Sunday, July 20, 2008

Churachandpur farmers provided seeds


Imphal, Jul 20 : Extending help to the farmers as part of the Government efforts toward increasing foof production, State Agriculture Department has provided one Kabuta and seeds of various food crops to the farmers of Sumchinvum village in Churachandpur district today.

The seeds and the agricultural machinery were distributed during a function held at the the community hall of the village.he fucntion was organisedby the Department as part of its ‘Model Seed Village and Community Mobilisation Programme on Cereals and Pulses’.

Agriculture Minister L Loken , Director of Agriculture RK Nayansana Devi and Commissioner Letkhozin Haokip attended the function as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

During the fucntion, Head of Department of Agronomy, Central Agricultural University Dr L Nabachandra and Associate Professor Dr Herojit of Department of Soil Sciences of the same University spoke as resource persons on the topic of ‘Packages and pratices of Soyabean and Black Gram’ and ‘Role of Integrated Nutrient Management to produce high yield in pulses’ respectively.

In his address as chief guest of the function, Agriculture Minister N Loken stressed on application of latest technology and methods in agricultural practices to increase production of food crops.

Agricultural activities being the main occupation of the people in the State, adoption of new technology and methods is essential for increasing production, he noted.

The Minister sought the co-operation of the people in the developmental works being taken up by the Government.

In his presidential address, Agriculture Director Nayansana Devi pointed out that out of the total rice requirement of 7.51 lakh matric tonne for consumption by its 25 lakhs people, the State has been able to produce only around 5 lakh matric tonne of rice.

So the remaining required rice has to be produced from outside Manipur, thus giving a serious impact on the economy of the State, she said.

In view of this, she sought the co-operation of the farmers as well as of the people in the steps being taken up by the Government to increase food production in the State.

Shillong set to become NE business hub



Shillong, Jul 20 : Peace and development go hand-in-hand and its best example is Meghalaya. The State boasts of the first call centre or Business Processing Operation (BPO) in the North-East.

Operational since 2005, the first BPO in Shillong has grown in size over the years. What started as a small call centre with around hundred employees today houses more than five hundred people. It has widened its network to other States of the region like Nagaland.The successful functioning of the BPO has given hope not only to the job seekers but also to entrepreneurs who want turn North-East into a business hub.

“This kind of company is giving us a very good chance to be employed. We can attain international standards. It also prevents young people take to unlawful activities,” said Joseph Poi, an employee.

Neelam Kandoi, another employee said, “My experience in this company has been very good. What I feel that whoever comes out of this company they come out polished.

Wherever they go, they do much better than what they have done here because they learn a lot from this company and their level of knowledge goes high.”

S. Netcom, which started the first BPO in Shillong, is also known as Hero Mindmine Institute. It has diversified into software development, net designing, net working solutions. The institute has diversified into the education sector and collaborates with IT giants, like Wipro and Convergys.

“It is a complete North-East representation. You have Manipuris and Nagas from Arunachal, Assam, Mizoram. All communities are represented here,” said Deboprio Deb, CEO, Hero Mindmine, SS Netcom Company.

Shillong, a home to four universities, 15 colleges and over 100 schools, is chasing the dream of becoming North-East information technology and back-office destination.

The Department of Information Technology has also set up a software technology park, the equivalent of an industrial park for software and BPO service firms that provides high bandwidth connectivity and infrastructure.
No doubt Meghalya is enjoying the peace dividend that States, like Nagaland and Manipur have missed out because of the prevalence of militancy.

Ancient Kamrupa empire lay in Assam or Meghalaya?



Shillong, Jul 20 : Is Guwahati the site where the ancient kingdom of Kamrupa existed or is it the Meghalaya?

This and many more questions, which are still mired in controversy, could be answered when archaeologists excavate the entire Bhaitbari-Tikrikilla area in West Garo Hills district in the state.“Further excavations are likely to reveal the remains of the habitation, besides unravelling the historical antiquity of the plains-belt of the state of which very little is known from recorded history,” says senior government archaeologist Julies Marak.

This area of about 20 sq km hit the spotlight in 1992 when archaeological excavations revealed the existence of a fortified city with places of worship with exquisitely designed masonry oil lamps, besides a ’stupa’.

According to ASI officials, nothing is definitely known at present about the history of the site.

But on the basis of the deities like Ganesh, Parvati, Kubera and Yaksha - depicted on terracotta tiles scholars somehow have arrived at the conclusion that it was part of an ancient fortified city which might be contemporaneous to the reign of Harsha Vardhana, in the first half of the 7th century AD.

Again from the existence of ancient tanks of various sizes, it suggested that it was an important temple township, they felt.

Marak said many scholars say it could be the ancient city of Kamrupa.

“The structures of the ancient Kamrupa described in ancient literature bear resemblance to some of those excavated in the site,” Marak said.

The Meghalaya government is contemplating to tie up with the Northeast Circle of the Archaeological Survey of India to carry out excavations of the remaining areas in the ASI’s Bhaitbari site.

In 1992, A K Sharma of ASI, Nagpur excavated the site and unearthed the temples with numerous Shiva lingas besides the Buddhist stupa.

The mud-cum-brick fortification of the city runs at least five kilometres in a north-south direction in a horse shoe fashion with both ends on the bank of the Jingjiram river.

The fortification is about 15 sq km in area and has been laid taking advantage of the contours of the natural hillock. A deep moat exists outside.

A beautifully planned burnt brick temple lying under a mound was also unearthed.

An octagonal temple with eight miniature octagons each having shiva lingas was also found.

During the excavations the stupa was unearthed with the outer face lined with burnt bricks. It was the first stupa to be found in Meghalaya.

The archaeological findings are yet to be adequately carbon-dated.

It is only after the excavation of the residential area that anything concrete be said about its history, archaeologist said.

MNF entrusts Mizo CM to decide on trust vote


Aizawl, Jul 19 : The ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) today authorised party chief and Chief Minister Zoramthanga to make a final decision on which way the lone MP from Mizoram, Vanlalzawma, would vote during the July 22 trust vote in the Lok Sabha.

“Zoramthanga in consultation with Vanlalzawma will make a final decision by Monday,” state assembly speaker and member of Political Affairs Committee (PAC) Lalchamliana said after a meeting in the chief minister’s residence here.The MNF supported the Indo-US nuclear deal, but the PAC did not take any decision on supporting the Congress-led UPA government or voting against it along with erstwhile ally, the NDA, he said.

“Vanlalzawma, now in New Delhi, is closely watching the political developments at the Centre and the PAC authorised Zoramthanga to make the final decision after consulting with the MP,” he said.

He added that the option of abstention from the trial of strength next Tuesday was also raised during the meeting.

The four-hour MNF’s PAC meeting, chaired by Zoramthanga was attended by Home minister Tawnluia, Health minister Tlanghmingthanga, Rural Development minister H Vanlalauva and the PAC secretary R Vanlalruata.