Day: June 19, 2012

Shillong, June 19 NNN : To upgrade telecommunications facilities in insurgency-hit and border areas in India’s
northeastern states, the Union government has decided to spend Rs 647 crores on North Eastern
connectivity by BSNL and Telecom Department.
Stressing on the importance of connectivity for the North East, Union Minister of state for Communication and IT Sanchin Pilot who was in Shillong yesterday has assured full support of the Centre in ensuring that satellite connectivity would be tapped for remote and hilly regions besides landline, wireless, and data connectivity on par with rest of the country.
The Union Minister also stressed that adequate mobile coverage of National and state Highways would be a priority for the Government.
The Union Minister of state reviewed the functioning of BSNL and department of posts in north eastern states in Shillong.
“Satellite connectivity would be tapped for remote and hilly regions,” Pilot said.
The Minister has directed the senior officials of BSNL to focus especially on quality voice and data services.
Pilot said, “BSNL has 2635 mobile towers in the North East and 684 WLL towers for high speed broadband service in the rural areas”.
“An ambitious plan in this regard is under the consideration of the Government in consultation with the departments of north eastern region.”
He informed that BSNL plans a capital expenditure of Rs 347 crore in the North Eastern States for the current fiscal year.
“of this Rs 92.18 crore is embarked for Assam, Rs 33.86 crore for NE 1 circle comprising of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura, Rs 68.07 crore for NE 2 circle comprising of Nagaland, Manipur and
Arunachal Pradesh, and Rs 10 crore for Sikkim,” Pilot said.
A special unit entrusted with execution of projects would be given Rs 142.93 crore, the Minister said in addition about Rs 300 crores that will be spent on National Optical Fiber Network and other projects.
Pilot announced that 50 more post offices of the North East would be taken up under the Project this year adding that services being offered through the post offices would be expanded.
The Minister said that there are 7142 post offices in the North East and of these 782 have already been upgraded to global quality of service under the Department of Post’s prestigious Project Arrow at a cost of Rs 8.2 crore

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/communications-to-be-improved/

The 42nd birth anniversary of Rahul Gandhi was held with a campaign to save Sangai at Congress Bhawan today.
The Home minister who graced the occasion as chief guest said, Sangai, a kind of deer is found only in Manipur. Human beings have become a terrible species. It is necessary to live us together. With the protection of Sangai, we have to preserve Loktak Lake.
Rahul Gandhi is a young, dynamic leader. For a new development in our country, we need youth leaders. His outlook and ideas should be followed by the present people. In foreign countries those who attained 14,15 years have become matured persons.
The RD and PR minister Francis Ngajokpa, MLAs Prithibiraj, Victor Keishing, general secy of Congress Bidyapati Senjam also attended the function as president and guest of honours respectively.
In connection with the function a felicitation programme of students who stood positions in CBSE, HSLC and XII exam. Was also held.The felicitation programme was organized by NSUI.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rahul-gandhi-birth-anniversary/

New Delhi, June 19 (MNS/ANI): Despite P.A. Sangma remaining defiant over contesting the presidential poll as a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader D.P. Tripathi on Tuesday expressed confidence about the former Lok Sabha speaker supporting UPA nominee and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the post of President of India.
Tripathi, who met Mukherjee here, said it was a courtesy visit.
“This is a courtesy visit. We are allies. I am an NCP leader and voter of Pranab Mukherjee. So, it is my duty to meet him,” said Tripathi. With contrasting stands among its allies on the presidential election, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) appears to be in a fix.
Shiv Sena, a part of the BJP-led opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has already publicly said it would support Pranab Mukherjee, the Congress-led ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate for the highest office in the country.
After the BJP’s core committee meeting Monday decided that contesting the poll was necessary, the party was put in a tight spot by the Shiv Sena, which not only favoured Mukherjee but urged other political aprties too to back the finance minister.
This is a second time the Shiv Sena has ditched the BJP. In the last presidential poll too, it had supported UPA candidate Pratibha Patil.
Another major ally, Janata Dal-United is also reportedly not in favour of putting up a candidate against Mukherjee.
In another setback to the BJP, sources said former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa has affirmed support to Mukherjee. However, an official declaration on his stand is yet to come from Yeddyurappa.
The BJP, which is yet to decide on a presidential candidate, is sticking to its stand of not letting Mukherjee win uncontested.
“That is the general sense that we must have a candidate against Mukherjee, even if it is only symbolic.
The leader, however, refused to comment on the possibility of the BJP going alone against its allies.
The party had Monday night refused to talk to the press after the core committee meeting. It only said that a final decision would be taken after a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leaders, a date for which has not yet been fixed.
During the meeting, the party had reportedly discussed backing Nationalist Congress Party leader and former Lok Sabha speaker P Sangma.
Sources in the BJP say the NDA meeting will take place this week, followed by another meeting of the party’s core committee.
“As far as Sangma is concerned, he is a senior leader of our party. The meeting of our party is scheduled to take place on 21st (June 21). Even Sangma will be attending that and I have full confidence that he will support UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee,” he added.
When asked if Sangma would not fall within the party line and decide to contest against Mukherjee, Tripathi said: “Sangma is our very senior and respectable leader. Politics is not based on speculation. The meeting of our party will be held on 21st (June 21) and after that we will let you know the party’s strategy.”
Sangma had earlier on Sunday reiterated that he was still in the fray for the presidential poll as a tribal candidate, and said that he would appeal to his party boss Sharad Pawar to back him in the race for Raisina Hill.
“I have maintained right from the beginning that I am a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, which is nothing to do with any political party. I am a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India.
And, as a candidate of the Tribal Forum of India, I have gone across to all political parties appealing for support. This is the position. Therefore, it is very clear that I am not an NCP candidate,” said Sangma.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/ncp-confident-of-sangma-supporting-pranab-bjp-undecided/