Tuesday 29 December 2015

No LPG subsidy for families earning Rs 10 lakh plus: Govt


The government decided that consumers with taxable income above Rs 10 lakh per year will not get LPG subsidy from January 2016.

The benefit of the LPG subsidy will not be available for LPG consumers if the consumer or his/her spouse had taxable income of more than Rs 10 lakh during the previous financial year computed as per the Income Tax Act, 1961, Oil Ministry said in a statement today.

In keeping with the approach of trusting the citizens, this will be given effect to initially on self-declaration basis while booking cylinders from January 2016 onwards.

At present, all households are entitled to get 12 cylinders of 14.2-kg each at subsidised rate of Rs 419.26, while the market price is Rs 608.

The government had earlier asked well-off people to voluntarily give up using subsidised LPG and instead buy cooking fuel at market price.

So far, over 57.5 lakh LPG consumers, out of nearly 15 crore customers, have given up subsidies.

"While many consumers have given up subsidy voluntarily, it is felt that consumers in the higher income bracket should get LPG cylinders at the market price," the statement said.

To cut subsidy bill and reduce fiscal deficit, the previous UPA government had restricted the number of subsidized domestic cylinders per household to six every year in September 2012, revising it to nine the following January.

The cap was revised in January 2014 to 12 cylinders a year, starting April 1.

The subsidy for 12 cylinders in a year is paid directly in the bank account of consumers which they use to buy LPG at market rate.

The subsidy payout on LPG in 2014-15 was Rs 40,551 crore, which this fiscal will be less than half as oil prices have slumped to six year low. During April-September, the subsidy outgo was Rs 8,814 crore.

There are no estimates of how many LPG customers would have a taxable income of Rs 10 lakh or more.

Presently, there are 16.35 crore LPG consumers in the country. This number fell to 14.78 crore after the start of Direct Benefit Transfer on LPG (DBTL) scheme which eliminated duplicate and inactive customers.

"The objective of the scheme was to ensure that the subsidy benefits go to the targeted group," the statement said.

The government had also given a call to the well-to-do households for voluntarily giving up LPG subsidy.

"So far, 57.50 lakh LPG consumers have opted out of LPG subsidy voluntarily heeding the call given by the Prime Minister," it said.

The subsidy saved from the 'GiveitUp' campaign is being utilized for providing new connections to the BPL families under the 'Giveback' campaign.

This enables provision of LPG, a clean fuel, to poor households by replacing the conventional fuels such as kerosene, coal, fuel wood, cow dung, etc, relieving the poor of the hardships and health hazards from such fuels.

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/ 

Friday 18 December 2015

ULFA leader Anup Chetia granted bail by TADA Court


United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) 'general secretary' Anup Chetia, recently extradited by Bangladesh, was today granted bail by a court in two Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act or TADA cases, but will remain in jail as some other cases against him are pending.

Special judge Alokesh Bhattacharya allowed Chetia, alias Golap Baruah, to go on bail by submitting a bail bond of Rs. five lakh and security of the same amount.

The plea was made for Chetia's bail for facilitating his trial and for him to participate in the ongoing peace process. Additional Public Prosecutor said the Assam government had no objection to Chetia being granted bail.

He will, however, not walk out as there are a number of cases against him. Another TADA case related to the ULFA leader would be heard tomorrow followed by an Indian Penal Court (IPC) case the day after.

Chetia had in his first interaction with the media earlier this month said that he was for peace talks between ULFA and the Centre.

Following his extradition by Bangladesh on November 11, Chetia was arrested by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Delhi in connection with a murder incident at Golaghat in Assam.

Chetia was in Bangladesh jail since his arrest by that country's police in 1997 on charges of cross-border intrusion, carrying fake passports and illegally keeping foreign currencies.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had said that the state government has all along been pursuing with the Centre for repatriation of Chetia and now since he has been repatriated he should be associated with the ongoing peace talks.

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/ 

Wednesday 16 December 2015

ISRO to launch six Singapore satellites today


Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) will launch six Singapore satellites this evening from its spaceport at Sriharikotta in Andhra Pradesh, some 90 kilometre north of Chennai. The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle PSLV-C29 with the payloads on-board is set to take off at 6 pm today and insert them into near-earth orbits from about 20 minutes after the ignition.

The 59 hour countdown that began on Monday morning for the launch is going on systematically as planned. The main payload in today’s commercial launch is the remote sensing satellite TeLEOS-One, and the other five co-passengers are smaller experimental satellites developed by two educational institutions of Singapore.

Singapore takes a significant leap into space with today’s launch that is set to place the 400 kilogram TeLEOS-One remote sensing satellite into a circular orbit at 550-kilometer altitude above the equatorial region using the highly reliable launch vehicle PSLV-C29 of Indian space agency ISRO.

Singapore has launched two payloads earlier using the PSLV, though they were smaller ones with limited operational life. This is ISRO’s sixth exclusive commercial launch. PSLV’s last 31 flights have been flawlessly successful missions with textbook precision, and the scientists are gearing up for its 32nd flight this evening.

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/ 

Friday 11 December 2015

Salman Khan acquitted of all charges in hit-and-run case


Bollywood star actor Salman Khan has been acquitted by the Bombay high court on Thursday in a hit-and-run case in which a man was killed after his Toyota Land Cruiser ran over five people sleeping on a Bandra footpath in September 2002.

Justice AR Joshi said the 49-year-old actor cannot be convicted because the “prosecution has failed to prove the charges on all counts”.

The judgment quashed a sessions court order in May that held Salman guilty and sentenced him to five years of rigorous imprisonment. The actor appealed to the high court to overturn the sessions court verdict.

Acquitting Salman of all charges soon after he reached the court, Justice Joshi observed he cannot be convicted on the basis of evidence submitted by the prosecution. He also pointed out “various shortcomings in investigations and the prosecution’s evidence”.

“Doubt arises over involvement of appellant on charges … Investigation was conducted in faulty manner with scant regard to procedure,” he said after seeking Salman’s presence in court at the time of pronouncing the verdict.

On Wednesday, the high court opened a window of hope for the popular actor when it had observed that the prosecution had not convincingly proved he was drunk or at the wheel of his SUV when the vehicle ran over five people in Bandra West on September 28, 2002.

Justice Joshi said it was difficult to rely on the testimony of Ravindra Patil, the police guard who was in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

He observed that Patil, who died of tuberculosis in 2007, was not a “wholly reliable witness” because of the numerous changes in his statements during the course of the trial, although he was the lone witness to testify that Salman was drunk at the wheel.

“Even if Patil’s statement has to be considered as partially reliable, there has to be corroboration in evidence which does not exist in this case,” Joshi said.

The drunk-driving charge looked doubtful since Patil didn’t mention it in the FIR filed hours after the accident but said so a few days later after Salman’s blood test reports came in. Later, he turned hostile and retracted his statement.

Justice Joshi also made crucial observations on the defence witness, Salman’s family driver Ashok Singh, as well as singer-friend Kamaal Khan, who was with the actor in the car but the prosecution never examined him in court.

The loyal driver took the blame for the accident after Salman was held guilty in May, saying he was driving the car on that fateful night. The prosecution dismissed his confession as 13 years too late.

Justice Joshi didn’t agree with the prosecution’s argument.

He also took a strong stand against the prosecution for its failure to examine Kamaal Khan, who was in the country till 2007 before he settled abroad. “The examination of an eyewitness, especially when the case has very limited number of eyewitnesses, is incremental. But the conduct of the investigating agencies leads to the conclusion that they were not desirous of bringing Kamaal Khan before the court. It is thus, necessary to draw an adverse inference against the prosecution.”

The court said the prosecution had failed to prove that the left front tyre of Salman’s car burst after the accident that night. The actor had maintained all along that the car swung out of control and jumped onto the pavement following a tyre burst on Hill Road in Bandra.

He made these observations while dwelling upon citations of the Bombay high court and the Supreme Court in a similar case pertaining to Alistair Pereira and the applicability of Section 304, Part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) under which Salman was convicted.

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/ 

Monday 7 December 2015

CM Tarun Gogoi announces Rs 1000 crore special package for SC community



Just few months ahead of the Assembly Elections, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has announced a special package of Rs 1,000 crore for the development of Scheduled Caste (SC) community in Assam.

Announcing the special package at a public meeting held on the occasion of 60th death anniversary of B R Ambedkar, Gogoi said his government has all along given thrust on the development of SC and other communities.

"If the SC and other communities lag behind, then how can Assam march on the path of growth and development? With this in mind, we constituted the Development Councils so that the different communities can take part in the development process and reap the benefits," he said.

The chief minister also announced that an Institute of Social Justice will be set up in the name of Ambedkar and additional grants would be given to the SC Development Council.

Paying tribute to Ambedkar, Gogoi said he was a freedom fighter, a jurist, economist, politician and social reformer - all rolled into one.

"The principal architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr Ambedkar fought untiringly for the downtrodden, against social discrimination, injustice and oppression. He devoted his entire life to the cause of social justice, gender equality and promotion of education," he added.

Following the footsteps of Ambedkar, Gogoi said his government is giving emphasis to gender equality by empowering women through education and formation of Self Help Groups to bring about economic transformation.

Advocating for continuation of reservation for backward communities, Gogoi said he will oppose the decision of the Centre to review the policy of reservation on the ground that these communities are still trailing behind and need support to be on par with other advanced communities.

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/ 

Wednesday 4 November 2015

Delhi Dynamos 1-1 NorthEast United FC: Simao free-kick secures a point for the NorthEast United FC



Two teams desperate to win ended up splitting points as NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) drew 1-1 with Delhi Dynamos at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Tuesday.

It was an impressive performance from the visitors who recovered from the 5-1 thrashing at Mumbai in their last match

Portuguese midfielder Simao struck within seconds of entering the pitch as Northeast United FC rallied to hold Delhi Dynamos to an exciting 1-1 draw and spoil host skipper Roberto Carlos' first start in the Indian Super League on Tuesday.

As the ball curled into the net leaving Dynamos goalkeeper Antonio Doblas clueless, the huge army of Northeast United fans who had trooped into the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in large numbers, went berserk. The Mexcian wave was witnessed a couple of times but the new ‘torch wave’was on a display often, with the crowd switching on their mobile phone torch as stretching it full length.
Taking the attack, Francis Dadzie, Diomansy Kamara and Sanju — three of the five players of NEUFC who came into the team after missing the Mumbai match — were on the go from the start but failed to find the breakthrough.

In fact, for the first 20 minutes, NEUFC virtually camped in the Dynamos half, the host hardly getting a look-in.

Keywords: News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/

Chhota Rajan likely to be deported to India today



Underworld don Chhota Rajan is likely to be deported to India today. The Gangster, who was arrested at Bali in Indonesia on 25th of last month, was expected to be brought back to India last night but it was delayed as a volcanic eruption at Mount Rinjani shut down the airport in the resort island.

Officials sources at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Bali said all flights have been grounded. Our correspondent reports that Rajan has been questioned by Indian agencies that arrived at Bali on Sunday to take him back. Chhota Rajan is accused in dozens of cases of murder, extortion and drug trafficking. He was arrested in Bali as he stepped off a flight from Sydney using an assumed name Mohan Kumar.

Keywords: News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel

For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/


Assam boxer Shiva Thapa attains no.2 spot in world rankings


Shiva Thapa has become the highest-ranked Indian boxer, zooming to second in the latest international rankings. He had won a bronze medal at last month's World championships in Doha. Shiva was placed second with 1,550 points in the 56 kilogram category, up five places from the previous list. 

The top spot was occupied by Irishman Michael Conlan with 2150 points, who won the gold medal at the World Championships. Vikas, who lost in the quarterfinals of the Doha event, was the next best-placed Indian at sixth in the 75kg middleweight division. 

Shiva Thapa is the youngest of six children born to a Nepali origin father Padam Thapa, a karate instructor in Guwahati. His elder brother Gobind Thapa was an Assam state-level medal winning boxer.

Keywords: News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/

Monday 26 October 2015

Two singers die in a road mishap at Dudhnoi


Two well known singers died and three others were seriously in a tragic road accident, when their vehicle collided with a stranded truck in the wee hours of Monday.
The accident took place near Dudhnoi in Goalpara district. 
The deceased were Jiten Deka and Mitradev Rabha. Other injured persons were Haragovind Deka, Basistha Rabha and Nirmal Chetarjee.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/


Geeta, girl stranded in Pakistan, returns India today


An Indian woman found on the Pakistani side of the border more than a decade ago is on her way home after recently identifying her family in photos sent from across the border.
Geeta, who has speech and hearing impairments, was about 11 when she is believed to have strayed into Pakistan.
As the time nears for Geeta to be re-united with her family, excitement looms large in the Kabeera Dhaap village in Saharsa district.
Villager Janardhan Mahato has claimed that Geeta is his daughter, Heera, who was lost in a fair in Ludhiana city in the western Indian state of Punjab which shares a border with Pakistan.
According to sources, Geeta had identified her father, step-mother and siblings from a photograph sent to her by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. They reportedly live in Bihar. 
At least four families had come forward to claim Geeta as their child. The MEA then asked for family photographs, which were sent her. 
Geeta was reportedly just 7 or 8 years old when she was found sitting alone inside the Samjhauta Express by the Pakistan Rangers at the Lahore railway station 15 years ago. The local police took her to the Edhi Foundation.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/


Friday 16 October 2015

NASA releases striking new images of Saturn's moon Enceladus


NASA has released striking new images from the Cassini spacecraft’s flyby of Saturn’s moon Enceladus.Cassini has begun its final tour around Saturn's large, icy moons making the first of several encounters with Enceladus early Wednesday. The flyby took the spacecraft to an altitude of 1,142 miles above the moon's surface. In earlier encounters with the moon, Enceladus was hidden by wintry darkness.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/

Rising dal prices hit home budgets


A sudden and steep surge in prices of pulses in Assam in the last few days has hit the common man hard with dal-the essential item in an Indian meal – doing the vanishing trick from the market.
The sudden spurt in prices of pulses despite supplies remaining intact has left the common man baffled.
The State government has no control on price rise of essential commodities as the ruling party busy for upcoming assembly election.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Guwahati gears up to celebrate Durga Puja


As the Durga Puja celebrations started on Monday, more than 500 pandals in Guwahati prepared to offer prayers and 'pushpanjali' to the Goddess. Puja organizers have completed their preparations to receive the hordes of devotees who started flocking to the pandals from Saptami onwards to offer pushpanjali.
Police asked Durga Puja committees to deploy women volunteers to check crime against women during the festival beginning on Monday.
The instruction, apart from mandatory installation of CCTVs and ensuring facilities to avoid any disaster during the celebrations were given to the committees.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Woman gang-raped by nine persons in Rangia, three arrested, six still at large


A woman was allegedly gang raped by nine persons at Rangia in Kamrup district of Assam, police said today.
The woman was allegedly kidnapped and gang raped by the culprits when she was went to visit a friend’s home at the place, police added.
Three persons, identified as Pankaj Das, Nareswar Das and Trilok Das, were arrested by police. Other six culprits are currently absconding.
Police has formed several teams to nab the other six accused.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Friday 9 October 2015

Crackdown continues against errant city buses in Guwahati


The district transport office (DTO) of Kamrup (Metro) has again launched an operation against city buses that violate safety rules and other traffic guidelines. Temporary check-points were put up in Basistha road where all the vehicles passing thorough were examined.
"We have seized several city buses for various reasons. Some of them did not have proper first-aid boxes and some vehicles were unfit to be driven. We also booked drivers without valid driving licenses," DTO officials said.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

ACS officer Nandita Konwar arrested for accepting bribe in Guwahati


Assam Civil Service (ACS) officer Nandita Konwar was arrested by vigilance and anti-corruption (V&AC) wing of Assam police for allegedly accepting a bribe in Guwahati. She is the daughter of former Assam Congress minister and former governor of Bihar and Tripura Devananda Konwar.
Sleuths of vigilance and anti-corruption (V&AC) wing of Assam police arrested Konwar, project director of the District Rural Development Agency, Kamrup (metro), from her office at Chandmari in Guwahati after she allegedly received Rs 12,000 from Purna Chetry, adviser to Durga Sarovar Unnayan Samity, an NGO.
Chetry had earlier lodged a complaint with the V&AC against Konwar for allegedly demanding a bribe for releasing the second instalment of funds for construction of a road from the MP Local Area Development fund of BJP MP from Guwahati, Bijoya Chakravarty. On the basis of his complaint, a team of V&AC officials today laid a trap and arrested her as soon as she accepted chemical-coated notes from Chetry at her office.
After receiving the notes coated with an invisible chemical, she was made to wash her hands with water and her hand turned red because of the presence of the chemical on her palm, which "proved" that she had accepted the money from Chetry.
Konwar, however, claimed that it was a "political conspiracy" against her by Chakravarty. She implied that she was framed because she is the daughter of a veteran Congress leader.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     


Sheena Bora murder case: Don’t keep me in isolated cell, Indrani Mukerjea tells police


Sheena Bora murder case’s prime accused Indrani Mukerjea has requested the jail authorities not to keep her in an isolated cell as it could depress her further. The jail authorities have accepted the request, after her recent health scare.
Dr Vijay Satbir Singh, principal secretary, home (prisons), met Mukerjea at the jail in Byculla on Wednesday. During the interaction, Mukerjea, who was discharged from JJ hospital two days ago, requested the authorities not to leave her alone as it could add to her depression.
The high-profile accused has the tendency to faint because of depression and so wanted to be kept in the company of other inmates. Mukerjea has also told the jail authorities that she was satisfied with the facilities inside the jail.
Bipin Kumar Singh, inspector general of police (prisons), who has been probing her sudden collapse, is expected to submit his report to the home department by Friday.
According to sources in the home department, the investigating officer has not found drug overdose as the reason behind the deterioration of her health. The investigation has also ruled out foul play or suicide attempt by the accused.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Dispur okays Reorganisation of Division of Assam proposals


The Assam cabinet approved the proposal for Reorganisation of Division of Assam for smooth functioning of administration.
Chaired by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the Cabinet approved the reorganization of four divisions of Upper Assam Division, Lower Assam Division, North Assam Division and Hills & Barak Valley Division, a government release said tonight.
The territorial area of Upper Assam Division remains unchanged, while the districts of Darrang and Udalguri are included in the North Assam Division from where Nagaon and Morigaon districts are excluded and its headquarters will be based in Tezpur, the release said.
Darrang and Udalguri districts are excluded from the Lower Assam Division, it said, adding, the Barak Valley Division includes Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi districts with headquarters in Silchar.
The territorial jurisdiction of Central Assam Division includes the districts of Nagaon, Morigaon and two hills districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao with headquarters in Nagaon.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Monday 5 October 2015

Beef ban in Jammu and Kashmir suspended for 2 months by Supreme Court


An order enforcing a decades-old ban on the sale of beef in Jammu and Kashmir, which had sparked protests in the state, has been suspended by the Supreme Court for two months.
The Jammu bench of the state High Court had last month directed the police to enforce an old law banning the slaughter and sale of beef in the state. A week later, the high court's Srinagar bench issued notice to the state on a petition that asked for the ban to be cancelled.
The Supreme Court today asked the Chief Justice of the high court to set up a three-judge bench to go through the issue and find a solution at the earliest.
"We have two conflicting orders and it is required to be solved by the Chief Justice of high court by constituting a three judge bench," said the Chief Justice of India.
The state government had moved the Supreme Court seeking clarity. "The high court's two conflicting orders have grave ramifications for the law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir as the orders are being misused and interpreted in a manner so as to disturb peace in the state," the government said.
The order asking the police to enforce the beef ban led to fierce protests in the state and forced a three-day internet shutdown during the Eid festival.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     


Four army personnel, militant killed in gun battles in Kashmir


Four soldiers and a militant were killed in two gun battles in Kupwara district of north Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, a day after two terrorists were killed in in Tral area of Pulwama district of the state.
An operation was launched in Haphruda forest in Handwara, following information about the presence of militants. Officials said the army and the state police’s Special Operation Group carried out the operation.
Four soldiers were killed in the gun battle with the militants, the army said.
The gunfight, which erupted on Sunday night, was still on, said an army spokesperson in Srinagar.
In a separate incident, a skirmish broke out during an operation in Lolab area in which a militant was killed, an army spokesperson said.
On Sunday, two militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) -- believed to be Pakistani nationals -- were killed and a soldier was injured in an encounter in Pulwama.
The slain militants were identified as Salim, alias Adil Pathan, and Rehman, alias Burmi, police sources said, adding they were suspected to be Pakistani nationals.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

India looks to bounce back in second T20 against SA


Handed a defeat in the first T20, a determined India will look to plug the loopholes in bowling and bounce back in a must-win second T20 of the three-match series against South Africa.
It's an unfamiliar situation for India to start a home series on a losing note, and the manner of the defeat in Dharamsala would put the hosts under tremendous pressure, especially the bowlers.
Back after a break of three months, the onus would be on limited overs skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni to bring the team out of the rut and ensure India get back to winning ways. Unlike Dharamsala, the conditions are expected to be ideal for Dhoni's men and the third T20 in Kolkata as the surface is likely to be low and slow in nature with rains and thundershowers in past few days.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Assam girl Proneeta Swargiary shines in Dance India Dance


Dance India Dance (DID) Season-5 contestant Proneeta Swargiary as brought glory to Assam by entering top five in the ongoing reality show programme ‘Dance India Dance’ telecast by Zee TV. She has immense potential in dancing.
Proneeta, who hails from Baksa district, is the first girl from the NE to be among the top five positions in Zee TV’s DID reality show.
Proneeta is a trained dancer in Kathak and dreams of becoming a famous choreographer some day. She works as a freelancer in the Kingdom of Dreams and idolizes Madhuri Dixit. She wants to be a part of Dance India Dance as she feels the show can pave her path towards fame.
The Delhi Bodo Association has appealed to the people and fans to cast SMS votes in favour of Proneeta till the last day of voting on October 9. The finale is on October 10. To vote through SMS, one will have to type DID5PRO and send to 57575 or can also log on to www.zeetv.com/PRO.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

Thursday 1 October 2015

Gandhi can never be divided among the game of politics: Mahika Sharma


On the eve of Gandhi Jayanti, young well known social worker and aspiring actress Mahika Sharma from Tinsukia, Assam laments RBI for not using Gandhi's portrait on Indian currency.
"Mahatma Gandhi is the father of our nation. The man will be the symbol of freedom to nation. No one else can take his place, either Kisan Baburao Hazare or respected Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Walking over the foot step of Gandhiji is a kind of Fundamental Duties of Citizens of India. No doubt Hazare and Modi are also one among the figure who leaves moral for us. But reaching at Gandhi's place is not easy for anyone," Mahika told Pratidin Time.
"I feel Gandhi can never be divided among the game of politics. And the one who tries pulling him into the game can never be a well wisher for our country. And Indian Government should take it as a crime and it should be a criminal offence and such activities should be forbidden and punishable by law," she added.
"The portrait of Mahatma Gandhi is been seen at every government office and each Indian institutions. It is just for to make us remember that we are living independently only for him. It is very clear that money makes life more independent and free the same way Gandhi did. Therefore his portrait should be living till ages everywhere. But according to media reports, some Rs 10 notes were printed and issued by the Reserve Bank of India in the recent past do not have Mahatma Gandhi's portrait on them. What does it means? Someone is dreaming or planing to replace Gandhi by his/her portrait? One should think about it," She concludes.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     


Timber smuggler killed by forest guards at Behali reserve forest in Sonitpur


One timber smuggler was killed in an encounter with forest guards at Behali reserve forest in Sonitpur district, a senior Forest Department official said today.
During routine patrolling in Rongagorah block of Behali reserve forest, a group of forest guards were attacked by timber smugglers and they retaliated, said Divisional Forest Officer (East), Sonitpur, Suvasis Das.
Later, the forest guards found an unidentified body with bullet wounds and a country-made muzzle loading rifle near it.
The body was sent for post mortem and identification, Das said adding all forest camps in Behali reserve forest area were alerted and a search operation launched for the smugglers.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     

ULFA-I chief Paresh Baruah’s mother Miliki Baruah passes away


Miliki Baruah, the mother of United Liberation Front of Asom’s militant ‘commander’ Paresh Baruah, passed away at their residence in Jeraigaon Panitola in Dibrugarh district of Assam today.
The social activist was suffering from low blood pressure and chronic cough, family sources said.
Miliki Baruah (88) was admitted to a private hospital in Dibrugarh after she complained of palpitation and breathing trouble, but later she was discharged. She lived with one of her sons at her home.
The mother a few days back told media there that she wants her son to fight for justice and lamented that she knows that she is not going to see her son soon but she wishes him all the success.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     


Monday 28 September 2015

PM Modi to Silicon Valley: Digital India 'unmatched in history'


Lights flashed and chants of "Modi, Modi" filled the 18,000-seat sports arena in San Jose, California, on Sunday as the Indian premier took the stage for the final event of his Silicon Valley tour, marked by sporadic protests over his human rights record. 
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was winding up a whirlwind two-day U.S. West Coast trip and Sunday's event followed visits to some of the world's biggest technology companies, hoping to convince them to bring more investment and jobs to India.
Modi, 65, was the first Indian leader to visit the West Coast in more than 30 years. His trip followed a visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, who met several tech leaders in Seattle last week.
Modi aimed to deepen ties with the U.S. technology sector and boost India's digital infrastructure by promoting his "Digital India" campaign, which seeks to connect thousands more villages to the Internet.
"(India) has moved on from scriptures to satellites," Modi said. "The world has started to believe that the twenty-first century belongs to India."
Technology executives, eager to expand into India with its 1.3-billion population, embraced Modi's initiative, with CEOs from Facebook Inc, Google Inc and Tesla Motors all hosting him at their headquarters. Apple Inc Chief Executive Tim Cook met with Modi at his hotel.
The second day of his visit began with a town hall at Facebook headquarters with Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg, where Modi spent 50 minutes on stage and discussed the importance of social media, Digital India and technological expansion in the country. Modi is an avid user of social media and the second-most followed world leader after U.S. President Barack Obama.
He became emotional at one point when Zuckerberg asked him to speak about his mother. "I came from a very poor family. ... We went to our neighbors' houses nearby (to) clean dishes, fill water, do hard chores. So you can imagine what a mother had to do to raise her children."
Modi later visited Google headquarters and met with Indian-born Chief Executive Sundar Pichai, who announced that Google would bring wireless Internet to 500 Indian railway stations, news that Modi revealed at a dinner Saturday night with more than 350 business leaders.
Though Modi remains wildly popular in India with an 87 percent approval rating, some of his stops were met with protests of his human rights record. Some claim that Modi did not do enough to stop 2002 religious riots in Gujarat that killed about 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, when he was chief minister of the state. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Mostly Sikh protesters calling on Modi to answer for his rights record temporarily blocked one of Facebook's entrances. Several hundred people gathered outside San Jose's SAP Center ahead of Modi's speech that lasted several hours. Half were protesters shouting over metal barricades and holding signs that said "Modi believes in violence, not development," and "#ModiFail" that resulted in several scuffles.
Much of Modi's U.S. visit, on which he received rock-star welcomes, also focused on connecting with the Indian diaspora in Silicon Valley, the IT professionals who migrated in their droves over the past two decades to seize job opportunities that weren't available back home.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/
                     



Cattle smuggling to Bangladesh on the rise


Cattle smuggling through the porous India-Bangladesh border in the Dhubri district is on the rise.
In the latest case, a smuggler was apprehended and 21 head of cattle were seized in Bairere village from border area of the district on Monday.
The market for smuggled cattle is thriving as a cow that costs over Rs 30,000 here can earn double the sum if one sells it to vendors across the border illegally.
A source said the demand for calves has also shot up recently. A medium-sized calf worth Rs 25,000 can be sold at Rs 40,000 on the black market.
Over 16,100 cattle have been seized in the Dhubri sector in Falakata this year. Security forces have seized large herds in Dhubri owing to the porous India-Bangladesh border in the district.
News live Assam, Assam news, Assam news live, North east latest news, Assam news live online, Pratidin Time,  Assamese News Channel
For more news, visit: http://www.pratidintime.com/