The proposed 2-day meeting of the North Eastern Council (NEC), a regional planning body for the 8 states of the region, in Agartala has been postponed due to the devastating floods in Tripura, officials said on Friday.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, other Union ministers concerned and top officials were scheduled to attend the plenary meeting of the NEC in Agartala on August 31 and September 1.
A senior NEC official in Shillong said that the new dates would be announced in due course of time.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha had earlier said that the progress of various ongoing and proposed development projects, the India-Bangladesh border-related issues and other important matters were scheduled to be discussed in the two-day NEC meeting, attended by the Governors and Chief Ministers of all the eight northeastern states and senior officials of NEC and DoNER Ministry.
The Union Home Minister, in the previous NEC meeting in Shillong, had said that in the 50 years of its establishment, the NEC has increased the pace of development of the region by providing a policy-related platform to all the states and simplifying the solutions to their problems. He had said that in these 50 years, more than 12,000 km of roads have been constructed in this region, 700 MW power plants have been established and many institutes of national excellence have also been established under the guidance of NEC.
Highlighting the role and scope of NEC under the Act East Policy, the Home Minister had said that in the last few years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government has achieved significant success in solving the problems of law and order, insurgency and borders in this region.
The devastating floods in Tripura have left at least 24 people, including women and children, dead, and several others injured in landslides and drowning in six districts since Monday while two persons were reportedly missing.
A state government official said that around 1.28 lakh people have taken shelter in 558 relief camps in all eight districts. He said that 17 lakh people were affected in the entire state, which has witnessed unprecedented rain and devastating floods since August 19.
With its headquarters in Meghalaya's capital Shillong, the NEC, a regional planning and statutory advisory body for the eight northeastern states including Sikkim, was constituted under the North Eastern Council Act, 1971, and came into being on November 7, 1972.
AFSPA extended in Manipur, parts of Nagaland, Arunachal for another 6 months
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act for another six months in certain parts of Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, officials said, adding that further extension of the law would be effective from April 1.
PM Modi slams Cong for decades of 'neglect' & underdevelopment in Chhattisgarh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday strongly criticised the previous Congress governments for years of neglect towards Chhattisgarh, accusing it of plunging the state into a prolonged era of darkness and underdevelopment.
Navy ships from Andaman to carry relief material to quake-hit Myanmar
Indian Navy ships Karmuk and LCU 52 from the Andaman and Nicobar Command will also be sailing for Yangon on Sunday to boost ‘Operation Brahma’ to render assistance to earthquake-hit Myanmar.
IAF’s Su-30 MKI to display skills in multinational exercise in Greece
Aiming to hone skills against a dozen other counterparts, including the US, Israel, and France, the Indian Air Force (IAF) will be participating in biennial multinational air exercise INIOCHOS-25, starting in Greece from Monday, an official said.
PM Modi lays foundation stone for 800 MW Sipat III power project
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Sipat stage-III, an advanced 800 MW ultra-supercritical power single unit on Sunday, by remotely pressing a button during a ceremony held in Mohbhatta village, Bilaspur district, Chhattisgarh.
Building a developed, inclusive Bharat will be true tribute to Babasaheb: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that a developed and inclusive Bharat will be the true tribute to Babasaheb Ambedkar and will take the country to new heights of progress with his values and teachings.
Another haul of areca nuts smuggled from Myanmar seized in Mizoram
Assam Rifles, along with Customs, have seized a large consignment of smuggled areca nuts, also known as Burmese Betel nuts, valued at Rs 1.79 crore in Mizoram, officials said on Sunday.