Manipur News

Dimapur, Sept 6 NNN : There was a factional gun battle between NSCN factions in Dimapur today. Two cadres of NSCN-Khaplang were injured in the clash between the outfit with another NSCN faction led by Khole and Kitovi at a place called Thahekhu in Dimapur at around 7 am which lasted till 9 am.
According to an intelligence source, two sergeant majors of the NSCN-K identified as Mario Anal and James Kikon sustained bullet wounds in the clash. The official source informed that grenades and sophisticated weapons were used in the clash by both the warring groups.
It all began when NSCN-Khole/Kitovi group attacked the cadres of Khaplang faction at a house in Thahekhu, around 5 kilometres south of Dimapur main market. According to the source, one Khethovi, who was a town command of NSCN-Khole/Kitovi group in Dimapur had defected to Khaplang camp few weeks ago. In the last two days, Khethovi along with 30 cadres were camping in a house at Thahekhu village. On learning this, the rival group i.e, Khole/Kitovi faction of the NSCN attacked with heavy weapons including explosives on the house where NSCN-K cadres were camping.
The Khaplang group returned the ambush from the rival faction. In the ensuing gun battle the two sergeant majors of the Khaplang group were hurt. The clash continued for nearly hours, civil organisations and local clubs along with the church bodies intervened. While the civil organisations were trying their best to stop the clash, the Assam Rifles personnel also rushed in. At last the warring NSCN factions stopped.The Assam Rifles personnel tried to arrest the cadres of both the NSCN groups but the civil organisations prevented them from doing so. Vehicles were arranged by these civil organisations and took the NSCN-K cadres to a safer locality while the injured persons have been admitted in a hospital. It is speculated the NSCN cadres have been taken to their camp at Zunheboto.
On September 3, the NSCN-K as a gesture of “good faith” and in the “larger interests of the people” released self-style Sgt. Maj. Botai Wangnaoham s/o late Tampha Wangnaoham of Pumao village who hails from NSCN-Khole/Kitovi group unharmed in presence of local leaders and his family members.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/two-injured-in-nscn-factional-clashes/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Sep 6 : Union Home Minister Shri Suhil Kumar Shinde has called for more cooperation between central agencies and state police forces as they work together towards achieving the common objective of curbing terrorism. Inaugurating the annual conference of DGPs / IGPs here today, he urged them to take prompt notice of every piece of intelligence as it is received and develop capacities for addressing the threats posed by terrorism.
Union Home Minister informed the Conference of constitution of Nine Member Standing Committee of DGPs headed by DIB to suggest Best Practices and Standard Operating Procedures for any aspect of Police operations/functioning and also propose/recommend assessments on any contemporary issue of national security.
Sushil Kumar Shinde also said that there is increasing evidence of resort taken by terrorists to the cyber-space domain. The recent incidents in Bengaluru in Karnataka, Pune in Maharashtra and other states of India where motivated rumours and irresponsible use of the social networking media posed a new challenge.
Earlier, in his welcome address Director, Intelligence Bureau, Nehchal Sandhu said that the conference has come to be a useful platform whereat police leaders are able to discuss challenges to security and design responses besides taking note of emerging trends that might require greater extension in the days ahead. He also mentioned that the recent approval of a standing committee of DGPs will carry forward the process of professional exchanges in the period between these annual conferences. Shri Sandhu also added that these conferences provide inspiration and encouragement to 2.2 million police personnel across the country.
Ministers of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mullappally Ramachandran and Jitendra Singh; Directors General and Inspectors General of Police of the States and the Union Territories; Chiefs of Central Police Organisations and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/hm-calls-for-cooperation-between-central-state-forces/

Mail News Service
New Delhi, Sep 6 : The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved implementation of North East Rural Livelihood Project (NERLP) on 16th November 2011 at an estimated cost of Rs 683.2 crore, comprising assistance as a soft loan from the World Bank of Rs 614.8 crore and Central Government funding of Rs 68.4 crore, in two selected districts each of four States of Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today Ghatowar said, North East Rural Livelihood Project has become effective in March, 2012. Recruitment process for Regional Project Monitoring Unit and eight District Project Management Units is in final stages.
He said, objective of NERLP is to improve rural livelihoods especially that of women, unemployed youth and of most disadvantaged; by providing access to economic opportunities, improving adoption of sustainable agricultural and natural resource management through establishing participatory and accountable community based institutions. Targeted outcome indicators of project development objectives are:-
(i) At least 60% of women Self Help Group members achieve minimum increase of 30% in income, in real terms by end of project.
(ii) At least 30% of project-benefited unemployed youths are employed.
(iii) At least 50% of disadvantaged households achieve minimum of 30% improvement in livelihood indices from entry into the project.
The Minister said, the project aims at providing resources to engage various private and public sector organizations who in turn will assist Producer Organizations and Self Help Groups to access better market information and latest technology, obtain higher returns for their produce and help communities align their produce better with market demands. Following strategies are proposed for marketing and for establishing marketing linkages around them:
Ø support for production cluster development, collective marketing, market infrastructure development, market
intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination;
Ø value chain analysis and linkage support;
Ø public-private partnership;
Ø linkage with nodal agencies to facilitate marketing;
The Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that North East Rural Livelihoods Project (NERLP) will involve local community in Forest & Natural Resources Management. NERLP envisages empowering and enabling traditional institutions and building
modern management capacities within them. The communities will be able to develop new resource management plans that address forest conservation and livelihood issues and also protect biodiversity in a manner that respect indigenous rights to natural resources and livelihood needs.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today Shri Ghatowar said, procedure for identifying and sanctioning community based natural resource management programme in States covered under NERLP namely, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, will include supporting community efforts for intensifying land productivity, especially in sites where terracing and irrigation are possible. Agro forestry system with a mix of commercial products including timber, fibre, spice, and medicinal plant will help to generate income, taking pressure of steeper slopes and allowing for longer fallow periods in areas of jhum (shifting cultivation). Development of water sources, both surface and ground water resources, like springs, ponds, natural flows, managing watersheds will be taken up.
Conduct of Impact Assessment Studies through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) shall be carried out during the consolidation phase of Project, the Minister added.
Paban Singh Ghatowar has said that Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region has already sought exemption from earmarking 2% of funds for Scheduled Caste Sub Plan (SCSP), since no meaningful programme can be implemented with this meagre amount, which comes to Rs. 4.10 crore only and to Rs. 2.50 crore in case Externally Aided Projects outlay is excluded. Moreover, most of the schemes of this Ministry are in the nature of infrastructure project, benefits of which cover all segments of the society viz. SC/ST, women etc. Accordingly, no allocation is earmarked under SCSP and Tribal Sub-Plan.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today Shri Ghatowar said, notwithstanding this, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is insisting that due representation to SC/ST youth is given in training programmes conducted under its scheme ‘Capacity Building & Technical Assistance’, under which training to unemployed youth of North Eastern Region is supported. Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region is not required to earmark funds under Tribal Sub-Plan.

Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rural-livelihood-project-in-ne/