Day: February 18, 2012

Shillong, Feb 17 NNN: The Meghalaya government has received good responses today regarding the ideas it sought from the experts and civil populace to live up with the 11% growth rate by the end of the next five year plan.
The consultation sessions held at the committee room of the state secretariat on Friday has circulated upon the state vision plan that should kick start from the upcoming budget and the road map throughout the 12 five year plan.
During the second and final round of pre budget consultations on resources allocations, chief minster Mukul Sangma solicited the participants’ views to overtake the national growth rate and the targeted 11 % growth rate of the state by using all the resources and potentials available in the state.
Meghalaya chief minister spoke at length on the state vision to achieve the 11 % growth rate by the end of the 12th five year plan period.
“Going by our present growth rate we have a long way to catch the national growth rate but your suggestions to our innovative objectives will help in achieving the same”, stated Sangma.
He also said that the new strategies to redefine and to restructure the new budget proposal will be in consonance with the public views.
Principal secretary to the government R M Mishara listed the state potentials by pointing to natural resources,young population ,bio diversity hot spot, centre of excellence in education and English,vast
tourism potentials,trade links with Bangladesh and the pre-independence high per capita. The chief minister after hearing the various viewpoints assured to integrate the ideas and thoughts of the people into reality.
This is the second pre budget deliberations with the stake holders before the March 9 budget session of the state assembly.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/11-growth-rate-at-meghalaya/

Guwahati, Feb 17 NNN: Just a day after China had denied the charge of aiding North East based militants, Paresh Barua led banned Ulfa had termed former home secretary GK Pillai’s comment on the outfit’s chief was baseless and an outcome of frustration.
In an email statement to media houses here on Friday, the publicity secretary of Ulfa , Arunudoy Asom alleged that it was GK Pillai, the former home secretary of India, who had masterminded the total destruction of Ulfa but his initiatives suffered a major setback.
China on Thursday dismissed the charges hurled on it by G.K Pillai that it was aiding insurgent groups in India’s North East, saying that it follows the policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries. China’s foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin said in a statement that Chinese government always uphold the principle of non interference in other countries’ internal affairs.
The statement from China’s foreign ministry said that the report consists of allegation from India’s former home secretary G K Pillai was completely inconsistent with facts. GK Pillai on February 13 last in Guwahati in a seminar had said that insurgents in Northeast region were holding meetings with Chinese intelligence officials.
“Pillai, when he was home secretary he had initiated a bid to finish Ulfa. For his plan, the government of India had pumped in huge amounts of money to eliminate Paresh Barua. But his effort failed and Ulfa is still active. Pillai’s statement on Paresh Barua was an outcome of frustration”, said Arunudoy Asom.
Pillai in his address at the seminar had even said that despite India’s complete information provided to Chinese authority on Ulfa chief Paresh Barua’s trip to Yunan province of China from Dhaka in early 2009, the elusive Ulfa leader’s every detail including the plane in which Paresh Baruah was moved to China, the Chinese authority did nothing to apprehend the Ulfa leader.
Pillai had further said that Praesh Barua’s family wanted to come back to Assam but the elusive military commander of Ulfa prevented them. Paresh Barua’s wife and sons are currently in Bangladesh under close observation of security agencies of the neighbouring country.
Banglashesh was safe haven for Ulfa till early 2009. But when Seikh Hasina led government was formed, most of the militant outfits of Northeast India sheltered in that country faced security offensives. Most of the top leaders of Ulfa including chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa was nabbed in Bangladesh in 2009 and later handed over to India. But Ulfa’s military chief Paresh Barua and some of his trusted lieutenants had managed to give a slip to security agencies of Bangladesh.
A big section of Ulfa leaders and cadres under the guidance of its chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa made a deal for holding dialogue with New Delhi. But Paresh Barua had opposed the peace talk with the government of India. The anti talk faction of Ulfa dissolved the previous body and formed a new Central committee.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/paresh-barua-refutes-pillais-claims/