Business experts and police officers have stressed a set of strategies to firmly deal with smuggling that ravages economy of the north eastern states. Participating a meeting organized by FICCI on committee against smuggling and counterfeiting activities destroying economy in Guwahati on Tuesday, the speakers said that the growing problem needs to be solved early. FICCI CASCADE adviser P C Jha talked of higher VAT in cigarettes which leads to increase in illegal trade. He urged the government to take note of it. Assam and Meghalay are losing a total of Rs 700 crore revenue every year to illicit trade, he said adding that , VAT on cigarettes is as high as 30 per cent and 27 per cent in both the states. According to additional DGP of Assam, states like Tripura and Sikkim levy VAT on cigarettes at the rate of 25 per cent and 22 per cent, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh at 20 per cent, while it is 18 per cent and 13.5 per cent in Nagaland and Manipur respectively. FICCI report reveals the total loss on account of the illicit market estimated for 2014 in respect of seven sectors of the manufacturing industry is Rs 39,239 crore, up from Rs 26,190 crore in 2012.
26 Aug 2007 - 4:03am | editor
Guwahati: The much-awaited annual general meeting of the Assam Olympic Association was held today which retained Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi as the President of the organization. However, the...
13 Feb 2010 - 8:19pm | editor
Jailed ULFA leader Sasha Chaudhury was brought to the Guwahat Medical College Hospital for check up on Saturday. Officials sources told Assam Times, it a routine health check up. The foreign...
5 Sep 2011 - 3:29pm | Mowsam Hazarika
The Agriculture department will be implementing its ‘mission double cropping’ in all the 26 districts of the State from the next rabi season onwards, under the directive of Assam...
9 Aug 2016 - 5:24pm | AT News
Assam Congress blamed BJP for the mysterious death of Kalikho Pul who was found dead at his residence on Tuesday morning. Talking to reporters in Guwahati, Congress leaders said that Pul was the...
Renowned filmmaker and screenwriter Bhaskarjyoti Das passed away on Thursday after a prolonged battle with cancer. He was 51 years old at the time of his demise.
Bhaskarjyoti Das was celebrated for his exceptional work in films like Handuk, Sonar Boron Pakhi, and Bakul Phulor Dore, among others. His screenwriting earned him accolades at both state and national levels. He also served as the co-producer and assistant director for the acclaimed film Antardhan.
His documentary An Unknown Summer was screened at this year’s Kerala International Documentary and Short Film Festival and gained global recognition. The film was also nominated in the Short Documentary category for the prestigious...
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has established an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal to assess whether the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and its affiliates should continue to be classified as an unlawful association.
The tribunal, chaired by Justice Michael Zothankhuma of the Gauhati High Court, was formed under Section 5(1) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. This follows the MHA's recent decision to extend ULFA's ban for five more years, citing the group's ongoing efforts to secede Assam from India, links with other insurgent groups, and involvement in extortion and violence.
The ULFA, banned since 1990, has a long history of criminal activities,...
In our modern world, the rising prevalence of chronic diseases is a harsh reminder of the impact of lifestyle and diet choices on our well-being. As Lalit Kapoor insightfully puts it, “The human body is a self-healing organism.” However, by relying heavily on medications to suppress symptoms, we disrupt this natural process and set off a vicious cycle of dependency and further health complications.
The key to vibrant health lies in embracing five fundamental pillars, as seen in communities of the world’s Blue Zones—regions where people live disease-free into their 90s and beyond. Let’s explore these pillars and how they can transform our lives.
1. Food: Nourishing the Body from...
With remote work on the rise, traditional office arrangements have been completely turned upside down. No one has embraced this transformation quite like remote professionals in India. From freelancers to full-time remote employees, Indian professionals are leveraging a range of creative communication hacks to collaborate with global teams, navigate time zone differences, and remain productive. Whether you’re a remote worker yourself or just interested in how India’s professionals are coping with this new status quo, there’s plenty to be learned from their approach.
Remote work relies on one thing above all else: clear, constant communication. This often means leveraging technology,...
Guwahati, December 21: A panel discussion on the "Violation of Human Rights Laws Against Hindus and Other Religious Minorities" was held today at the Bishnu Nirmal Trust Auditorium, Latasil, Guwahati. The event was organized under the banner of Adhivakta Parishad Assam Prant.
The discussion featured notable speakers, including Justice Ajit Borthakur, former Judge of the Guwahati High Court and current member of the Assam Human Rights Commission. Justice Borthakur raised concerns about the status of rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Bangladesh and questioned their protection for all citizens.
Former IPS and DGP (OSD) M Mohan Raj provided historical context, comparing...
Guwahati, December 2024: The Assam Chamber of Commerce is set to host a 5 KM Fun Run on January 5, 2025, at 6:00 AM, starting from the Gauhati Town Club, Judges Field, Panbazar. The event, spearheaded by Rupam Goswami, Chairman of the Assam Chamber of Commerce, aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and promote a healthy lifestyle.
The fun run, themed “Run for a Cause,” invites participants from all walks of life to join hands in the fight against drugs. Registration for the event is priced at ₹250, with participants required to share a screenshot of their payment via WhatsApp to the organizers. The event promises exciting cash prizes for both male and female runners: ₹5,000 for first...
A protest by Congress party workers in Dispur escalated into chaos today as demonstrators attempted to gherao the Janata Bhawan in Guwahati, leading to multiple detentions including top party leadership. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee President Bhupen Borah and senior leader Ripun Bora were among those detained as fully-equipped police forces intervened to control the situation.
The demonstration, sparked by the death of Congress worker Mridul Islam in Wednesday's tear gas shelling, saw protesters defying police barricades and staging sit-ins on the road. Some demonstrators attempted to breach police lines in front of the Janata Bhawan, intensifying the confrontation.
In a related...
Guwahati, December 18, 2024: The School of Social Work at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Guwahati Off-Campus, held its first-ever Inhmukhawm: Field Work Organisations’ Meet on Wednesday. The event, themed "Buen Vivr: Co-building a Sustainable and Just Future," brought together nearly 100 participants, including grassroots organizations, NGOs, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) representatives. Aligning with the International World Social Work Day 2024, the gathering focused on social work, sustainability, and justice, providing a platform for dialogue, learning, and collaborative innovation to enhance student fieldwork initiatives.
The event commenced with a warm...
Guwahati, Assam: The Business Incubation Center for Fisheries and Aquaculture (BICFA) at Guwahati Biotech Park (GBP), under the Department of Science, Technology & Climate Change, Government of Assam, successfully organized a three-day hands-on training program on Feed Analysis and Nutrient Composition of Animal and Fish Feed. The program aimed to educate startups, researchers, and students and was held at GBP and the Feed Testing Laboratory, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Sciences, Assam Agricultural University (AAU), Khanapara.
Dr. Bula Choudhury, Senior Scientist at GBP and Convener of the program, welcomed the participants. She highlighted the vision of...
A transformative gathering of educators took place at the Mayflower Hotel in Guwahati, where 76 educators from 38 schools across Assam and Meghalaya came together for WWF-India’s Educators’ Conclave 2024 on November 29. The event focused on empowering educators to instill environmental stewardship and climate literacy in students, while sharing innovative strategies to make schools sustainable and eco-conscious hubs of learning.
With the theme “Raising Generation 30,” the conclave explored actionable ideas for transforming education systems to address pressing environmental challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss.
“The role of educators in shaping future environmental...
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