Understanding the endless difficulties and financial limitations faced by the media persons, voices have been raised for a group life & health insurance coverage for the media employees including working journalists engaged with various media outlets of the city. The members of Guwahati Press Club emphasize on a participatory groupinsurance scheme where the beneficiary-employees, owners of media houses and the State government can contribute equally.
Need not to mention that most of the media employees based in the city have no life & health insurance coverage. In regards to the health insurance coverage the statistics may go up to 80% (out of around 5000 media employees) who do not possess the facilities.
Moreover, the health care in present days becomes very expensive where the media employees often face hardship to undergo necessary treatments. The benefits, provided by the ESI hospitals, have much more limitations. So the financial constrains always prevent them from taking due medical attention, which finally deteriorates their heath conditions.
A raw statistics indicate that 60% of Guwahati based media employees do not have any individual or group life insurance coverage. Hence the death of a media employee, where he/she is the sole earner, always brings distressed news for the family.
It may be mentioned that a groupinsurancepolicyas defined by the IRDA’s groupinsurance guidelines can provide advantages of standardized coverage and very competitive premium rates. The policy will be issued in the name of a group and if one leaves the group he/she might entitle the continued coverage under an individual policy.
The proposed groupinsurance, to be operated by any recognized agency, would be open for everyone who wants to join the process. A beneficiary (media employee) will have to deposit his/her contribution directly to the agency, where as the owner/proprietors of both print & electronic media houses would pay according to the number of their beneficiary employees. The third part of the contribution would be provided by the government under its welfare scheme. The ultimate modalities of the group life & health insurance and also the assigned agency may be finalized with the consent of beneficiaries. Relevant feedbacks are welcome and can be submitted at the office of Guwahati Press Club on working days.
In a grim reminder of the city’s crumbling urban infrastructure, four lives were lost within 48 hours after heavy rains triggered widespread artificial flooding across Guwahati. What should have been a seasonal downpour instead exposed a deadly mix of neglected drains, poor planning, and administrative failure.
The first victim, Payel Nath Das (around 30), a Dharapur resident working at a jewellery shop on GS Road, met a tragic end on the night of April 19. At around 9:30 pm, while wading through knee-deep water at Maligaon Chariali, she slipped into an uncovered roadside drain concealed beneath floodwaters. Her body was recovered 150–250 metres away the next morning by SDRF personnel...
Voting for the Assam Assembly elections gathered steady momentum through the morning hours on April 9, with scenes from across the state reflecting a strong and participatory democratic exercise. By mid-morning, polling booths were already witnessing long queues, as men and women, young voters and the elderly alike, stepped out early to cast their votes. The initial hours after 9 AM saw a smooth and peaceful polling process, backed by visible security presence and efficient booth management.
In Guwahati, the day unfolded with a calm yet purposeful energy. Polling stations across the city saw a steady stream of voters, many arriving with family members, some even accompanied by children,...
Susovan Sonu Roy has steadily carved a place for himself across multiple creative fields—Bengali television, modelling, and films—building his career through persistence, training, and adaptability.
Born in Howrah, Susovan spent his formative years between Kolkata and Guwahati. His early life was marked by hardship after losing his father in an accident at a young age. Raised by his mother under challenging circumstances, he went on to complete his graduation in Commerce from Dum Dum Motijheel Rabindra Mahavidyalaya in 2016.
His entry into the performing arts began with dance. Driven by interest, he joined a dance institute where he trained in Western dance for nearly two years....
A major political controversy has erupted around Himanta Biswa Sarma after the Congress party levelled serious allegations regarding the alleged accumulation of vast wealth abroad by his family, particularly involving his wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma.
According to a report by The Wire, Congress leader Pawan Khera claimed that assets worth nearly ₹52,000 crore have been stashed overseas, particularly in the United States, through a company allegedly linked to the Chief Minister’s family.
At a press conference in New Delhi, Khera alleged that Riniki Bhuyan Sarma holds multiple foreign passports and questioned the source of such large-scale wealth. He further demanded a probe and even called...
Guwahati, April 3, 2026: The Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham State Demand Committee and the Moung-Dun-Chun-Kham People’s Party on Friday held a press conference at the Dispur Press Club, reiterating their demand for permanent political rights and autonomy for the Tai-Ahom community in Assam.
Addressing the media, representatives of the organisations stated that despite the Tai-Ahom community’s historical and demographic significance, successive governments have failed to provide meaningful constitutional safeguards.
“At present, almost all indigenous communities of Assam… have been raising demands for autonomy or self-determination under the Indian Constitution,” the press release noted,...
A three-day workshop titled “Youth Leaders for Rivers: Learning Workshop” concluded today at the Cachar Club Conference Hall, bringing together young leaders from across the region to collaborate on river governance, water rights and community resilience.
Organized by the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS) with support from the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the event was held from March 24 to 26 under the Youth Basin Ambassadors (YBA) initiative. It aimed to connect youth working across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna Basin and deepen their understanding of river systems, governance challenges and community-driven solutions.
Participants included...
Tinsukia, March 22: Suspected militants of the banned outfit United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) (ULFA-I) launched a pre-dawn attack on an Assam Police commando camp in the Jagun area of Tinsukia district, leaving at least four security personnel injured.
According to reports, the militants attacked the camp around 2 a.m., allegedly lobbing several grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons. Security forces retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted for several minutes before the attackers fled the scene. The injured personnel were later shifted to a hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment.
Following the attack, Army and police units launched a joint...
WWF-India, in collaboration with Samagra Shiksha Assam, felicitated five top-performing schools under the ‘Mission Prakriti’ programme for 2025–26 at a ceremony in Guwahati.
The initiative promotes environmental awareness among students through themes like biodiversity, water, waste, food, and energy. In Assam, the programme covers over 4,700 schools across all districts.
The award-winning schools include Natun Fatasil Town HS (Kamrup Metro), Sakai Khangia High School (Jorhat), Bishnu Jyoti MES (Sonitpur), PM Shri Jamira HS School (Hailakandi), and PM Shri Gossaigaon Girls HS School (Kokrajhar). Tinsukia district was also recognised as the best-performing district.
Officials...
Jorhat: Tirtha Prasad Saikia, Director of the North-East Affected Area Development Society (NEADS), an indigenous civil society organisation based in Jorhat, Assam, has been appointed as the Constituency Focal Point for the People Affected by Conflict and Disaster Constituency of the Asia Pacific Regional CSO Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM).
APRCEM is a regional civil society platform that brings together organisations across Asia and the Pacific to engage with intergovernmental processes on sustainable development, particularly the implementation and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Through this organisational role,...
SHILLONG, Mar 11: The Meghalaya government has postponed the elections to the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) that were scheduled to be held on April 10, 2026, following violent clashes in West Garo Hills that left two people dead.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the state government reviewed the prevailing law-and-order situation in the Garo Hills region before deciding to defer the polls.
The unrest erupted during the nomination process in Chibinang in West Garo Hills, where clashes broke out between groups supporting and opposing the participation of non-tribal candidates in the GHADC elections. Two persons were killed...
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