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India’s First Boat Clinic

The Brahmaputra River runs over 891 km through Assam with vast network of islands and home to the most vulnerable communities in the state. With more than 2.5 million people living on some over 2,500 islands in Assam they represent 8 percent of the total population in the state. For centuries the river has been a source of life for the people of northeast especially Assam. Yet every year due to floods, millions of people are displaced, crops, livestock and properties are destroyed. Health problem are of major concern due the inaccessibility to medical aid.

Most of these islands lack basic infrastructure and services especially in health care. Post the flood event, the major problem faced by people especially those living away from the mainland of Assam is the access to medicines and sustained health care. People had to travel long distances at great cost and risk to get medical attention. The people dwelling among these islands frequently lost pregnant women and children due to lack of access to basic health care.

It was only in June 2004-2005 when Mr. Sanjoy Hazarika the Managing Trustee for the Centre for North East Studies and Policy Research (C-NES) launched a unique initiative to tackle the challenges faced by the Island dwellers. The service provided by C-NES comes virtually to their doorstep with the help of dedicated and extremely hard working team of medical personnel.

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Parties Coalition

Inspite of the United Democratic Party (UDP) pre poll alliance with the Hills State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), the political equation in the West Khasi Hills, ha remarkably changed with the entrance of the National People party (NPP), in areas like Mawkyrwat, where the veteran Congress leader, Rowell Lyngdoh, built up the party for the last 35 years, has been dumped, by the present leadership of Chief minister Mukul Sangma.

Bah Rowell Lyngdoh has revealed that in fighting within the Congress leadership and party members. Being a former Deputy Chief minister, he had did his best for the sake of development, in the six constituencies of West Khasi Hills, also for popularising the Congress, but his efforts were not appreciated. 

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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.

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Fighting Corruption or Vindictive Politics?

During its election campaign in Manipur in the early part of 2017, BJP swore to fix accountability for the gross misrule perpetuated in the border state by the Congress, tagging then Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh as the 20 percent CM alleging, he takes that much commission for each and every developmental projects executed in the state during his 15 year rule of Manipur as the Congress’ Chief Minister since 2002. 

Seven months after assuming power, on September 2nd, the BJP led N Biren Singh government registered an FIR for offences of cheating, criminal conspiracy and breach of trust against the former Chief Minister, Okram Ibobi Singh and three former chief secretaries, DS Poonia, PC Lawmkunga and O Nabakishore Singh in a case pertaining to financial irregularities in managing Manipur’s premier construction and employment generating agency, Manipur Development Society, MDS. The misappropriation amounts to Rs.185.79 crore and it is hashtagged as MDS scam now. The FIR came after the state’s Vigilance Department submitted its inquiry report on financial irregularities of MDS acting on a complaint filed by the Planning Department in November 2016.

Others named in the scam are MDS’s former Project Director, Yambem Ningthem Singh and the agency’s Administrative Officer, S Ranjit Singh.

According to the State Vigilance Commission inquiry report, the officials and staff of MDS flaunted established procedures, norms and rules particularly while awarding contract works to agencies and caused a financial liability to the tune of Rs 185.79 crores.

Police source said the FIR lodged would help in establishing how and who were responsible for the procedural lapses, mismanagement, misappropriation and misuse of public fund. Police suspects Yambem Ningthem as responsible for concealing missing documents that the Vigilance inquiry reported in the case of MBs, DPRs, sanction papers of MDS. It is under Ningthem’s tenure as Project Director that the police are investigating for financial irregularities.

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100% reservation in Legislative Assembly for tribal’s

With only few months for the general the Meghalaya People United Front (MUPF) submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer Government of Meghalaya seeking a reservation for all the 60 seats in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. MPUF in its memorandum also demanded to reserve 100 per cent seats in the Legislative Assembly for tribal’s of Meghalaya.

In the memorandum submitted to the Chief Election Officer recently the MPUF demanded implementation of the Act. Mr Dawanpoimi Laloo president of MPUF said that if the government maintains silence on the matter the MPUF will resort to take legal recourse.

Mr Laloo added that if other states like Arunachal and Mizoram can implement such reservation then why will it be difficult for Meghalaya to do the same.

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UDP not a B team-Bindo

Bindo M. Lanong senior member of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has lashed out to BJP and other political parties for considering UDP a team B player of the Congress. This came after BJP state president Shibun Lyngdoh said “the people of the state would like to know from Bindo M Lanong, a team B player of the Congress, as to why he is not questioning the Congress,”

Lanong came back strongly to Mr Shibun Lyngdoh by saying that “the UDP is not team A, B or C of anyone.” “And he better mind his own business and his own party”.

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4th Female Minister in 30 long years 

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.

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IS NPP THE MAIN PARTY PULLING THE STRINGS IN POLLS 18

The National Peoples Party, which is an ally in the Bharatiya Janata Party - National Democratic Alliance, has confirmed to go alone in th e forthcoming general elections to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, to contest all the sixty seats, at th e same time projecting Prestone Tynsong, former cabinet minister, of the Congress led Meghalaya United Alliance government, as the next Chief Minister.

This was announced at the Pynursla NPP by the NPP President Conrad Sangma, being also the Lok Sabha member from Tura.

Pynursla constituency is at present the bastion of Prestone Tynsong, elected from the Congress ticket. However in the present juncture, Tynsong would be facing mainly Grace Mary Kharpuri, under the flag of the Peoples Democratic Front (PDF), who is at present member of the Khasi Hills District Council, elected from neighbourhood Nongshken.

Certainly Congress votes would splinter, as Prestone Tynsong is now in the NPP. The PDF which was formed recently, would have to however build up from the scratch, and heavily depending upon the personality of Grace Kharpuri herself.