Former Congress Home Minister, R.G. Lyngdoh, belonging to a family of politicians, right from his father Peter G. Marbaniang, and also his sister Ampareen Lyngdoh, being cabinet Minister of the Congress led-Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government, has in a straight forward, statement, said that time has come for a change, and that an alternate government should come about. R.G. Lyngdoh, has reflected the mood of the people that enough is enough. Yet this wish might not come about, if the opposition parties, do not form an alliance or understanding, to dislodge the present set up, of the Congress led coalition.
Indeed, the mood of the general electorate is for bringing about a change. However at the present moment, there is no sign that any party, whether national or regional, can of its own win the required number in forming the government. For the first time the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has made a challenging entry, specially against the Congress, in the up coming assembly elections. It would therefore be an acid test for both of these two national parties to be locking horns.
The Mawkhar region of present North Shillong Constituency, would be missing Roshan Warjri, present Health Minister of the Meghalaya Government, as she has announced that she would this time not contest the 2018 assembly elections. Popularly known as Kong Kei, she has not given any reason of her decision, which she consider to be of personal matter.
Mawkhar region, known as the brain of Khasi Hills, has always been a bastion of regional parties. She was elected for the first time in 1993, from the Hill Peoples Union, which was then an opposition party in the Assembly. Again she was elected from the regional United Democratic Front, being a coalition partner in the Government, and became a cabinet minister. She did not seek further elections until 2013.
She was one of a very few women members of the assembly, despite Meghalaya being a matrimonial society, where women seldom take part in active politics.
Is SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR really serious about breaking peace in NORTHEAST?
Is Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of the Art of Living Foundation, really serious resolving the arm conflict prevailing in the Northeast region and particularly in the restive state of Manipur? This query gains significance after the spiritual leader chaired a session of the North East Indigenous People’s conference held in Guwahati’s Plush Hotel attended by representatives of cross section of Northeast based civil society bodies, student bodies, human rights activists and former armed insurgents with the general secretary of the pro-talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Assam, Anup Chetia playing a major role.
In a press conference held in Manipur in April 2016 on his second visit to the state, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar breaking away from the stereo type of blaming unemployment as the core factor for the insurgency and went on to say, that he admired the insurgents for their sacrifice and saluted them for their commitment to the cause.
“It is tapasya, it is sacrifice. I appreciate them and they need to be saluted for their bravery. I would like them to come forward and sit with me and work out the modalities for peace. Being an insurgent, fighting in the jungle for what he/she believes in speaks volumes about the leadership and commitment of the Manipuri youth. They are intelligent, spiritual, good hearted, extremely talented, and strong. They essentially want sovereignty to see the people prosper and be happy” said the globe icon of peace.
The Gurudev, as his followers fondly call him, asserted categorically that he is the right candidate to mediate as he understands the insurgents’ aspirations and sincerely wants to work for peace in Manipur.
HYDRO POWER POTENTIAL OF NORTH EAST INDIA AND IT’S DEVELOPMENT
In this modern era of information and electronic technology, power plays a significant role in not only the socio-economic development but also the overall development of human being. All this modern days’ electronic gadgets and equipment which provide information is rely on power. All of them are functioning with the help of power. In brief, it is true that we cannot live without power for a few seconds in one way or other. Unfortunately even after 70 years of independence, our country in general and states of north east India in particular such important infrastructure is still unable to fulfil the requirement in spite of having huge power potential especially hydro power is concern. It is a great issue which all of us have to think seriously. On the other hand, North eastern region of India occupies the major share of having hydro power and thermal power potential among the other regions of the country. The present paper is highlighted onthree main parts. The first part is discussing on the potentialities of Indian hydro power resources in global context, present status, power projection for the future through different plan period and contribution of North Eastern Region to Indian total hydro power potential. The second part is critically examining the potentialities of hydro power in North Eastern Region through state-wise potential, power projects in operation and projects under constructions. Finally, it is devoted to suggestions and conclusion of the study in the wake of the government of India’s Act East Policy.
When our country attained Independence, we did not have sufficient electricity to light up our homes. The iconic lantern and oil lamp were the only sources of light for all of us after getting dark. The oil lamp lit and placed at a window served as guiding torch for travellers or those yet to come back home late night. Today after 70 years of independence, the situation has become much brighter. Electricity has reached most households of both urban and rural areas. According to government report, out of 18,452 villages in the country 14,483 villages have been electrified so far. The electrification work is in progress on 2,981 villages while 988 villages are uninhabited. The government has said it aims to provide electricity to all homes by December 2018, with a target of reaching power to all un-electrified villages by the end of December 2018.
Mizoram decided to induct a woman minister in the state cabinet, at a time when political parties are working to pass the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament to make it mandatory to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.
The decision to have a woman minister in the state cabinet is historic as Mizoram got its fourth female Legislator after a gap of 30 years. Lalawmpuii Chawngthu a 35 year spinster became the fourth woman in Mizoram to be inducted in the state’s council of ministers since 1987. Lalawmpuii is the daughter of senior Congress leader C. Chawngkunga. She has been active in politics since last 10 years. Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Nirbhay Sharma administered the oath of office to Chawngthu at a function in the Raj Bhavan. Chawngthu, President of the Mizoram Pradesh Youth Congress Committee was elected from Hrangturzo seat in Central Serchhip District in a byelection by a margin of 2,503 votes against her lone rival, Lalduhawma, of the eight-party combine United Democratic Front (UDF). Thanga and Chawngthu were inducted in the council of ministers following the resignation of Labour Minister Lalrinmawia Ralte and Fisheries Minister Buddha Dhan Chakma.
TRIPURA SIT STARTS INVESTIGATION INTO SHANTANU MURDER CASE
Despite stir for handing over the investigation of TV journalist Shantanu Bhowmik (28) murder case, Tripura Government constituted a fivemember Special Investigative Team (SIT) headed by Inspector General (IG) TSR and Training G S Rao.
Shantanu was murdered by unknown miscreants during a clash between CPI-M and tribal based Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Tripura (IPFT) supporters at Mandwi in Jirania subdivision on September 20 last in a mysterious circumstance that triggered uproar over the incident. Except ruling CPI-M and Agartala Press Club, all other political parties and Working Journalists organisations opposed SIT and demanded CBI probe while Congress asked for judicial enquiry by a sitting high court judge.
Amarjit Singh Khiyam from Manipur recently was elected as the captain for the U-17 FIFA World Cup. Young Amarjit was chosen as the captain by his teammates through a process of secret ballot that was engineered by the Portuguese coach Luis Norton de Matos. This will be the first FIFA tournament hosted by the country.
His father Chandra Mani Singh Kiyam a small time farmer and a part time carpenter believed that his son can carry the weight of responsibility in this prestigious sporting event. Born and brought up in Manipur Amarjit’s introduction to the beautiful game came through his uncle when he introduced him to the Chandigarh Football Academy. When the selectors were hunting for players to represent India at the Under-17 World Cup, Amarjit was invited for trials and he caught the eye of everyone. At first he was slotted with the reserve side and made the first team grade after German coach Nicolai Adam was impressed with his abilities in midfield. Young Amarjit, who has represented India in the age group teams on 29 occasions, is the joint most experienced player at the camp alongside Komal Thatal, the only Indian to score against a Brazilian national team. With this responsibility Amarjit is keen on fulfilling his father’s dream of seeing the national jersey for the senior team as well.
“IF THE PEOPLE ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT ON GOVERNMENT THEN THAT COUNTRY CANNOT BE SUCCESSFUL”
Eastern Panorama met with Shri Atul Kothari, General Secretary of Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (Trust for the Uplift of Education and Culture) and also former General Secretary of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad and co-convenor of Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti The Nyas, founded on 18 May 2007, works in collaboration with a sister organisation Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti (Campaign Committee for Saving Education), which was also founded byDinanath Batra, a Pracharak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the former Director of its Education wing Vidya Bharati. The mission of the Nyas is to find and establish alternatives to the present education system in India by changing its “syllabus, system, methods and policy” .
On the sidelines of National Conference on Revisiting Indology and Sanskrit in India held at NEHU (North Eastern Hill University) by the Department of Linguistics under the able Cordination of the Chairperson Prof Sailendra Kumar Singh , Editor Harsh Jhunjhunwala met Mr. Atul Kothari. The excerpts of the interview are reproduced for the readers.
Please explain you mission and what changes and why changes?
To change the country we have to change our education. The kind of country and society we want will come form the education we impart. So basic change in education is our first prerogative.
Secondly, Instead of problem we need to discuss the solution. Everybody knows the problem, some may be little more. But I have been seeing since last 40 yrs that all seminars discussions that take place discuss only problems and not the solution.
Thirdly, Mother, Motherland and Mother tounge there is no alternative.
Fourthly, In a country with democracy, if the people are totally dependent on government then that country cannot be successful and education is a field in which the involvement of people from the society, people concerned with education has to be more than that of the government.
In a democratic country, the role of government and that of the society is equal for creating a positive change, so both have to work collectively.
The change in education is that since last 70yrs we have not been able to decide what is the aim of our education? What is the crux of education that we are imparting?
Swami Vivekananada said, “Man making and character building is the primary purpose of education.” The personality and psychological development of a child should be as such that they can decide by themselves whether they want to be a doctor, engineer, industrialist, professor, etc. The proper development is what education should do. So this primary concept should come into our education system. In education our Indian knowledge system is no where to be found. Before five years not only India but the whole world was celebrating Srinivasa Ramanujan’s 25yrs of birth anniversary. During that time there was international conference in Delhi. Though I was not able to go, my friend from mathematics field had visited. He was telling me that mathematicians had come from all over the world including America, Europe, Australia and enquired from him has to why the Indians were not working on Ramanujan when the whole world was? Ramanujan was such a great mathematician. In 2011, when we were celebrating his life, people in our country did not know that Ramanujan belong to the field of mathematics. It is not their fault but the fault of the system. Ramanujan does not exists in our system. There are three hand-written diaries of this great mathematician whose solution no mathematician in the whole world is able to find. Such a great mathematician of our country but not in our system!! So this Indian knowledge, sciences of our own is missing in our education. Today, the world is moving with such great pace and great scientific research is taking place but our syllabus since decades is the same. Then how our children will be able to compete in the world. There should be communication of both. Similarly,the education system that we have has nothing to do with the society. People have done B.A.,M.A.,B.COM., but have u asked people if there is any help in your job? Nothing. Very less useful things in our present education system that will help in a person’s personal life or social life or nation building.
