivasagar had been damaged, and said he had approached ONGC seeking used iron materials to build temporary bridges to restore connectivity in the affected areas.

"People are still unable to return to their homes. The mud that entered their houses has dried and hardened, and they are living in extremely difficult conditions. The government has not done enough to help them rebuild their lives," he said.

The MLA also criticised the government's proposed compensation package, calling the Rs 1.2 lakh announced for affected families and shopkeepers inadequate given the scale of losses.

"We are demanding Rs 10 lakh for affected families and shopkeepers. The government has proposed a much smaller amount, which we have not accepted. That is why we are protesting," he said.

Referring to earlier statements by the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister on addressing Assam's recurring flood problem, Gogoi questioned how far such assurances had translated into action on the ground.

"The Prime Minister said Assam would become an 'A' for Assam, while the Home Minister spoke about digging ponds to address the state's flood problem. But what has happened on the ground? The situation in Charaideo, Sivasagar and Jorhat has worsened," he alleged.

Gogoi warned that if the government failed to accept the demands, a large public protest would be organised in Guwahati on September 23.

"If the government does not respond to these demands even after today's protest, we will organise a massive public demonstration in Dispur on September 23," he said.

He appealed to citizens to join the protest in support of the demand for relief, rehabilitation and accountability in the aftermath of the floods.

Shillong, Sept 17: Eight UDP MLAs in Meghalaya will join the BJP after Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured them that their demands, including those related to coal mining and inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule, would be addressed before the next Assembly elections, leaders of both parties said on Wednesday.

Addressing a public meeting at Byndihati, UDP MLA Kyrmen Shylla claimed their decision followed meetings with Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“We have informed the BJP leadership that eight UDP MLAs have confirmed their decision to join the party,” he said, adding that the number could go up to nine.

Shylla, who represents Khliehriat, said Shah had asked the UDP legislators to complete the joining process within four to five days. However, they sought firm assurances on their demands before switching parties.

He said the BJP had assured them that a committee would be constituted immediately after their joining, and that steps would be initiated to address their demands one by one.

“If you, the BJP, betray us on the assurances you have given, we can leave the very next day,” Shylla said.

He added that the assurances covered issues arising from coal mining, inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, implementation of the Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act, and relocation of the Harijan Colony from Them Iew Mawlong.

“These are the issues on which they have given clear assurances that they will fulfil them before the 2028 Assembly elections. This is the reason that convinced me to join the BJP,” Shylla said. He maintained that the decision was not driven by any resentment against the UDP or its president, Metbah Lyngdoh.

Senior State BJP leader AL Hek told the press that the joining of the UDP MLAs is certain.

“I met the Union Home Minister one-on-one, and he spoke clearly that this is certain,” the Pynthorumkhrah MLA said, adding that the demands raised by the UDP legislators had the BJP’s “full support”.

Shylla, however,denied having any differences with Chief Minister Sangma.

The UDP is currently the second largest constituent of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance with 12 MLAs, two of whom are ministers in the Conrad Sangma-led Government.

If eight of its legislators switch sides, it will significantly alter the ruling coalition’s composition and increase the BJP’s strength in the 60-member Assembly from two to 10.

It will give the BJP more influence over ministerial representation and policy priorities, as the State heads for the Assembly elections in 2028.

The Sangma-headed NPP has 33 MLAs, while its ally HSDP has two members. Two Independent MLAs support the Government, taking the strength of the ruling MDA to 51.

On the Opposition benches, the Trinamool Congress has five MLAs, while the Voice of the People Party (VPP) has four.

With inputs from PTI

New Delhi, Sep 17:  The MEA Fact Check on Thursday warned against several misleading and malicious posts circulating on social media platforms regarding the BRICS Summit, which claimed that several world leaders had fallen ill after attending the event in India.

MEA Fact Check took to the social media platform X and said, "Misleading! We caution against such malicious posts on social media platforms."

MEA Fact Check shared a post by 'First Squawk', which claimed, "BBC reports that multiple world leaders, including South Africa's Cyril Ramaphosa, have reportedly fallen ill following the BRICS summit in India, while reports involving China's Xi Jinping remain unconfirmed."

The fact-checking handle also shared a post by 'unusual_whales', which said, "JUST IN: Numerous world leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and reportedly, but unconfirmed, China's Xi Jinping, have reportedly fallen ill, after attending BRICS summit in India, per BBC."

Another post shared by MEA Fact Check was from 'Raw Egg Nationalist', who posted a video with the caption, "EXCLUSIVE: I can now reveal the first footage of the catering for the BRICS summit that has apparently killed Xi Jinping and Cyril Ramaphosa."

MEA Fact Check also shared a post by a user named 'Dakkadakka', which alleged that leaders, including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Chinese President Xi Jinping, had suffered food poisoning while attending a BRICS event in India. MEA Fact Check termed the claim misleading.

Another post shared by MEA Fact Check was from the 'BRICS News' account on X, which claimed, "JUST IN: South African President Ramaphosa becomes ill after attending BRICS summit in India." MEA Fact Check again termed the claim misleading.

MEA Fact Check also shared a post by 'Emmanuel Kimutai Motelin', which claimed, "DEVELOPING: Multiple world leaders have reportedly fallen ill after attending the BRICS summit in India." The post was also described as misleading.

The fact-checking handle further shared a post by a user named 'Maverick', who wrote, "Two world leaders returning from India in ill health! Maybe the acronym BRICS has another meaning? Both Returned In Catastrophic Shits."

-IANS

Washington, Sep 17:  The International Campaign for Tibet has urged US President Donald Trump to press Chinese President Xi Jinping publicly on Tibet and seek the Panchen Lama’s release, as it raised concerns over reported AI-assisted surveillance of Tibetan groups.

The advocacy organisation issued the appeal on Wednesday (local time) ahead of Xi’s planned Washington visit. It called for talks without preconditions with the Dalai Lama’s representatives and elected Tibetan leaders, and an end to policies it described as forced assimilation.

ICT President Tencho Gyatso said Trump should use the meeting to advance dialogue.

“President Trump must therefore uphold this policy and use his meeting with Xi to press for the resumption of Sino-Tibetan dialogue -- especially at this critical juncture, when China’s new, so-called ‘Ethnic Unity and Progress Law’ threatens the very foundations of Tibetan identity,” she said.

ICT sought the release of the 11th Panchen Lama, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, and other political prisoners. Failing his release, it urged Beijing to allow US officials to meet him independently.

The organisation said Chinese authorities had disappeared him more than 31 years ago.

In a separate statement, ICT cited an Anthropic threat intelligence report covering misuse of its Claude AI models between December 2025 and August 2026.

It also demanded repeal of the Ethnic Unity and Progress Law. ICT alleged political interference in Buddhist institutions, demolition of monastic residences and separation of Tibetan children from their families through state-run boarding schools.

The organisation joined 28 other rights groups in a letter urging Xi to release prisoners of conscience and end transnational repression. The groups also sought changes to laws used to criminalise peaceful expression, religious practice and dissent.

According to ICT’s account, China-based, government-aligned actors targeted the Central Tibetan Administration, Tibetan Buddhist civil society, ICT and Students for a Free Tibet.

The operators used Claude to turn multilingual material into Chinese-language intelligence dossiers, organisational datasets and daily reports. They also collected personal information, monitored social media and gathered floor plans and structural details of religious venues, the statement said.

ICT said Anthropic found operators instructing Claude to adopt “China’s standpoint” and describe the Tibetan administration in exile as an “illegal separatist administration.”

A separate operation used AI to recast foreign reporting critical of China for government intelligence briefings, according to the statement.

“Governments and AI companies must ensure that technologies built to expand human knowledge do not become instruments for authoritarian governments to monitor people, intimidate communities and impose their version of history on the digital world,” Gyatso said.

ICT urged AI providers to block political, religious and ethnic profiling, close abusive accounts and share information about threats. It also called for targeted individuals and organisations to be notified wherever safely possible.

The organisation asked governments, including the US, to investigate the operations and protect affected communities. Neither ICT statement included a Chinese government response to the allegations.

--IANS

Gaza, Sep 17:  The death toll from the collapse of a residential building in western Gaza City rose to 21, including 11 children and six women, with more than 25 injured, local officials and residents have said.

The six-storey Al-Saada building, previously damaged by Israeli bombardment, collapsed in the early hours of Wednesday near the headquarters of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), according to civil defence spokesperson Mahmoud Basal on Wednesday (local time).

The building housed about 100 displaced people, residents said.

Basal said rescue teams saved 45 people and recovered 21 bodies during a 16-hour operation.

Another 35 managed to escape, he added.

Dozens of grieving relatives gathered outside the collapsed building, some digging with bare hands, reports Xinhua news agency.

Louay al-Ajla, 54, lost nearly 10 family members in the collapse.

"I received the news at dawn. It was devastating," al-Ajla said.

Palestinian authorities blamed Israel for restricting heavy machinery and equipment needed for rescue efforts.

The Hamas-run media office in Gaza said in a statement that more than 8,500 missing people remained buried beneath rubble across the Gaza Strip due to difficulties in bringing in heavy machinery and rescue equipment, calling thousands of damaged buildings "ticking time bombs."

Basal added that more than 2,000 residential buildings risk collapse as winter approaches, calling on the so-called "Board of Peace" and ceasefire-guaranteeing countries to facilitate equipment entry, warning of "imminent disasters."

The collapse occurred amid continued ceasefire violations, with no progress in talks between Hamas and Israel despite a ceasefire agreement that took effect in October 2025.

--IANS

New Delhi, Sep 17:  Top ministers on Thursday extended birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he turned 76 and highlighted his 25-year public service journey, crediting his government with driving reforms, welfare measures and development.

Taking to the social media platform X, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw described PM Modi's dedication to public service as an inspiration and wished him good health, long life and continued energy to serve the country.

Meanwhile, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal described PM Modi as a karma yogi dedicated to national service and public welfare.

Goyal noted that government policies under PM Modi had created opportunities for youth, empowered women and farmers and expanded access to development.

He also highlighted free-trade agreements, startups and the Ease of Doing Business framework as measures that had opened global markets for Indian businesses, entrepreneurs and exporters.

Similarly, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said PM Modi's 25-year public service journey had brought what he described as transformational change through reforms, policies and welfare schemes.

Puri cited initiatives including the Swachh Bharat Mission, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, Khelo India, PM Ujjwala Yojana, PM SVANidhi, Jan Dhan Yojana, Ayushman Bharat, PM Awas Yojana, PM-KISAN and Jal Jeevan Mission, saying they had taken development to the grassroots.

He also highlighted reforms in the energy sector, including greater focus on exploration and production, expansion of energy infrastructure and promotion of biofuels and renewable energy.

Puri said India's energy diplomacy had helped the country navigate geopolitical crises and global supply-chain disruptions.

Moreover, Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia said PM Modi had linked India's development aspirations with those of individuals and given a new direction to the country's growth journey. He also highlighted the Prime Minister's 25 years of public service and wished him good health and long life.

--IANS

The future of Assam rests in the hands of its youth – their dreams, their health, and their ability to contribute to society. Protecting this precious human capital from the threats that distracts, deviate those from this objective is our sacred national duty. Narcotic drugs are amongst the most potent threats since they destroy the youth, the whole society, and the nation as a whole. Therefore, it is not just a social responsibility; it is a duty towards building a healthy, resilient and developed Assam, as a part of realising a strong, united, and progressive nation.

The vision of a Viksit Bharat calls for a healthy, capable, and confident generation that can lead the country’s journey towards excellence. The Prime Minister has consistently reiterated the need to build a society free from the scourge of drugs and make young people active partners in nation building. The Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan gives this national resolve a strong social dimension by bringing together the Government, families, educational institutions, communities and citizens around a common agenda.

For Assam, the challenge is significant and demands sustained collective action. Assam’s proximity to the ‘Golden Triangle’, the funnel effect of neighbouring borders, constantly shifting and porous terrains, and the fact that Guwahati is a logistics hub necessitate constant vigilance and surveillance against the peddling and abuse of narcotic substances. In view of this, the Government of Assam has launched an uncompromising and zero-tolerance war on drugs. As part of this anti-drug tirade, an Anti-Narcotics Task Force (ANTF) has been raised. The government has also undertaken massive public disposal drives across the State for systematic destruction of seized substances, besides strengthening interstate and border coordination mechanisms and conducting targeted local crackdowns.

The scale of the anti-drug campaign is also reflected in enforcement data. Assam Police registered 3,361 cases under the NDPS Act in 2025, resulting in 4,754 arrests. In 2026, up to June 30, 1,738 cases had already been registered and 2,593 persons arrested. During 2025-26, 24 successful operations were conducted against transnational and interstate drug cartels. Coordination across the Northeast is, therefore, an essential part of this response.

Yet, the ultimate objective is not simply to seize drugs or arrest traffickers. It is to ensure that no young people ever enter the vicious cycle of addiction. This is where awareness and prevention become crucial. Assam has so far recorded significant outreach under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, covering schools and colleges and reaching out to more than 13.73 lakh students and young people. Over 1.93 lakh people have taken the Nasha Mukt pledge, while 13,028 Nasha Mukt Mitras have registered to support the campaign.

These numbers represent something more important than statistics; they represent a growing human chain that is determined, concerned, willing to speak, listen and act. To transform this campaign into a mass movement, Lok Bhavan, Assam, is launching a “Padayatra” for a Nasha Mukt Assam from September 17 to October 2. This journey will cover 10 districts through selected programmes and ‘Padayatra’ campaigns. The Padayatra is intended as a meaningful public engagement that can take the message of a drug-free Assam directly to communities.

The Padayatra specifically aims to reach the young. Assam’s youth possess the energy and conviction to transform this campaign into a powerful force and create an active deterrent against addiction. I sincerely believe that every playground, every classroom, every skill centre and every cultural institution that nurtures young people has the potential to strengthen the larger fight against drugs.

At the same time, compassion must remain at the heart of our response. Addiction is a serious challenge, but a person struggling with substance dependence should not be isolated. Treatment, counselling, rehabilitation and the opportunity to return to family and society with dignity are equally important.

Assam has been strengthening this humane dimension. The six De-addiction-cum-Rehabilitation Centres functioning under the Directorate of Social Justice and Empowerment in Kamrup (M), Barpeta, Sonitpur, Golaghat, Dibrugarh and Tinsukia and 16 Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts functioning across 14 districts are helping people overcome the scourge of narcotic substances and return to the mainstream. Treatment facilities at LGB Regional Institute of Mental Health, Sonitpur, Jorhat Medical College and Hospital, and AIIMS Guwahati, along with the eight District De-addiction Centres in Dima Hasao, Darrang, Jorhat, Karbi Anglong, Kokrajhar, Sivasagar, Sribhumi and Tinsukia, are working to help those affected by substance abuse. The Nasha Mukt Bharat helpline, 14446, provides another avenue for seeking assistance against substance abuse.

The battle against drugs, however, cannot be left only to the governments and enforcement agencies. The first line of prevention is often the family, educational institutions and social circles. Open communication between parents and their wards, attentive teachers and their advice, responsible communities and their effective behavioural change communication, and supportive peers with their compassionate hands can make a significant difference before addiction becomes a serious concern. Educational institutions must become spaces where young people can speak without fear, seek guidance and discover healthier avenues to pursue their lives.

While enforcement agencies of both the Government of India and the Government of Assam have been pursuing a no-holds-barred approach to control and neutralise the “supply side” of this menace, individual citizen, children, youth, parents, families, civic society organisations, etc., through awareness and concerted action, can support government efforts on the “supply side” and help in totally cutting off the “demand side”.

I believe every household can become a centre of awareness, every educational institution a centre of prevention, every community a source of support, and every citizen an ambassador of a drug-free Assam. ‘Say no to drugs’ should be in the heart of every individual.

My humble appeal to everybody is that we should make the Nasha Mukt Bharat Sankalp a personal and collective pledge to stay away from drugs, to prevent their spread, to support those seeking recovery, to reject the stigma surrounding rehabilitation, and to create opportunities that give our youth purpose and hope. Also, every individual citizen should come forward to inform the national and the State agencies: to partner with the authorities in the war against narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, to help identify, act against and root out the peddlers, networks and infrastructures involved in this evil trade lock, stock and barrel.

As Assam walks towards October 2, let every step strengthen a shared resolve: Nasha Mukt Assam, Swasth Assam, Shaktishali Assam. A drug-free Assam will not only be a resilient Assam; it will be an Assam whose young people are free to dream, free to create and free to contribute in the making of a Viksit Bharat. Come! Let us join hands and participate wholly in the Padayatra to realise the dream of Viksit Assam and Surakshit Assam, and pave the pathway for Viksit Bharat!

There is a small tea stall in Vadnagar, Gujarat, where Narendra Modiji once helped his father serve tea to passengers waiting for trains that often ran late. What deserves more attention than the stall itself is what came after it – nearly two and a half decades of quiet, unglamorous hard work within the organisational discipline of public life, long before most of the country had heard his name.

On October 7, 2001, Modiji took the oath as Chief Minister of a Gujarat still recovering from a devastating earthquake. It was his first real administrative test. Twelve and a half years later, in May 2014, he became Prime Minister of a nation of 1.4 billion people. This September, he completes 25 continuous years at the head of an elected government – 12 as Prime Minister, and the rest as Chief Minister of Gujarat. It is unusual for a political career anywhere in the democratic world to shine through without interruption for this long, let alone survive. The people trust Modiji.

What makes it remarkable is that it has been renewed, repeatedly, by the electoral mandates, by the people themselves. In 2014, Modiji led our party to the first outright parliamentary majority India had seen in three decades. In 2019, that mandate grew larger still. And in 2024, voters brought him back for a third consecutive term, making him only the second Prime Minister in India’s history, after Jawaharlal Nehru, to achieve this. That trust, earned through three national elections, did not come from rhetoric – it came from the hard work that people could see and feel in their own lives.

That intensity in work has rarely slowed. Under Atmanirbhar Bharat, India’s defence production touched a record Rs 1.78 lakh crore in 2025-26 – a figure that would have looked implausible a decade ago, when the country depended far more heavily on imported defence hardware. Digital India, once a policy promise, is now simply how India functions day to day: last year, the UPI payments system processed more than 24,000 crore transactions, and broadband subscriptions crossed 100 crore. These numbers are not abstractions – they describe how differently Indians now pay for a cup of tea, receive a subsidy, or apply for a loan.

That same sense of being seen has reached a region that waited far too long for it. The Northeast, long treated with indifference and apathy by Delhi, has seen a genuine shift in attention to become an “Engine of Growth”. National highway length in the region grew from 10,905 km in 2014 to 16,207 km by last year, while the Brahmaputra is being developed, port by port, into a working transport corridor linking Pandu, Bogibeel, Biswanath Ghat and Neamati. The 100% electrification of Assam’s rail network marks a significant milestone for the region’s development journey. The sustainable peace that people yearned for has finally dawned in the region after Modiji’s sustained focus on achieving it. The region is now the “Ashtalakshmi” of Bharat – a bridge to Southeast Asia, not a frontier to be managed. The scale of new roads, railway lines and river infrastructure suggests this is more than a slogan.

Much of the government’s messaging rests on four categories that it calls the Amrit pillars – Yuva, Nari, Kisan, and Garib Kalyan. It is easy to dismiss such terms, until the numbers behind them are examined. Startup India has helped create more than 2.23 lakh recognised startups by March 2026, generating over 23 lakh direct jobs. Under PM-KISAN, more than Rs 4.27 lakh crore has reached farmers directly across 22 instalments. Jan Dhan Yojana accounts now number over 59 crore, nearly 33 crore of them held by women. Individually, these are welfare statistics. Together, they describe the steady construction of a public system built around dignity rather than dependence.

The real test now lies ahead, and it concerns not politics but delivery. India has set itself two long horizons: Viksit Bharat, the goal of a fully developed nation by 2047, the hundredth year of Independence; and Net Zero by 2070, a commitment that requires manufacturing, shipping, energy and construction to modernise well ahead of the deadline rather than scramble at it. Neither goal will be met by government alone. Indian industry, in particular, has to start building today for the economy by which it will be judged by three and four decades from now – one expected to be both prosperous and environmentally responsible.

What connects a tea stall in Vadnagar to a country now working toward 2047 is a fairly simple habit, repeated for 25 years without pause: showing up, consistently, to work that rarely pays off immediately. Whatever else divides opinion about this government, that discipline – dreaming beyond circumstance, working beyond expectation – remains the thread running through this journey, and it is the same thread India will need as it builds, one mandate and one milestone at a time, towards the future it has set for itself.

Patoda/Beed, Sep 17:  Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil on Thursday announced the suspension of his 20-day hunger strike following his discussion with a government delegation comprising Ministers Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Dadaji Bhuse, MLAs Prasad Lad and Suresh Dhas, and the Beed District Collector.

Following the talks, Jarange Patil granted the government a 90-day deadline, demanding the implementation of the Satara Gazette within three months. He warned that if the government betrays them, he will march to Mumbai. Announcing the suspension of his hunger strike, he clarified that the agitation itself would continue.

Jarange Patil demanded assurances that the 58 lakh identified Kunbi records would not be reduced, offering to provide people to help search for records. He criticised the Shinde Committee for not working and the government for being inattentive, asserting that the battle would not stop until it succeeded. Giving a three-month ultimatum for the Satara Gazette implementation, he stated that antagonising the Maratha community is unacceptable.

He remarked that despite any mistakes by Minister Vikhe Patil, people should treat him with affection, and expressed similar sentiments towards Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, though not at the present moment. He added that he would not stay silent if ministers criticised them and noted that officials who previously avoided talks had finally come to negotiate, emphasising that the community's dignity is more important than reservations.

The government delegation gave him assurances including implementation of the Satara, Kolhapur, Pune, and Aundh Gazettes within three months by issuing a Government Resolution (GR), issuance of a revised GR to grant Kunbi certificates in accordance with the Hyderabad Gazette, continued validation of certificates issued per the Hyderabad Gazette, no reduction in the 58 lakh Kunbi records found by the Shinde Committee and revalidation of the revoked Kunbi certificates of four elected representatives from Marathwada.

Jarange Patil clarified that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are not his enemies, but asked what choice he has when attacked. He requested that good officers be assigned to locate Kunbi records, warning that if the government intends to buy time, the protest will continue. He specifically demanded the validation of the four revoked Kunbi certificates of Marathwada representatives and urged CM Fadnavis to address his key points publicly through a press conference or video statement.

During discussions with the delegation, Minister Vikhe-Patil explained that the Satara Gazette involves a 1,100-page report requiring three to four months of study before taking action. Regarding the Hyderabad Gazette GR, which is currently pending in court, Vikhe-Patil assured that care would be taken to ensure it faces no stay order.

In response, Jarange Patil asked why the Maratha community continues to be overlooked and demanded the immediate implementation of the Satara, Kolhapur, Pune, and Aundh Gazettes via GR.

Pointing to a recent government resolution stating that Hindu Wani, Hindu Vaishya, and Vaishya Wani are the same community, Jarange Patil demanded a similar GR stating that "Maratha and Kunbi are one and the same".

He requested that the GR explicitly mention -- just as it did for other communities -- that Marathas were historically Kunbi during the pre-independence era and were left out of reservations due to an oversight. He said that the commitments regarding 58 Kunbi records must carry the signature of Chief Minister Fadnavis or be publicly assured by him via the media.

BJP MLA Prasad Lad stated that Jarange Patil ended his 20-day hunger strike following requests from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar. Lad affirmed that the government committed to fulfilling the promises made to Jarange within the next 90 days.

Jarange Patil had previously set off for Mumbai to begin an agitation at Azad Maidan on September 19. However, police denied permission due to security concerns and potential operational strain during the Ganesh festival. As Jarange Patil marched toward Mumbai, his health deteriorated after he stopped consuming water and IV fluids. The successful outreach by the government delegation in Beed persuaded him to halt the fast.

Speaking to his supporters, Jarange Patil extended greetings on Marathwada Liberation Day, marking the end of Nizam rule in the region. He assured the community that he would never abandon them and would not back down without securing the Gazette.

Addressing Minister Dadaji Bhuse and MLA Prasad Lad, he emphasised that the government must implement the GR for the Satara, Aundh, and Bombay Gazettes, noting the widespread public support across Western Maharashtra.

He concluded by reiterating that the government must provide written guarantees that not a single Kunbi record out of the 58 lakh records will be removed, and that certificates must be granted in accordance with the Hyderabad Gazette.

--IANS

Aizawl, Sept 17: Cross-border trade between south Mizoram and Myanmar’s Rakhine and Chin states has been suspended indefinitely following a clash between Myanmar traders and volunteers of the Mara Thyutlia Py – the largest Mara youth organisation in Mizoram – at Khaikhy village in Siaha district.

The suspension took effect at 7 pm on Wednesday, according to the Mara Thyutlia Py at headquarters in Siaha.

The decision followed a report submitted by the Mara Thyutlia Py’s Phura sub-headquarters on Monday’s incident near the Salalui river. The report was based on an on-the-spot assessment of the incident.

According to the report, a group of traders and transporters from Myanmar’s Rakhine state confronted Mara Thyutlia Py volunteers manning a duty post near Khaikhy after finding that only a limited quantity of goods was available for transportation across the river.

The Mara Thyutlia Py volunteers regulate the movement of goods at the crossing point. The Myanmar traders, who transport goods purchased on the Indian side in boats, reportedly demanded that more commodities be made available to them. An argument followed and tensions escalated.

The Mara Thyutlia Py volunteers subsequently left the duty post to avoid a physical confrontation, the report said. The Myanmar traders and transporters allegedly damaged and set fire to the post later.

Khaikhy, located at the southern tip of Siaha district, is a major point for informal cross-border trade between south Mizoram and Myanmar. The bulk of the goods transported through the area are destined for Rakhine and Chin states.

The scale of the trade is substantial, with more than 100 pick-up trucks reportedly reaching Khaikhy each day. Over 100 boats then transport the goods along the Salalui river to Salachhuah village in Rakhine state.

The indefinite suspension can affect supplies in parts of western Myanmar, particularly Rakhine and Chin, which have faced severe disruption to their links with the rest of the country following the 2021 military coup.

South Mizoram has emerged as an important source of essential commodities, including fuel, for communities in the neighbouring areas.

New Delhi, Sep 17:  Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday extended warm birthday greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that his journey is filled with service and dedication, and his life is an inspiration for many.

PM Modi was born on September 17, 1950, in Gujarat's Vadnagar. He has served as the Prime Minister since May 26, 2014 -- currently in his third term. He is the longest-serving continuously elected Prime Minister of the country. He is the Member of Parliament from Varanasi.

He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat from 2001 to 2014.

In a post on X, HM Shah said, "Heartfelt birthday wishes to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the symbol of tireless hard work, sacrifice, and foresight."

"The life of Modi ji, who has made karma his sadhana and national service the aim of his life, is an epic tale of penance, sacrifice, and unwavering resolve. His journey, filled with service and dedication, is an inspiration for millions of countrymen," he said.

"I pray to God that he remains long-lived and healthy, and under his leadership, the country continues to scale new heights of progress and moves forward towards achieving the goal of a Viksit Bharat by 2047," the Home Minister added.

Meanwhile, HM Shah will visit Gujarat's Vadnagar on Thursday to flag off the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s 'Vadnagar to Varanasi' Seva Sankalp Bike Yatra as part of a nationwide campaign marking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday and 25 years in public life.

Union Minister Shah will flag off the yatra at 9:30 a.m. from Vadnagar (Gujarat), PM Modi's birthplace, where he will also participate in a series of programmes during the day.

The parallel 'Varanasi to Vadnagar' yatra will begin at the same time from Varanasi, with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu among those expected to attend the launch there.

The twin bike yatras are the main feature of the BJP's 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan', which begins on Thursday.

The party has said the two yatras will together cover about 40,000 km, passing through 193 districts and around 1,159 villages in 10 states.

Around 1,000 young people are expected to participate, with 500 travelling from Vadnagar towards Varanasi and another 500 travelling in the opposite direction.

The yatras are scheduled to conclude on October 7, when PM Modi completes 25 years in public life.

In Vadnagar, Amit Shah's programme will begin at 8:15 a.m. with a Maha Aarti at Sharmishtha Lake, a padayatra, the flag-off preparations for the Vadnagar-Varanasi Seva Yatra and the launch of a cleanliness campaign at the Hatkeshwar Mahadev Temple.

--IANS

Guwahati, Sep 16: The Assam government has announced scholarship assistance worth Rs 194.55 crore for 1,66,124 Scheduled Tribe (ST) students pursuing higher education.

The announcement was made at an event organised by the Tribal Affairs (Plain) Department at the GMCH Auditorium in Guwahati on Wednesday as part of an initiative aimed at promoting educational opportunities and digital literacy among tribal communities.

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu, who also holds the portfolios of Higher Education, Tribal Affairs (Plain) and Information Technology, attended the programme as the chief guest. He said the scholarship amount would be transferred to the beneficiaries’ Aadhaar-linked bank accounts.

Addressing the gathering, Pegu highlighted the importance of digital awareness and literacy in helping students navigate today’s technology-driven environment.

He urged them to acquire digital skills and use technology responsibly and constructively to support their education.

The minister also stressed the importance of higher education for tribal students and youth, and encouraged the beneficiaries to use the scholarship assistance judiciously and remain committed to their academic pursuits.

As part of the programme, Pegu distributed financial assistance to Scheduled Tribe entrepreneurs for upgrading homestays under the Tribal Affairs (Plain) Department.

"Disbursed financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to four Scheduled Tribe (ST) entrepreneurs who have created new avenues for self-reliance through homestay ventures. The support will help them expand and strengthen their businesses," he posted on social media.

The assistance is intended to support ST entrepreneurs, create livelihood opportunities and contribute to the socio-economic development of tribal communities in the state.

The programme underscored the government’s focus on combining educational assistance with entrepreneurship and livelihood support for tribal beneficiaries.

IANS

Guwahati, Sept 17: Assam has launched its Cooling Action Plan (ACAP), making it one of the first states in India to develop an integrated state-level framework covering four priority sectors - buildings, cold chain, industry and transport.

The plan was launched on Wednesday to mark World Ozone Day 2026, under the theme “Global Action for a Cooler Planet”.

Prepared by the Assam Climate Change Management Society (ACCMS) with technical collaboration from WRI India, the plan translates the objectives of the India Cooling Action Plan into a state-specific framework, focusing on energy efficiency, responsible refrigerant management, climate-friendly cooling technologies and coordinated implementation across relevant departments.

State Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah emphasised the need to address Assam’s growing cooling requirements while ensuring that development remains aligned with environmental protection. He said the launch of the ACAP marks an important step towards preparing the State for its future cooling needs, while the key priority now is effective implementation through coordinated action across departments and sectors.

According to the Action Plan, Assam’s cooling related electricity demand is projected to more than double by 2040, increasing from 3,576 GWh to 8,445 GWh. The Plan seeks to address this projected increase through energy efficient cooling systems, improved refrigerant management and sustainable, climate friendly approaches.

The minister also highlighted the importance of nature based cooling solutions, particularly through increasing green cover and protecting existing natural ecosystems. He said afforestation and environmental conservation must complement technological solutions in addressing rising temperatures and creating more liveable surroundings for future generations.

Referring to the State’s flagship Amrit Brikshya Andolan and Brikshya Bandhu initiatives, the Forest Minister highlighted Assam’s large scale plantation efforts involving students, self help groups, the Forest Protection Force, civil society organisations and other stakeholders. He noted that involving citizens, particularly students and young people, in plantation and tree care activities helps foster a sense of ownership and encourages the long term survival of trees.

Mallabaruah stressed that climate action cannot remain confined to government departments and called for greater public awareness and participation. He underlined the need to involve the younger generation in environmental protection and climate action, while encouraging citizens to adopt energy efficient and climate friendly practices in their homes and workplaces.

The programme also commemorated the successful implementation of the Montreal Protocol and marked 10 years of the Kigali Amendment, highlighting the importance of global cooperation in addressing environmental challenges. The minister noted that the global response to ozone depletion demonstrates that collective and coordinated action can deliver meaningful environmental outcomes.

The mean maximum temperature in the State is likely to increase by 0.85-1.0 degree Celsius by 2040, compared to the baseline period of 1981-2010.

Cooling energy demand in the industrial sector is expected to grow the fastest during this period, even as the buildings sector continues to account for the largest share during the same period.

Refrigerator penetration is estimated at 20 per cent in 2025 and projected to increase to 49 per cent by 2040. AC penetration was 2 per cent in 2025, and will increase to 8 per cent overall by 2040; however, in urban areas it will reach 38 per cent by 2040. Total electricity consumption for residential buildings will increase by approximately 2.2 times, from 2446 GWh in 2025 to 5522 GWH in 2040.

By

Staff Reporter

Palasbari, Sept 17: The first phase of the ongoing census has brought to light serious concerns about the status of several villages along the Assam-Meghalaya border in South Kamrup, with reports of resistance to census officials and claims by residents of some villages that they are aligned with Meghalaya.

The affected areas reportedly fall under the Palasbari, Chhaygaon and Boko revenue circles, with more than 50 villages along the inter-state boundary facing such concerns.

Officials engaged in census duty reportedly faced difficulties in entering several border villages. In some places, they were allegedly prevented from conducting door-to-door enumeration, with Meghalaya police and locals turning away Assam officials and police personnel.

In Lumpi Nowapara under the Boko revenue circle, census officials were reportedly forced to leave the area following objections from residents and the presence of Meghalaya police personnel. Officials also reportedly faced difficulties in conducting enumeration in Duyenir and Upper Lumpi. According to information, 133 families in Duyenir and 169 families in Upper Lampi had reportedly objected to being included in the Assam census.

Similar difficulties were reported from areas including Umali, Maulan, Panbari, Katapara, Dronpara, Bangjem, Uma Siang, Moushikar, Ungtab, Rani and Nawapara. Census officials here reportedly collected the required information from a third party, like the village head or a senior resident.

Ukiam area under the Chhaygaon revenue circle has also witnessed recurring tensions along the border. Census personnel reportedly could not visit several areas, including Umphuli, Umling, Ranibari, Umdaling, Talimara and Umphir. In Noonmati, Imkhamdal and Sarupani, officials collected census information from a third party.

Under the Palasbari revenue circle, officials reportedly faced resistance in Amring village, where more than 100 families allegedly prevented them from conducting the enumeration and claimed that they had become part of Meghalaya. In Bakhalapara, around 60 families reportedly objected to the census officials. Similar difficulties were reported from Jimirigaon.

Reports also suggest that residents of several border villages under the Palasbari revenue circle have been exercising voting rights in both Assam and Meghalaya, further highlighting the complexities prevailing along the inter-state boundary.

Locals and sources attribute the problem to growing Meghalaya influence in some border areas, and what they describe as ‘prolonged neglect by the Assam government’. They allege that government schemes and basic facilities have not adequately reached many border communities, while Meghalaya has been providing facilities related to education, healthcare, electricity, drinking water, housing, and connectivity in some areas.

These incidents have raised concerns about the role of the administration of Assam’s border areas and the need for stronger government intervention to address the grievances of border residents.

While Meghalaya had reportedly conducted enumeration in several villages along the South Kamrup border, Assam’s first phase of census operations has recently concluded. The developments have brought the situation in the border areas into sharper focus and highlighted the need for steps to be taken by the Assam government to solve the issues.

Palasbari, Sept 17: Questions over alleged relabelling and sale of expired soft drinks surfaced at a beverage manufacturing unit at Manpur under Palasbari LAC on Tuesday, as a section of workers, residents and members of various organisations staged a protest outside the premises.

The protesters alleged that expired food products, including packets of the soft drink brand ‘Fundazz’, were being repackaged with fresh expiry-date labels and subsequently released into the market. They claimed that some of the products were manufactured last year and alleged that the original labels were being removed and replaced with new ones after expiry.

Raising slogans against the management of Harvestland Beverages Pvt Ltd, an Annapurna group company, the protesters demanded an end to the alleged irregularities and sought action from the authorities concerned. They also raised slogans demanding payment of pending wages to workers.

The protesters further alleged that similar complaints regarding alleged irregularities and foul odour from the unit had been raised by local residents and workers on several occasions in the past. They expressed resentment over what they claimed was a lack of adequate response from the authorities concerned.

Several workers of the unit, who alleged that their salaries had remained unpaid for months, also demanded immediate release of their pending wages.

The allegations raised during the protest could not be independently verified. The protesters called for an investigation by the concerned departments into the alleged relabelling of expired products and other complaints against the unit.

Meanwhile, questions have been raised among local residents over whether the authorities concerned will initiate action following the allegations

Dibrugarh, Sept 17: The district unit of the Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association (ATTSA) staged a demonstration in front of the District Commissioner’s office here on September 15, demanding immediate intervention to stop the alleged illegal sale, encroachment and commercialisation of tea estate land in several parts of the district.

The protesters submitted a memorandum to the District Commissioner seeking a high-level inquiry into what they described as a growing threat to the traditional tea-bearing land of nine tea estates, including Kharjan, South Jalan Nagar, Triveni, Bijlibari, Ghograjan, Hatigarh, Bakel, Suraj and Sourav, besides Lepetkata tea estate.

ATTSA alleged that a section of industrial interests, land brokers and alleged land mafias had been attempting to acquire and commercially exploit tea-estate land by dividing it into plots and selling it illegally. The organisation warned that failure to address the issue promptly would compel it to launch further agitation on the streets of Dibrugarh.

Regarding Kharjan tea estate, ATTSA alleged that around 200 bighas of tea-tenanted land were being considered for construction of establishments unrelated to tea cultivation. It demanded that such activities be stopped and tea saplings planted on vacant tea land. It also sought eviction of alleged encroachers from the Chabua Golf Field area under the estate.

In South Jalan Nagar tea estate, the students’ body alleged that tea and Sirish trees were being felled and the garden land divided and sold despite an administrative prohibition. It also alleged that tea plants had been uprooted to facilitate turmeric cultivation and construction of establishments, including a hotel and hospital. ATSA demanded that such activities be stopped and tea cultivation restored.

The association raised particularly serious allegations concerning Triveni tea estate under the Tengakhat Revenue Circle, claiming that around 330 bighas of tea-tenanted land had been handed over to a land broker and subsequently divided and sold in small plots after the removal of tea bushes. It demanded immediate administrative action to stop the alleged commercialisation of the entire tract.

With regard to Bijlibari tea estate, ATTSA alleged that hundreds of bighas of NLR grant land were being illegally sold in plots in collusion with land brokers. It called for an immediate halt to the alleged transactions and action against those involved.

The association further alleged that tea-bearing land of Ghograjan tea estate had been divided and sold in violation of existing rules, with outsiders allegedly purchasing portions of the garden land and altering its character. Similar allegations of illegal sale of tea-estate land were raised in respect of Hatigarh tea estate, where ATTSA demanded urgent intervention by the administration. The organisation also sought eviction of alleged encroachers from hundreds of bighas of tea-tenanted land at Bokel tea estate.

A separate demand was raised concerning Suraj tea estate, where ATTSA alleged that Rs 70 lakh in compensation meant for the estate in connection with National Highway expansion had been withdrawn from the District Commissioner’s office by two alleged land mafias instead of the actual owner. It demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter and restoration of tea cultivation on around 75 bighas of land allegedly under their possession.

Regarding Sourav tea estate under the Dibrugarh East Revenue Circle, ATTSA demanded a high-level inquiry into how tea-estate land was allegedly allowed to be divided and sold in violation of land laws and called for an immediate halt to the transactions.

The organisation also opposed the proposed development of tea tourism and a five-star hotel on around 330 bighas of land at Lepetkata tea estate, where tea bushes had allegedly been uprooted. It demanded that the construction process be stopped and tea saplings replanted on the land.

ATTSA Dibrugarh district president Bimal Bagh and secretary Sonu Orang signed the memorandum and urged the district administration to take immediate steps to protect tea-estate land from alleged encroachment, illegal transactions and diversion from tea cultivation.

The students’ body maintained that the protection of tea-bearing land was not only a matter of safeguarding the tea industry but also essential for protecting the livelihood and long-term interests of thousands of tea garden workers and their families.

Guwahati, Sept 17: Assam may be seeing more electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads, but the charging network needed to support them is struggling to keep pace.

The State has been ranked last among all states in charging infrastructure readiness, according to the recently released India Electric Mobility Index (IEMI) 2025, highlighting a key hurdle to the wider adoption of electric vehicles in Assam. Charger to EV (per lakh) ratio in Assam also remains low at 6.6.

The report suggests that EV adoption in Assam and other northeastern and hill states faces a particular challenge – people are spread across large and often difficult-to-reach areas, while charging stations remain limited.

“Manipur, Tripura and Assam performed comparatively well on commercial EV adoption but lagged behind in private EV adoption. Dispersed settlements and limited charging networks continue to constrain EV uptake across Hilly and Northeastern States, suggesting that electrification strategies of these States may need to differ materially from those of the larger states,” the report said.

Assam stood 24th in the overall IEMI, with a score of 35. While its overall position remains low, the State improved by three places from the previous index.

Among the hill and northeastern states, Manipur scored the highest at 46, followed by Tripura at 36 and Assam at 35.

Despite its overall performance, Assam emerged as the top-performing state among the hill and northeastern states in ‘transport electrification progress’, indicating relatively stronger progress in putting electric vehicles into transport services. However, even though commercial EV adoption was high, and private EV adoption extremely low.

However, the State continues to lag in research and innovation related to electric mobility. Assam ranked 28th nationally in EV Research and Innovation Status and was placed below Manipur, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh among hill and northeastern states.

“Research and innovation capacity was heavily concentrated in a small number of industrialised States and urban regions, while large parts of the country have yet to establish a measurable presence in this domain,” the report said.

The Assam government has introduced incentives aimed at encouraging the development of EV charging infrastructure. These include a 90 per cent exemption from electricity duty, which can help reduce the operating costs of charging-station operators. The state has also introduced Baayu, an app-based, fully electric and decentralised e-bike taxi service, among the early initiatives of its kind in India.

The report recommended promotion of private EV adoption by introducing vehicle scrapping incentives and low emission zones.

It also suggested improved streamlined approval processes, concessional land rates for charging stations and recommending EV charging infrastructure in building by-laws, besides establishment of R&D centres for skill development and introduce e-mobility courses.

Financial management for Gen Z isn't just about saving and delaying enjoyment for later. They want to travel, do new things, spend on what's important to them, and still have financial security. This is where the familiar YOLO mentality is taking a more disciplined approach to investing.

The concept is not so much about having to make a choice between living for today and planning for the future. Rather, Gen Z is seeking to balance both by finding space for experiences and cultivating saving and investing habits.

From starting SIPs early to learning about investments via digital platforms and social media, this generation is bringing a fresh perspective to how money is earned, spent, and invested. Let us explore how Gen Zs are really approaching the rules of money today through this blog.

Gen Z is starting to think about investing earlier

Gen Z is getting increasingly aware of investing and financial products at an earlier age. In its Investor Survey 2025, SEBI reported that Gen Z demonstrated a greater awareness of securities market products (66%) compared to Millennials (62%).

With this increase in awareness amongst young people, their attitude to money is also changing. Many are now considering investing as something that can be done much sooner in life rather than later, and in parallel with their career and personal financial objectives.

SIPs are making investing easier to start

SIPs naturally fall in this picture as they let investors invest a fixed sum in the mutual fund scheme at regular intervals. According to AMFI, SIP investments can begin with as low as ₹500 per month, thereby making it accessible to investors who may not have a huge capital.

A SIP return or weekly SIP calculator can also be used to see how the amount invested regularly can grow with time, although returns may differ depending on market performance.

Social media is changing financial learning

Gen Z has always known a world where information is available at their fingertips, and that includes financial information. The advent of social media has also made it easier to explore terms like mutual funds, stocks, SIPs, and personal finance.

However, this easy access to information comes with a sense of caution to be exercised. It is advisable that investors educate themselves on the investment risks and confirm the financial data from trustworthy sources instead of blindly following the trend.

Convenience is becoming part of investing

In the Gen Z world, digital payments and instant services are the norm. It is evident that convenience plays a significant role in financial habits. Investment platforms can simplify investing and portfolio management while also helping track investment goals and financial health.

Nevertheless, a simple interface and popular features should not be the only criteria for selecting the best SIP app. Investors should also take into account factors like security, costs, services, and whether the platform is well regulated.

Financial success is becoming more balanced

Financial success for Gen Z is more about having choices than just creating long-term wealth. The aim is to live in the now and to slowly create a savings account for future necessities.

There's no reason why the YOLO approach and disciplined investing can't coexist. As Gen Zers balance today with tomorrow, they can take steps to invest regularly towards a financially stable life that also provides them with experiences.

Bottom line

Gen Z is redefining money by bringing together two seemingly different ideas: enjoying the present and preparing for the future. Having more financial awareness, access to digital platforms, and increasing interest in systematic investing, the YOLO mentality is shifting to a more balanced approach to managing finances. The outcome is a generation that desires to live today but still make room for future monetary objectives.

(The views, opinions, and claims in this article are solely those of the author’s and do not represent the editorial stance of The Assam Tribune)

For Rakesh Boro, caretaker of Guwahati’s Bhootnath crematorium, memories of Zubeen Garg are inseparable from the quiet cremation ground.

Amid funeral pyres, smoke, rituals and long stretches of silence, Boro found an unexpected friend in one of Assam’s most beloved artistes.

As September 19 approaches, Boro is still trying to make sense of a relationship he never expected to have.

“Even today, I cannot understand why he came looking for me. A person like God came looking for me. I did not realise how fortunate I was at the time,” Boro recalls.

Garg’s visits to Bhootnath were not fleeting appearances. He would spend time there, talk to Boro and, at times, sit down for a meal with him.

“I just eat and sleep. When Zubeen da came, sometimes he would add water to dry rice and eat it. We would often eat rice together from the same plate,” Boro says.

That memory still leaves him amazed.

“People would go looking for Dada or wait for him, but Dada would come looking for me,” he says.

A friendship that began elsewhere

Their connection did not begin at the crematorium. Boro says he had known Garg since 2006, when he worked as an assistant to Garg’s wife, Garima Saikia Garg, in fashion designing.

From around 2010, he also became involved in Garg’s musical events, helping arrange musical instruments on stage and handling other errands.

“Zubeen da loved me a lot. I worked with Garima bou as her assistant in fashion designing and, from 2010, I also worked on arranging musical instruments for dada’s programmes,” he recalls.

Over time, the professional association grew into a personal bond.

Garg would visit Bhootnath at night and spend considerable time talking with Boro. Their conversations ranged from songs and films to stories about life.

Rakesh Boro at the crematorium, recalling his days and memories with Zubeen da (Photo: AT)

“Zubeen da would come to Bhootnath at night and spend a lot of time talking. He would talk about songs, movies and many other things,” Boro says.

Boro also remembers that Garg visited Bhootnath but, according to him, never the Nabagraha crematorium.

“Zubeen da never visited the Navagraha crematorium. He only came to Bhootnath,” he says.

More than companionship

For Boro, Garg’s generosity extended beyond the late-night conversations.

He recalls that Garg eventually gave him Rs 50,000 to start a small shop at the crematorium, where he sold pyre wood. The shop continues to operate there.

“Zubeen da took me back from Bhootnath but I came back here again. He gave me Rs 50,000 to start my own shop. With that money, I set up my shop for pyre wood at the Bhootnath cremation ground,” Boro says.

Garg also encouraged him to help people who could not afford even small necessities.

“He taught me to help people. Even today, I give incense sticks to poor people without taking money from them,” Boro says.

It is a lesson Boro says he intends to carry forward.

Remembering the man, not the star.

Perhaps what makes Boro’s memories so intimate is that he does not speak of Garg as a star.

For him, he was simply “Dada”.

In those late-night meetings, there was no stage, no spotlight and no crowd. There were conversations, simple food and companionship.

That is why the memories remain so difficult for Boro to put into words.

“I remember the times when we ate from the same plate. It hurts a lot to remember his words,” he says.

Boro at his pyre-wood shop, which was set up with financial support from Zubeen da (Photo: AT)

Garg’s death was initially difficult for Boro to accept. He was in his village when he heard the news and immediately arranged transport to return to Guwahati.

“At first, I could not believe the news. Later, I realised that it was true. I was in the village and hired a vehicle to come to Guwahati airport. After taking Zubeen da to Sonapur, I could not stay there any longer. I had to leave and only came back after three days,” he recalls.

For Boro, the loss is not simply that of an artiste admired by millions. It is the loss of an elder brother and a friend who had touched his life in ways that had little to do with fame.

A promise to carry his ideals forward

On September 19, Boro plans to travel to Sonapur to pay his respects.

“I will go to Sonapur on September 19 and pay my respects to my elder brother. It hurts a lot to remember his words,” he says.

But for Boro, remembrance will not end at the memorial.

He says he wants to continue living by the values he learnt from Garg, particularly his concern for people who needed help.

“Zubeen da helped poor people a lot. He taught me many things. I will continue to work following his ideals,” Boro says.

At Bhootnath, where people arrive to say their final goodbyes, Zubeen Garg came looking for a friend.

For Rakesh Boro, that simple fact remains perhaps the most extraordinary memory of all.

Guwahati, Sept 16: Flags, posters, dhol, khol, taal and competing political pitches marked nomination day for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll on Wednesday, with candidates from different parties taking out rallies through the town before heading to the District Commissioner’s office to file their papers.

The day’s nomination activity took the total number of nomination papers for the seat to 35, submitted by 25 candidates, the Election Commission said in a statement.

Of these, 22 were submitted on Wednesday, compared with three on Tuesday, according to sources. The scrutiny of the nomination papers is on Thursday, the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

The BJP led a large procession for its candidate Devashish Sharma from Nehru Bali to the nomination venue. State BJP president Dilip Saikia, Minister Pijush Hazarika and other party leaders accompanied Sharma, while hundreds of supporters joined the rally.

“I am very lucky and I thank the people of Nagaon. I want their support,” Sharma said before filing his nomination.

The Congress also took its candidate Shibamoni Bora to the nomination venue in a rally featuring traditional musical performances.

Congress leaders, including APCC chief Gaurav Gogoi, Rakibul Hussain and Ripun Bora, accompanied Bora during the procession.

“The large number of people who came out to support proves that the people have risen and they will rise against the corrupt BJP’s control. Our win is sure,” Bora said, before filing her nomination.

While the BJP and Congress rallies provided much of the colour and movement on nomination day, candidates from other parties also put forward their messages as they entered the electoral contest.

All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) candidate Badaruddin Ajmal acknowledged the challenges ahead, while expressing confidence in his prospects and appealing to Akhil Gogoi and his party for support.

“There are challenges in an election. BJP and Congress are the same. I believe I will win by a huge difference. I will request Akhil Gogoi and his party (Raijor Dal) to vote for us and, in the coming days, when I go to Parliament, I will work for him and his party as well,” Ajmal said.

All India Trinamool Congress candidate Abdul Salam, meanwhile, said his campaign would gain momentum after the nomination process.

“Let’s see what the people do as everyone hopes to win. The support we got is mixed as we don’t have any organisation here. Our campaign will begin powerfully once the nomination is over,” Salam said.

With the nomination process ending on Wednesday, the focus now shifts to the next stages of the electoral process.

Scrutiny of nominations will be held on Thursday, while September 19 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

Polling for the Nagaon Lok Sabha bypoll will be held on October 6, with counting of votes scheduled for October 9.

When looking for a job in today's market, potential employees consider more than just the salary package. They also look at what benefits the company offers. One such benefit most job-seekers look for is health insurance for corporate employees before joining any company, given rising healthcare costs.

With this insurance coverage, employees can receive quality medical treatment at any authorised hospital without draining their bank balances. In addition to buying a plan, employers also look for a cost-effective way to improve their workforce’s health.

Common Ways to Improve Health of Your Workforce

Businesses and organisations purchase commercial insurance policies, such as corporate health insurance, to provide medical coverage for employees. Along with these, many employers are now investing in wellness initiatives to improve employees' overall well-being. Here are common ways to improve your workforce's health.

Physical and Ergonomics Health

One effective way to improve the workforce's health is to not overlook physical and ergonomic health.

Employers can prevent musculoskeletal disorders by providing ergonomic equipment. Many comHow to Implement a Corporate Health and Wellness Programme?

To implement corporate health and wellness programmes, employers need to focus on these steps:

● Assess Workforce Needs: Before implementing the programme, assess the workforce requirement in detail.

● Design the Program: Based on the workforce requirements, you can design the health and wellness programme that aligns with your company goals.

● Educate Workforce about Program: Once the programme is designed, you need to educate the workforce about it.

● Drive Participation: Employers can also offer incentives or reward points to encourage employee participation in the programme.

● Review and Modify: Regularly monitor your programme's progress. Based on the review, you can also modify the programme.

Mental Health Support

Stress is very common among the workforce, and it can impact employee efficiency. In such situations companies can offer mental health support to their workforce.

This can be done by offering one-to-one counselling sessions with a therapist. Also, companies can suggest stress management activities to the particular employee.

Social Wellness Initiatives

Employers can also implement social wellness initiatives to help their employees and workforce connect. These programmes and events should be entertaining to keep employees excited.

Some of the social wellness initiatives employers can take are conducting sports events, team retreats and more.

Flexible Working Models

Another cost-effective way to improve employees' overall well-being is to offer flexible work models. Many companies now offer remote work, work-from-home, and hybrid models to their employees. This allows employees to work comfortably, which increases job satisfaction.

Frequent Safety Assessment

Along with this, employers also need to conduct frequent safety assessments at workplace sites to avoid occupational risks and hazards.

Routine inspections help ensure that machinery, equipment, and work environments comply with safety standards and regulations. Addressing risks proactively reduces the chances of accidents and creates a healthier environment.

How to Implement a Corporate Health and Wellness Programme?

To implement corporate health and wellness programmes, employers need to focus on these steps:

● Assess Workforce Needs: Before implementing the programme, assess the workforce requirement in detail.

● Design the Program: Based on the workforce requirements, you can design the health and wellness programme that aligns with your company goals.

● Educate Workforce about Program: Once the programme is designed, you need to educate the workforce about it.

● Drive Participation: Employers can also offer incentives or reward points to encourage employee participation in the programme.

● Review and Modify: Regularly monitor your programme's progress. Based on the review, you can also modify the programme.

Secure Your Workforce Health with TATA AIG Corporate Health Insurance

Workforce health and well-being is essential for company and business growth. Employees who enjoy good physical and mental well-being are more engaged, motivated, and efficient at work. This is why investing in corporate health insurance is important.

TATA AIG offers a corporate health insurance plan designed to safeguard your employees against rising healthcare costs. The plan offers extensive medical coverage, cashless treatment facilities, hassle-free claim assistance and more

(The views, opinions, and claims in this article are solely those of the author’s and do not represent the editorial stance of The Assam Tribune)

New Delhi, Sept 16: The Centre, on Wednesday, declared the Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) a terrorist organisation under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), placing the Pakistan-based network among organisations formally designated as terrorist outfits under Indian law.

A gazette notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs invoked Section 35(1)(a) of the UAPA to add SBN to the First Schedule of the Act, which lists organisations designated as terrorist organisations. SBN is the 46th organisation on the list.

The notification said the Centre had taken the decision as it believed that SBN was involved in terrorism and had participated in various acts of terrorism in India.

“Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) is an organisation whose objective is to involve gullible youth and local criminals to smuggle arms, explosives, and narcotics from across the border, and through terrorist activities, pose a serious threat to the democratic system, communal harmony, and internal security of the country,” it said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the action is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism.

“Pursuing PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji’s vision of zero tolerance against terror, the MHA declares the Shahzad Bhatti Network as a terrorist organisation under the UAPA,” Shah said in a post on social media.

“The group is involved in smuggling of arms, explosives and narcotics across borders, apart from inciting youths and petty criminals into terrorism. Targeting India’s democratic structure and the fabric of communal harmony, the syndicate also published hateful digital content,” he added.

The gazette notification further alleged that SBN promoted terrorism through violent activities aimed at disrupting public order and used digital communication platforms to disseminate provocative messages.

Several criminal cases have been registered against alleged SBN cadres in different jurisdictions, with provisions of the UAPA, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Arms Act, Explosives Act, Information Technology Act and Prevention of Defacement of Property Act invoked in the cases, the notification added.

The move comes against the backdrop of a nationwide crackdown on the network.

The MHA had said in August that security agencies had arrested more than 200 alleged SBN operatives across 14 states during coordinated operations ahead of Independence Day.

In Assam, the State Special Task Force has also been pursuing the network and have arrested five people in connection with the network.

On September 1, the STF arrested a 31-year-old Nalbari resident, taking the number of people apprehended in the case to five.

Earlier, Akramul Islam of Dhubri, Aminur Rahman of Chirang and Abdul Hussain of Barpeta were arrested on July 25, while Fazal Islam Barbhuiyan was apprehended from Hailakandi’s Ramnathpur on August 26.

With inputs from agencies 

Interesting conversations often happen in the most unlikely of places. I learnt that firsthand on December 7, 2012. Zubeen Garg was in Hengrabari, and I had only a few hours to craft that week’s Sunday cover, an interview with the icon.

The previous night, we had fixed the time for it at 10 pm at his Kharghuli home. Those who have dealt with the musician would know that it was no odd hour for a meeting in his daily time cycle.

When a friend and I reached Kharghuli, the caretakers told us that he had gone to Gahorikota Suk. No time to waste, we got back on the bike and rode straight there.

Finding Zubeen da, if he is in the locality, is quite easy. Ask any passer-by and he will tell you exactly where he is.

Press a little further, and he might also tell you what he is wearing, the colour of his headgear or what his mood is like that day. Such is the man’s popularity in these parts that now, a year after his passing, his absence is only growing louder.

When we got to where Zubeen da was, it was close to 11 pm, and a high-octane badminton match was underway on the porch of an otherwise unassuming house.

He was in his trademark neon-bright cut-sleeves and black shorts, giving his best on the court. And taking breaks in between to sip on some glucose on the sidelines (wink!).

After he finished and we sat down to talk, he told me it was his eighth game in a row. “Yesterday, I played 12 and was still feeling energetic,” he said.

It showed that he was taking care of his health. “Shooting for Mission China will start from January 2013. I am playing an army major,” he said, running his fingers over his moustache, a gesture to drive home the point.

The interview went on for another half-hour. As the wood in the bonfire crackled on that winter night, Zubeen da got more comfortable with the setting and, perhaps, the line of questioning.

Taking a hint, I asked about his episode with Tiwa student groups and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) in 2011.

It came at a time when he was vehemently speaking out against Assam’s “bandh culture”, even filing FIRs in Morigaon and later with the Assam Police CID.

“I was thinking of filing an FIR against the ‘bandh culture’ for a long time and it so happened that it clashed with the Tiwa student groups and the VHP’s call for bandhs,” he said.

The conversation quickly veered towards politics and then to how stalwarts of Assamese culture were often left-wing sympathisers. Zubeen da saw no problem with it and continued.

“I have struggled my way to become what I am today. I have a sense of anger in me that, at times, comes out through my songs and activities. It’s only natural… as mine is a rags-to-riches story. I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and hence, I am proud of what I have done so far,” he said.

In his words, there was no ego, only a sense of pride. And today, when I look back at that interview, there is one quote that still rings in my ears, “I know I am an impulsive person. At times, I am reckless. I live my life on my own terms and maybe that’s why many don’t like me.”

And Zubeen da did live life on his own terms. A year after his passing, that admission perhaps remains one of the clearest windows into the man he was. To live so much of one’s life in the public eye and still refuse to become someone else is no easy thing.

The piece was published that Sunday. A few months later, I met him again at his Kharghuli studio, where my cousin was recording a song with him. I asked if he had read the interview. He nodded and went about his work.

There have been many interviews since then, but that conversation with Zubeen da stayed with me. Not because of what I could churn out of my interviewee, but because somewhere between a midnight badminton match and a crackling bonfire, I met a man who, for all that he had become, remained unapologetically himself.