northeast

The Mizoram government has requested the Centre to refer the proposed Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, or FCRA Amendment Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for wider consultations with all stakeholders before it is finalised. The proposed amendment seeks to tighten monitoring of organisations receiving foreign donations and proposes setting up a special Designated Authority’ The authority is proposed to be empowered to take over, manage or sell the assets of any non-profit organisation if its FCRA licence expires, is not renewed, or is suspended or cancelled. Concern in Christian-majority Northeastern statesThis proposed provision has raised concerns in the Christian-majority states of the Northeast as churches and other voluntary organisations there are largely dep...

The Saitual District Drugs Disposal Committee on Friday destroyed narcotic substances worth more than Rs 60.57 crore in a major anti-drug disposal exercise conducted at the incinerator of Champhai District Hospital.The destruction of the seized drugs was carried out in accordance with legal procedures to ensure the safe disposal of confiscated narcotics while preventing any environmental hazards.Deputy Inspector General of Police C. Lalnunmawia attended the programme and commended the Saitual District Executive Force (DEF) for its dedicated efforts in detecting drug-related offences and seizing illegal narcotics. He said the police personnel had shown commitment in the fight against drug trafficking and stressed that close coordination among different government departments and districts ...

The grand finale of Apatani Fashion Week and Apatani's Next Top Model 2026 concluded on a spectacular note, at Hija village in Arunachal Pradesh's lower Subansiri district, celebrating the rich cultural heritage, indigenous fashion and emerging modelling talent of the Apatani community.The event commenced with a welcome address by the Vice Chairman of the Sillang Diting Dree Festival Celebration Committee (SDDFCC), followed by a series of impressive runway presentations by designers Hibu Ollo, Leegang Ozeen and Taru Monya, each presenting collections that beautifully blended Apatani traditions with contemporary fashion.The audience was further entertained by captivating cultural performances from the Dani Haj Puna Clan, SDDFC Daminda Dance Committee, and The Diirey Nyimung Dance Group, al...

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who is currently on an official visit to Mizoram, chaired a regional review meeting of the eight Northeastern states in Aizawl to review the progress of the Northeastern states and the implementation of various Central schemes in the region. The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying (FAH&D) George Kurian, the Ministers in charge of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying from the Northeastern states, Joint Secretary of FAH&D Sagar Mehra, Chairman of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) Meenesh Shah, members from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) along with officials from the Central and State Governments. Expressing gratitude to the Gov...

The Northeast NSS Festival 2026, organized by the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) under the theme “Empowered Youth for Viksit Bharat,” concluded on Saturday, marking the culmination of five days of intensive engagement, community service, cultural exchange, and youth empowerment at the USTM campus. The festival brought together NSS volunteers and programmer officers from across the Northeastern states, creating a dynamic platform for leadership development, national integration, and experiential learning. A key highlight of the valedictory programme was the prize distribution ceremony, where Manipur was adjudged the Best State/contingent, in recognition of its outstanding performance, discipline and active participation throughout the festival. Earlier, the fe...

The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has urged the Centre to enact a comprehensive National Anti-Discrimination Law to curb racial abuse and violence against people from Northeast India."We have requested that immediate steps be taken to address the growing incidents of discrimination faced by the people of Northeast India across the country, and to enact a comprehensive National Anti-Discrimination Law to ensure their safety, dignity, and protection of the people of the region," JSU adviser A Suchiang said in a memorandum submitted to Meghalaya  Governor CH Vijaya Shankar. He said incidents such as the killing of Nido Tania and Angel Chakma, besides hrecent abuse of three Arunachal Pradesh women show a “systemic issue”. “Equality is not a privilege; it is a constitutional right. Jus...

Arunachal Pradesh has secured the top position among North Eastern and Himalayan states in the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) for the financial year 2023–24, according to a report released by NITI Aayog.The think tank released the 2026 Fiscal Health Index report in New Delhi on Wednesday. The report was unveiled by Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog.The Fiscal Health Index is a framework developed to assess and compare the financial performance of states. It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each state’s fiscal management and provides an overall picture of their financial health.According to the report, the index evaluates states based on five key pillars: quality of expenditure, revenue mobilisation, fiscal prudence, debt index and debt sustainability. These parameters help meas...

The Northeastern Council (NEC) allocated Rs 67.41 crore in February 2026 for developmental initiatives in the Northeastern states and implementing agencies. This funding underscores NEC’s commitment to enhancing development in the Northeastern Region (NER) through investments in infrastructure, livelihood generation, agricultural innovation, education, tourism, research, and cultural initiatives to promote balanced regional growth. Additionally, Rs 30.07 crore was released to regional institutions and agencies during the same month. Key projects include sustainable agriculture, AI-based entrepreneurship development, infrastructure creation, sports facilities, and tourism promotion. These initiatives are executed in collaboration with notable institutions like IIT Guwahati, IIM Shillong, N...