Interim budget neglected northeast India: Tripura government

September 8th, 2009 AGARTALA - Fake currency with the nominal value of Rs.500,000 was seized from a Tripura village bordering Bangladesh and two men were arrested, officials said here Tuesday. The seizure and arrests were made during searches in Sobhapur village along the India-Bangladesh border, 60 km west of Agartala, Monday night by a joint team of Assam Rifles troopers and Tripura Police.

August 21st, 2009 Akhaurah (India-Bangladesh Border), - Bangladesh has said it will increase trade and economic activities with India's northeast region and develop infrastructure at the border. Bangladesh Commerce Minister Colonel (retired) Faruk Khan said: "We have decided to increase trade and business with the northeastern region to reduce Bangladesh's trade gap with India.

August 14th, 2009 AGARTALA - Fearing terrorist attacks ahead of Independence Day Aug 15, the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) has suspended night trains in southern Assam, Nagaland and Tripura till Sunday, an official said here Friday. "Many trains, especially those running at night in southern Assam, Nagaland and Tripura will remain suspended from Friday to Sunday.

August 13th, 2009 AGARTALA - Bangladesh will export 400 million bricks to Tripura, with the first consignment reaching the bordering state Aug 20, officials said here Thursday. "To boost the brick trade, the Indian government has removed the 2.5 percent central custom duty from this month while the Tripura government reduced the value-added tax (VAT) to 4 percent from 12.5 percent," said Tripura Commerce and Industry Minister Jitendra Chowdhury.

July 7th, 2009 AGARTALA - Terming the budget of the central government as "anti-people", the Left Front government in Tripura Tuesday said it has largely neglected the north-eastern region. "Doing a grave injustice towards the north-east region, almost the same amount (of last fiscal) has been allocated to the region, which is economically weak," said state Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury.

July 5th, 2009 AGARTALA - Bangladesh's industry bodies want transit facilities for India to help it transport cargo to the northeast region through their country. According to them, transshipment can be done through Chittagong and Mongla international ports and Sherpur and Ashuganj river ports, besides through road and railways.

July 4th, 2009 AGARTALA - The Left Front government in Tripura Saturday voiced its unhappiness over the railway budget, saying Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee had ignored the northeast by announcing no new schemes or projects for the region. "No new scheme or project was announced in the railway budget.

May 20th, 2009 AGARTALA - The victorious Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) must initiate development and provide security in the northeast, the Communist Party of India (CPI-M) which is in power in Tripura said here Wednesday. 'We are hopeful that the UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh would not deprive the northeastern region of developmental programmes and suitably utilise the region's untapped resources,' Gautam Das, CPI-M spokesman in Tripura, told IANS.

April 28th, 2009 AGARTALA - A ten-member business delegation comprising of members of India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) recently met here to discuss the possibilities to explore bilateral trade potential and industrial investment opportunities in the state. The delegation led by India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) President Abdul Matlub Ahmad met with business community of Tripura Industrial Development Corporation (TIDC), senior most officials and businessmen.

April 20th, 2009 AGARTALA - Bangladeshi trade and industry groups have said they would increase trade and economic activities with India's northeast region and urged Dhaka to provide transit facilities to India. 'We have decided to start business and education tourism with the northeastern region,' said Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Following are the reactions from some prominent industrialists and economists to the interim budget presented by acting finance minister Pranab Mukherjee here Monday: Deepak Parekh, chairman, HDFC Bank: Not a disappointment, I did not expect anything in the interim budget. It was never meant to be a giveaway.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Reacting to criticisms over lack of measures in the interim budget presented Monday, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia said in an election year, an incumbent government had the mandate only to present a vote on account. 'I think this is a failure to understand the limitations of an interim budget,' Ahluwalia said, soon after industry and average citizens complained that the interim budget tabled in parliament by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had no specific measures on tax rates or to help cushion the impact of global slowdown.

February 12th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - Orissa has been neglected in interim railway budget presented by Railways Minister Lalu Prasad in Parliament Friday, Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said here. 'I am disappointed as Orissa has been neglected,' Patnaik told reporters here, adding that only one new express train was proposed to be introduced in the state in 2009-2010.

February 3rd, 2009 AGARTALA - A colourful march-past, dances and cultural functions with traditional costumes Wednesday marked the beginning of the Northeast Games at the Umakanta Stadium here. In all 1,102 competitors, including 471 women contestants, from the eight northeastern states are participating in the 23rd Northeast Games.

December 30th, 2008 AGARTALA - Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar Wednesday expressed optimism that the new Bangladesh government led by the Awami League would help settle pending issues related to the northeast, including terrorism. 'We strongly believe that the Awami League government headed by Sheikh Hasina would resolve the northeast India's terrorism related problems and provide transit to transport men and materials between the northeast and the rest of the country via Bangladesh,' Sarkar told reporters here.