Seven people injured in an explosion at a foam factory in Assam, Tinsukia District:

Guwahati, May 19: At least seven people were injured in an explosion at a foam factory in Assam, Tinsukia district on Tuesday.

The explosion rocked a foam factory located along Tinsukia-Makum road and at least seven workers worked at the factory sustained severe injuries.

According to the reports, the mishap occurred when many workers were working at the factory.

The reason behind the explosion is yet to be ascertained.

The injured persons were immediately admitted to Tinsukia civil hospital.

One injured worker said that, they don’t know how the explosion happened.

Meanwhile, Tinsukia district police have started investigation into the incident.

Assam farmers export agricultural products worth Rs 357 crore during lockdown period: Sarbananda Sonowal

Guwahati, May 19: Assam farmers export agricultural products during the lockdown. While many farmers across the country have faced many difficulties to find out markets to sell their produces vegetables, fruits, food grains during the ongoing nationwide lockdown that imposed to curb the spread of the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), Assam farmers did business worth Rs 357 crore during the lockdown period by exporting agricultural products to various parts of the country.

Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday said that in parallel to the fight against COVID-19 the state government was emphasizing the resumption of economic activities and the farmers have shown the way in this regard.

“During the lockdown period, the farmers of the state and agri entrepreneurs did business worth Rs 357 crore by exporting their produces agricultural products to different parts of the country. The state has immense potential in the agricultural sector which was highlighted by the lockdown period. Assam can become self resilient and self-dependent in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, etc. and state’s farmers have shown that Assam can Achieve its developmental goals by engaging in agriculture and its allied sectors with renewed vigor,” Sonowal said.

While visiting the Maloibari area in Kamrup (Metro) district the Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday took stock of agricultural activities being carried out by the farmers there.

He also interacted with the farmers engaged in the harvesting of paddy in the agricultural field sand inspected the functioning of paddy reaper machines distributed by the agriculture department to the farmers.

Urging the young generation to take up farming as a means of self-employment, Sonowal said that the agricultural sector holds the key in providing employment opportunities to the state’s youths returning from outside.

The Assam Chief Minister also stressed on the need to capture the markets of the North East region with Assam’s agricultural products along with striving to penetrate the markets of neighboring South East Asian countries.

Sonowal directed the state agriculture department to provide seeds to the farmers by October every year and said that, timely distribution of seeds can help the farmers in increasing their production.

He also pitched for ‘Make in Assam’ in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ initiative and said that people of the state must extend their wholehearted support to Prime Minister’s call of local-vocal-global.

“Opting for local products and also becoming vocal for popularizing local products should be practiced during these times for reviving the country’s economy,” Sonowal said.

Along with speeding up economic activities, the Assam Chief Minister strongly urged the people of the state for maintaining social distancing and other COVID-19 protocols so that the outbreak of the global pandemic can be contained in the state.

Assam Agriculture Minister Atul Bora, Guwahati Development Department Minister Siddhartha Bhattacharya, MP Queen Oja, MLA Atul Bora, Rituparna Baruah accompanied the Assam Chief Minister during the visit.

Assam: Defying all social distancing norms a large number of people gathered outside of the bank to withdraw government deposited money

Guwahati, May 19: People in Assam defy Social Distancing Norms. At a time when COVID-19 related cases and deaths have risen faster across the country, people from many parts of Assam are still not aware of how to maintain social distancing norms and follow the government orders.

A large number of people in Assam defy Social Distancing Norms and government orders, and had gathered outside of a bank at Nagarbera area in Assam’s Kamrup district.

From women to old persons had gathered outside of a bank located at Nagarbera market area to withdraw money deposited by the government in their Jan Dhan accounts, old age pension accounts.

Some of them were seen for not wearing mask and they queued up outside the bank by defying all social distancing norms.

An older person said that, he came at around 3 am and is standing in the line to withdraw old age pension money.

“Many people in the line are still ahead of me. I am now waiting,” the older man said.

The government is appealing the people to maintain social distancing norms and follow the government orders, but many social distancing, government orders violation incidents have been reported in different parts of the state.

Assam has reported 135 positive cases for COVID-19 and the state registered four COVID-19 related deaths so far.

Assam reports 20 more COVID-19 positive cases, state tally increases to 135:

Guwahati, May 19: Assam reports 20 more positive cases for COVID-19 on Tuesday taking the state tally to 135.

Among the 20 new cases, 7 cases detected from Kamrup district, two each case detected from Jorhat, Goalghat, Hojai, Biswanath, Nagaon, Nalbari district, and one from Kokrajhar district.

Assam Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, all new patients had returned to the state from outside of the state.

He tweeted – “14 new #COVID + cases confirmed. 7 are from Kamrup, 2 from Hojai, 2 from Biswanath, 1 from Nagaon,2 from Nalbari. Total cases now touch 135.”

On Monday, Assam had registered two COVID-19 related deaths and 15 positive cases.

The state has so far reported 135 COVID-19 positive cases including 46 cases from Kamrup (Metro), 15 cases from Golaghat district, 14 cases from Cachar district, nine cases from Kamrup, seven cases from Jorhat, six cases each from Morigaon, Goalpara, Nalbari districts, five cases each from Dhubri, Bongaigaon districts, three cases from Nagaon district, two cases each from Karimganj, Kokrajhar, Biswanath, Hojai districts and one each from South Salmara, Lakhimpur, Hailakandi, Sonitpur, Sivasagar districts.

Out of the total patients, four patients died and 41 others have been discharged from hospitals, and the state now has 88 active positive cases for COVID-19.

Assam Govt. to launch ‘Atmanirbhar Assam’ program by working under the umbrella of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’:

Guwahati, May 18: In the line of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, the Assam Govt. has also planned to launch ‘Atmanirbhar Assam’ program to supplement center’s efforts to mitigate financial woes of the people of the state caused by the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Assam Finance minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that, the Assam government is ready to implement a program in the state with a concept of ‘Atmanirbhar Assam’ working under the overall umbrella of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.

“What the center has announced to give relief to the people, the Assam government will do matching up. If the Prime Minister and center have given interest subvention of 2 percent to MUDRA loan beneficiaries, the Assam government will do a matching up. We will also give an equal amount as an interest subvention. If the migrant laborers will benefit for two months, out of that 15 days can be shared by the state government with nutritious foods. We are working out a new package of how we can make this ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ concept into a new reality for Assam which call ‘Atmanirbhar Assam’,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Assam Finance minister claimed that, the economic stimulus package of Rs 20 lakh crore announced by the center will touch 50 percent population of the state.

“This package will bring Rs 10,000 crore to the state exchequer for cash flow management through announcements for Jan Dhan Yojana, Ujjawala Yojana, senior citizens. 66,000 MSME in Assam will benefit through the MSME credit linkage. 20 lakh youths of Assam who have taken MUDRA loans will be benefited through interest subvention, a large section of people of the state will be benefited through KCC, contractors will be benefited,” Himanta said.

He further said that, the state government has analyzed it and the outcome is that, Assam will be benefited lots from the package announced by the Prime Minister and center.

Assam FM Himanta Biswa Sarma hits out at P Chidambaram over his comments on Rs 20 lakh crore package:

Guwahati, May 18: Assam FM Himanta hits out at P Chidambaram. Reacting on former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s comments over the Modi government Rs 20 lakh crore package, Assam Finance minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that, Chidambaram is an intellectual and intellectual point of view it may not be a package.

“For the intellectual, this is not a package, this package is for Garib (poor), lower middle class and they have already enjoyed the fruit of this package,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that, the government’s Rs 20 lakh crore has left several sections including the bottom half of the country’s population, migrant workers, farmers, landless laborers.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said that – “P Chidamabaram should not do monologues. All opposition said it is nothing, but every woman, old age pensioners, and the people of lower and middle-class sections get benefits.”

“Chidambaram is an intellectual, how much I don’t know. But he claims himself as an intellectual. From an intellectual point of view, it may not be a package. But when you go to farmers, Jan Dhan account holders, old age persons, then they will say it means lots for them because they have got money through DBT,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

Fight against COVID-19: Assam Govt. makes slogan ‘ruthless quarantine with big human heart’

Guwahati, May 18: Given the increasing COVID-19 positive cases, the Assam Govt. has taken an initiative to facilitate all support to the people under the quarantine environment and makes a slogan ‘ruthless quarantine with big human heart’ by aiming to continue the fight against the deadly virus.

Assam Health Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said that, Assam has coined the term ‘ruthless quarantine with human heart’ that means quarantine has to be quarantined and no compromise on that.

“But while in quarantine life should be easy, comfortable, food should be given, accommodation should be proper. We are going to pay for the hotel, food. Even he goes back to the home quarantine, the Assam government will bear the food of his entire quarantine period. We are going to quarantine for 1 lakh people,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

He further said that, the state Finance department has already held a meeting with the officials of the World Bank to allow the government to spend the saving money to manage the COVID-19 crisis.

The Assam Health minister also said that – “during the lockdown period, we have realized that, there are so many things we can do for the country. Atmanirbhar Bharat is in one goal post and managing COVID-19 is another goal post. Nobody changes the goal post.”

Assam has reported 106 positive cases for COVID-19 so far as two more persons from Cachar district were tested positive.