North East Rising

Manipur, September 14: In a top-level political move, the National People’s Party (NPP) supremo and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has joined hands with Congress ally CPI in Manipur.

The party led by Sangma has launched a campaign against the BJP led coalition government at the Wangoi assembly constituency in Manipur.

Three days after Manipur by-election campaign was launched by Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, reports of Conrad Sangma joining hands with CPI legislator Dr M. Nara Singh has brought about fresh political turmoil in the state.

The NPP chief arrived at Imphal on Saturday. Soon after, he inaugurated a new office building of the party as controversy on the appointed of NPP President for Manipur is already afoot.

Sangma informed that he is in Imphal to discuss party organisation and future prospects for the upcoming Manipur by-elections in 13 assembly constituencies in the state which are devoid of legislators at the moment.

Thereafter he went on to launch the campaign against BJP at Wangoi in Thoubal district, one of the vacant constituencies in the state.

On being quizzed about any possibilities of seat-sharing with its new allies, Sangma mentioned that whatever decision is taken will be at part with consensus of the party.

Some key portfolios in the Manipur state cabinet are represented by 4 NPP legislators which include Finance, Health, Water Resource and Tribal Affairs.

The 4 NPP leaders serving as the ministers in the Manipur assembly are Y. Joykumar, L. Jayantakumar Singh, Letpao Haokip and N. Kayisii.

The political drama has been continuing in the state for quite a few months now.

After the 4 NPP legislators withdrew support from the N Biren Singh government on June 17, Sangma had said “The NPP had withdrawn support yesterday after 3 of the BJP MLAs had resigned from the primary membership of the BJP. There has been a bit of friction and a bit of differences with the leadership of the state and between the NPP ministers and the MLAs. We had brought this to the notice of the central leadership also and we were trying to resolve the issue to a large extent and efforts were on. But I think finally the resignation of the BJP MLAs has triggered the entire sequence of events. Therefore the NPP members have decided to no longer support the BJP government in Manipur. I am in touch with them and we are trying to see how to move forward with this situation. Our National Secretary has been asked to visit Manipur and give us a report there and meet the concerned leaders and MLAs and ministers.“

More than two months later this move by the National People’s Party has brought about fresh tensions in the state’s political standing which calls for the BJP’s need to review the state’s coalition status.

Northeast, September 13: Describing the Northeast states as a link between two fundamental pillars of India’s foreign policy – Neighbourhood First and Act East – foreign secretary Harsh Shringla said India was working with its neighbours and other friendly countries like Japan to improve infrastructure and connectivity in the region, while also facilitating greater regional integration.

Shringla also said, “We have a vision for this region that is captured in the 3 Cs – Connectivity, and Cultural Commonalities.”

He also added that India and Japan had taken up projects for economic modernization of the Northeast and regional connectivity.

Under this initiative, several projects in the area of connectivity, water and sanitation and forest management, including the Sikkim Biodiversity Conservation and Forest Management Project, are currently ongoing in different Northeast states. The top diplomat was addressing a gathering organized by ICFAI University, Sikkim.

On connectivity with Bangladesh, India was upgrading the infrastructure of Land Customs Stations for enabling smooth cross-border movement of goods people in India. A new inland waterways route connecting Tripura to Bangladesh was also operationalized recently with the first-ever export consignment from Bangladesh reaching Tripura through waterways.

While India is working on the Kaladan Multimodal Transit Transport Project in Myanmar, the foreign secretary said there was also progress in work in India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway Project connecting the Northeast with Myanmar and Thailand. The first it will give the Northeast access to sea. The second will provide connectivity with East Asia. Two international entry/exit points were inauguration at Tamu-Moreh and Rih-Zowkhawthar to increase connectivity with Myanmar.

Shringla said a strong, stable and prosperous North East is key to building a self – reliant India. The Act East Policy of the Prime Minister provides an effective means to achieve it. The realization of this dream brings together various Ministries of the Government of India, as also the state governments, which are both implementing agencies and beneficiaries at ground level. The government will continue to focus on timely completion of infrastructure projects, such as roads, railway lines, port up-gradation, border check posts and trading points, both in Northeast and across the border.

Shillong, September 13: James K Sangma Power Minister of Meghalaya will undergo RT- PCR retest in Shillong after he tested COVID positive during a Rapid Antigen test at Imphal in Manipur on Sunday.

Bir Tikendrajit International Airport at Imphal, the swan sample of Meghalaya Power Minister tested positive for COVID 19 during Rapid Antigen Test, but Chief Minister Conrad Sangma tested negative.

A source said that Meghalaya Minister James K Sangma is Asymptomatic and was travelling from Imphal to Shillong in an ambulance. After he arrives at Shillong, the Minister would be retested by using the RT – PCR.

Imphal, September 13: Bijayashanti Tongbram, a young woman from Thanga village in Bishnupur District of Manipur, carved a niche for herself by coming up with a unique idea of churning yarn from a lotus stalk.

Given the popularity of Thanga, being a tourist place as it is an island on Loktak lake, Tongbram came up with the idea of generating income by tapping into the available resources like the lotus.

She was also informed about the art of making yarn out of the lotus stalk, as it is common in Burma and Vietnam, from a family friend.

To enhance the potentiality, she also started reading journals and watched YouTube videos to gather information and inspirations on how to proceed further.

Interestingly, she successfully produced yarn out of the lotus stalk on her first try.

The 27-year-old science graduate was also among the beneficiaries of the Manipur Start-Up Conclave 2019 where she received a grant subsidy of Rs 1.5 lakh from the government of Manipur.

The monetary aid from the government enabled her to expand her venture and hire 15 unemployed women from her area.

Through the allocation of work, she has produced scarfs, neckties, masks made of lotus yarn. “The material made of the lotus stalk is soft and is like silk in quality and texture,” Tongbram said.

Unfortunately, the outbreak of coronavirus has affected her work with the demand for the products dropping drastically.

Production has also reduced as many of her employees are scared to come and work during the pandemic.

With the hope of taking her business to the next level, Tongbram said, “I wish to expand my business by also looking at the possibility of making lotus tea.”

It may be mentioned that the Manipur government had on September 11 distributed a total subsidy amount of Rs. 525 lakh to 272 beneficiaries in Manipur Start-Up Conclave 2020.

“Opportunities will be given to youths, Manipur woman, who’ve returned from outside the State, leaving their jobs, to start their own business & become employers instead of employees,” Chief Minister N Biren Singh said.

Sikkim, September 13: Sangita Pradhan, an advocate, based in East Sikkim Rongli has set a first of its kind record after the Ministry of Law, Government of India appointed her as Sikkim’s first Assistant Solicitor General of India earlier this week on Tuesday.

Her term as the Assistant Solicitor General of India is from 8th September, 2020 to 7th September, 2023.

Daughter of Mani Narayan and Saraswati  Pradhan, she has been working as a legal practitioner in the High court of Sikkim for quite some years now.

Having completed her studies from the Sikkim Government Law College, Sangita started her career as a lawyer in Delhi. She lawyered at several lower courts in Delhi, the High Court of Delhi and the Supreme Court of India, from where she gained experience at mastering the profession.

When she returned back to Sikkim after the initial few years of practising law in Delhi, she served as the Counsel for the Department of Personnel and Rural Development, Government of Sikkim.

Pradhan will handle cases of the Union Government before the High court of Sikkim during her tenure as the Assistant Solicitor of India.