RBI Aims To Improve Banking System in Manipur

Imphal, Apr 4 : The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently organized a financial outreach camp in Manipur to spread awareness about the benefits of banking service in remote areas of the state.

On the occasion, the Reserve Bank's executive director, DK Mohanty, inaugurated new branches of United Bank of India and State Bank of India.

"Our objective is to expand banking facility by the end of financial year level 12 to population, to habitation with population of more than 2000 and we have taken the step towards that," Mohanty said

Many people in Manipur still depend on postal services for saving and sending money. They are not aware of methods of electronic transfer of funds. The region also has a low credit to deposit to ration of 40 per cent as not many people in rural areas avail the banking facilities.

The Reserve Bank aims to change this situation and has appointed local correspondents who will promote banking facilities in the rural areas.

The bank has also promised to extend financial assistance to individuals and groups to open new branches after they seek approvals from the state authorities. This will also create now job opportunities in the region.

During the camp, other banking institutions like National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, State Bank of India, United Bank of India, Manipur State Cooperative Bank, Manipur Rural Bank, District Rural Development Authority, Agriculture and Horticulture Department, Khadi Village and Industries Commission, Department of Industries and Commerce and many self help groups and NGO's set up stalls to disseminate banking information about various schemes.

Local said more bank branches would improve over banking systems and promote economic development.

" It's a great thing that they have included Ukhrul district because earlier such facilities aware not available so it was very difficult for us either to deposit or withdraw money but now it is better, said Graceson.

"About 20 years back there was only one branch of bank in the region. But it is really good to know that initiative for opening of more and more bank branches is going on and I think this will bring development in the region," said Ngaraipam.

A large number of people from Manipur work outside the state and send money back home as remittance.

But very few know that money remitted can be received through banks by way of demand drafts, telegraphic transfer or mail transfer. These new branches will help people access their money in a faster and a more efficient way.

Seven Sisters Come Together In City

New Delhi, Apr 4 : Living in the capital, you can now experience the rich culture and lifestyle of the seven sisters and one brother state of northeast India.

The ongoing indigenous northeast festival being held at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) gives visitors the chance to not just sample the unique cuisine of these states but also enjoy live performances and buy traditional goods at the crafts mela.

The participating states in the festival are Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim and it will be on till April 30.

The cultural performances, however, are only on till April 10. According to officials, the fest comprises of various kinds of expressive human play forms, rituals, rites and theatrical activities giving a glimpse of the creativity and splendour that is an integral part of the north eastern people with about 300 artists performing live various kinds of artistry.

While the cultural performances are scheduled for evenings, artists keep visitors entertained during the day with live acts like the traditional stick dance from Manipur. "I have been practicing this dance for fifteen years and perform it several times a day," said artist Santosh Singh from Manipur.

While the textile exhibition has apparels and other cognate objects depicting the artistic fervour of the people, which are in synch with their ecological situation such as the high altitude mountains, river valleys, marshy lands, forested hilly topography, etc, the crafts mela is a haven for shopaholics with a wide variety of handicrafts, garments, etc for sale.

From Manipuri pottery products to dry flowers from Nagaland to bamboo and cane products from Tripura, there is something to suit everyone's interests.

Products are also priced reasonably with wooden items like pen holders, key chains, etc selling for less than Rs 100 to cushion covers and cotton bags going for up to Rs 450.

Paintings are priced a little higher — over Rs 1,000 — while cane and bamboo products start at Rs 200 and go up to Rs 1,500.

IGNCA, as part of the fest, has also organized a magnanimous four-day workshop from April 4 focusing on issues pertaining to indigenous theatre, their past, present and future in a close interaction amongst artists of northeast India and their colleagues in the rest of the country.

The participants will get a chance to rub shoulders with various scholars, practitioners and policy makers and be heard.

7 Manipur Fish Species Declared Endangered

By Sobhapati Samom
 
Imphal, Apr 3 : Global environmental network International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed 15 fish species including seven from Manipur as ‘Endangered’ freshwater fish species.

This was stated in their recently released Red list of threatened species report on the status and distribution of freshwater biodiversity in Eastern Himalaya which covers the entire NE States and parts of eastern India, Bangladesh and Nepal.

Manipur’s seven fish species in the IUCN red list are Ngakha Meingangbi (Puntius Manipurensis), Ngatup (Schistura Kanjupkhulensis), Ngatup makhal ama (Schistura minutes), Ngatup manba nga (Schistura reticula), Ching-ngakra (Pterocryptis barakensis), Ching-Ukabi (Badis tuivaiei) and Nung-nga (Psilorhynchus microphthalamus).

A six-member research team headed by fish researcher Prof Waikhom Vishwanath of Manipur University’s Life Science department conducted the research on the status and distribution of freshwater fishes of the Eastern Himalaya region which comprises Ganga delta and plain, Ganga Himalayan foothills, Upper Brahmaputra, Middle Brahmaputra, Chin Hills-Arakan coast and Sittang-Irrawaddy eco-region.

The other co-researchers were Heok Hee Ng of National University of Singapore, Ralf Britz of The Natural History of Museum, London, L Kosygin Singh of Zoological Survey of India (Orissa), Shivaji Chaudhry of BG Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development and Kevin W Conway of Texas and A&M University.

“It took one year to compile the report by studying 115 fish species out of 520 species found in the Eastern Himalaya region”, Prof W Vishwanath said.

According to the IUCN document, half of fish species (263) in Eastern Himalaya are categorised as ‘Least Concerned’ while 27 per cent (141 species) are under Data Deficient category. Only one per cent of the species (5) are Critically Endangered including one Nemacheiline loach, Schistura papulifera is endemic in eastern Meghalaya’s Krem Synrang Pamiang cave system in Jaintia Hills, while Endangered species occupy hardly three per cent species (15). Besides, nine per cent of them (46) are categorised as Near Threatened category.

Though no species was categorised as globally Extinct or Extinct in the wild in the Eastern Himalaya assessment region, Manipur’s State fish Pengba (Osteobrama belangeri) was reported to be regionally extinct in wild as the route of this Myanmar origin minor carp has been disturbed with the construction of Ithai barrage across Manipur river for the operation of Loktak hydro-electric project 28 years ago.

Drying up of wetlands due to siltation and conversion of Loktak, largest freshwater lake in NE India (40,000 hectare), into a water reservoir after commissioning of the above project, has caused drastic change in Manipur’s aquatic environment forcing many species vulnerable. Manipur has more than 200 fish species.

“Pollution,habitat loss, damming, over-exploitation besides species invasion are the major threats in Manipur,” Prof Vishwanath said when enquired. “Fishes in Chindwin basin in Manipur particularly Imphal river and its tributaries are so vulnerable unlike the Bramhaputra basin where the species may find similar habitat for their survival.”

Besides the development of Moreh(India) and Tamu (Myanmar) – both border townships for 16 year-old Indo-Myanmar border trade has impacted on the aquatic environment in Lokchao river in Manipur and Yu river in Myanmar.

Barak basin in south western Manipur is also under threat, the IUCN report added.

What's In A Name? A Lot In Divided' Dima Hasao

By Anup Sharma

Haflong, Apr 2 : It's difficult to say if the government had ever thought that its decision to change the name of North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao might polarize voters in the district to such an extent that a huge section of the electorate would threaten to stay away from the April electoral battle.

The Dima Hasao pollscape is not only divided with the Dimasas on one side and the non-Dimasas on the other, the latter is furious with Dispur for "succumbing" to the Dimasa militants' pressure (for changing the district's name) and raring to teach the Tarun Gogoi government a lesson.

This is for the first time that the non-Dimasas have got together, formed a platform of their own, called the Indigenous Peoples' Forum (IPF), and threatened to boycott the polls in protest against the government for allegedly not fulfilling their demands.

Though the IPF initially planned to put up a consensus candidate from among the non-Dimasa communities, including the Hmars, the Zeme Nagas, the Kukis, the Baites, the Hrangkhols, the Jaintias, the Karbis and the Rongmais, it later decided to boycott the elections. The root of their anger lies with the government's decision to change the name of North Cachar Hills to Dima Hasao last year. Since then, they have been seeking bifurcation of the district into two one for the Dimasas and the other for the non-Dimasas in accordance with Articles 244(2) and 275(1) of the Sixth Schedule.

Considering the population pattern of the district, the IPF's tough stance to boycott the elections is bound to stun all parties seeking vote in this tribal belt. While the Dimasas constitute about 35 per cent of the total electoral roll, the remaining 65 per cent are the non-Dimasas.

Seiminthang Thangngew, general secretary of the Indigenous Students' Federation (ISF) and a prominent member of the IPF, says: "All the non-Dimasa communities are with us and we have decided to boycott the polls this time. When the Congress-headed council decided to change NC Hills' name to Dima Hasao, we had protested the decision. However, the administration did not pay any heed to us. The government christened NC Hills as Dima Hasao only to please one community the Dimasa. But this was a injustice to us as we are also the aboriginals."

The constituency is likely to see a triangular contest between the Congress, the BJP and the ASDC this time. While the Congress has fielded sitting MLA G C Langthasa, BJP has put up young and dynamic leader Kulendra Daulagupu. On the other hand, the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) has fielded Mohet Hojai, who was chargesheeted by the NIA for his alleged involvement in diversion of development funds of the NC Hills Autonomous Council to Dima Hasao Daogah ( Jewel) militants, popularly called Black Widows. At present, Hojai is lodged in Guwahati Central Jail.

Sources in the AGP said Langthasa was "mainly banking on money power and the support of the DHD's Dilip Nunisa faction". "There's a strong anti-incumbency factor against Langthasa in the district and the Congress is a divided house in the district. He may also exploit the machinery of the autonomous council as it is in power," an AGP insider said.

Keeping in mind the recent unification of the non-Dimasa communities in the district, the AGP has put up a candidate from the Zeme Naga community Ijirangde Jemi. Though he was once the IPF's spokesman in the district, the organization expelled him for 10 years after he decided to fight the election on an AGP ticket. "The people in the district are waiting for a change of guard. I think I will win the elections. I hope that the IPF will withdraw its boycott order and support me. I have told them that we will not gain anything by boycotting the elections. If we need a change, all of us will have to be a part of the election process," he said.

Similarly, the BJP candidate for the election also sounded confident about his win. "People know me and are aware about my commitment towards the development of the backward and troubled district. I have not given in to corruption in the district and that is the reason I am the only opposition MAC in the Congress-ruled council," said Daulagupu.

On the other hand, the ASDC is banking on its ongoing campaign for an autonomous state. Locals said the ASDC decided to give ticket to Hojai as many in the district still believe that Dispur made him a scapegoat to cover up alleged involvement of some of Tarun Gogoi's cabinet colleagues in the multi-crore funds scam.

'Porn Wikileaks' Bares Adult Stars' Identities

Los Angeles, Apr 2 : Erotic stars such as Jenna Jameson, her male counterpart Seymore Butts and Charlie Sheen's latest inamorata, 24-year-old blonde former centrefold Bree Olson, are all so mainstream that their lives are detailed in Wikipedia.

But the 1,500 or so performers in the seedier end of the pornographic film trade, predominantly based in California , often sought to conceal their "acting" careers from friends and family and especially later employers.

Now the ability of those pornographic film performers to hide their identity behind sometimes bizarre stage monikers has been shot to pieces after a website published a leaked database containing the real names, dates of birth, and official nicknames of over 15,000 of the adult industry's hard-working performers, past and present.

Most of the information revealed by the Porn Wikileaks site is likely to have come from computer files that originally belonged to the Adult Industry Medical Healthcare Foundation (AIM), an STD-testing facility based in the San Fernando Valley, which caters to the 1,500 working erotic film actors based in the region at any one time.

Top Apps For Your Windows Phone

The Windows Marketplace is still in a nascent state. But there's much to cheer with independent developers doing their bit to make the platform thriving.

If you're a windows mobile user and forever searching for a few useful apps, your search ends with this article.

These apps run the whole gamut: games, entertainment, productivity, social networking, communication &video and much more.

CleanRAM

Stung with the windows mobile memory leak problem? Fed up of soft resetting your device everytime an app hangs or your phone slows down? Make a clean breast of it with CleanRAM.

This nifty little application releases valuable programme memory that's no longer being used without having to restart the device. There are four levels (Basic purge, Quality purge, Fundamental purge & custom purge) to perform RAM clean up.

With convenience being the mantra of most apps, you can schedule the clean up by day and date. And you can update the software within the app itself.

SmartLyrics

Always lip-syncing songs? Want the complete lyrics of a song you love? Not to fret anymore. This smart little app by a private developer will do you a world of good.

It can automatically pull the lyrics for the song you play on windows mobile using Windows Mobile Media Player or in HTC AudioManager. It does require registration, but that's no issue here.

And if you are not in favour of hunting for every song you play, you can opt for the manual search. Best of both worlds, thanks to lyricsplugin.com that the developer used to make this app.

ShootMe

Using your phone's built-in accelerometer/g-sensor or the touchscreen, this funny game app is perfect for your windows mobile. Simulating several weapons and gadgets, like shotguns, light sabres and even boxing, it's an all-in-one app for the price of one.

But the best part? Half of them are free. You won't have to pay anything, ever.

ShootMe! has single/multi player modes and a free and a registered version. So if you are done with the basic version, you could opt for the paid version by paying $5 and activate the multiplayer mode where you can play through Bluetooth with a friend or online with people around the world.

Microfi Nitrogen

This is the best music player for your pocket PC -- your windows mobile. What's more, it's an open source app that allows you to play MP3/OGG/AAC/MP4/M4A/3GP/ WAV/WMA songs stored on your device.

It features a file browser, full skin support, smart shuffle and repeat modes, a 10-band equaliser with preset support (8 included presets), built-in sleep mode, a blank screen command to prevent energy wastage while playing music.

Build your playlist, edit it and play round the clock. That the app is open-source only sweetens the deal as you can expect many more improvisations as word gets around.

Skyfire

Tired of web pages that don't load right on your Windows phone? With this, they'll appear just like they would on a PC -- blazing fast -- including Flash, Silverlight, and videos. Skyfire is the veritable video and social networking browser for Gen Next.

Displaying flash videos is the killer application, which if improved further, could well be the app of choice for those hooked to Safari on their iPhones and iPads.

No wonder, it's an award-winning app whose time has come. It was in the Top 40 apps of 2010 list of Tech Crunch with good reason. Load it up on your windows mobile and you will know why.

Opera Mobile

If you are more into text browsing, Opera could be your best bet and not Skyfire. Pray why? Because it mimics your PC in more ways than Skyfire.

You can speed dial to open your favourite websites with one click and multi-task by shuffling between web pages in a jiffy with new tabs, and so on.

What's more, you can adjust the font size for easier reading and save on data transfers -- Opera compresses data by up to 80 per cent. If you use multiple phones, you can even synchronise your bookmarks. And if you run into a newspaper article, but want to read it later.

You can save it and read it later, even when your mobile is offline.

Wolf's Translator

All right, you are a globetrotter and don't know what the billboards and screaming newspaper headlines mean in the country you are visiting. With this translator, you will become a linguist of sorts.

Tailor made for windows phones, particularly HTC Touch Diamond, HTC Touch Pro and HTC P3600, this Google web engine can translate over 36 languages, including Slovak, Latvian, Hindi, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Polish, French, Arabic or Chinese.

The best feature? You don't even have to know the language you want to translate. This engine will inform you where the words came from. Coming next: a default language mode, so you don't always have to tell the app to translate it in English of Hindi.

Lookout

If mobile security is making you tear your hair out in frustration, this app comes as manna from heaven. From automatically scanning every app you download to on-demand scans, remote data wipe and remote lock, the premium features are a must-have to anyone with a smartphone.

The Anti-Theft Module enables you to respond when your device is lost or stolen by locating your device, sounding an alarm, or deleting your personal information remotely from the web. What's more, there's enhanced backup for your photos, call history and phone contacts.

Not to mention, guarding your phone against viruses, malware and spyware. You can also transfer your data to a new phone with Lookout.

WiFi Remote Access

This app is so cool, you will marvel at its handiness. This app lets you see all the contents of your mobile device courtesy wi-fi on your PC. Pray how?

Just type the URL displayed on your screen when you activate this app, and you can explore all the photos, videos, text and music on your PC. Not just that. You can even send files directly from your PC to your mobile phone. And if you want to tweak your windows settings, you have access to the registry editor on your PC as well.

But that's not all. The app allows FTP protocol support, making it easier for you to exchange files and folders between your computer and your windows phone. What's more, you can send and receive SMS from your computer and also remotely control your device, with the ability to use the computer keyboard to type text and take screenshots.

Scramble

This popular iPhone app is also available for windows mobiles. Perfect for those who have a scrabble hangover and want to do play word games galore. This app tests your love of words and how quick you can unscramble scrambled words in a rectangular grid.

It offers different modes and difficulty and is quite finger-friendly. You can unjumble in three, four and five minutes. It should work on all screen resolutions: VGA, WVGA, QVGA and WQVGA.

For $0.99 this app is a must for those boring train, bus and car rides to work.

Facebook

Microsoft is leaving no stone unturned to make a success of windows mobiles and this app is the best showcase window for that. This intuitive social networking browser bests what Gravity offers the Nokia phones and what Tweetdeck is to the iPhone.

Being the official Facebook client, it isn't slim on features. However, while Tweetdeck and Gravity integrate Facebook and Twitter, this app is limited to Facebook. But it's still the best if you only want to Facebook and nothing more.

Upload videos and photos to Facebook or chat and even call people on your friends list. Convenient with a C.

Twit Today

This is cool little app that will help you tweet in a way that even the iPhones don't have yet. Once you download this Twitter app, a textbox shows up on your Today screen.

To tweet, all you have to do is fill the box with your desired text and hit 'OK'. And if you want to watch over your friend's tweets, just tap on the twitter icon to launch the mobile Twitter website.

Nimbuzz

Want to have a common sign-in to access all your social networking sites? Then Nimbuzz can be your convenient all-in-one messenger.

So be it Skype, Windows Live/ MSN, Yahoo Messenger, ICQ, AIM, GoogleTalk, Facebook, MySpace, Jabber or what have you, Nimbuzz  will do the deed: keeping you wired to the www.

What's more, it allows you to make free international calls over the Internet if your buddy uses Nimbuzz or any of the networks we just mentioned.

Pandora

Nope, it's not an Avatar app that showcases the beauty of Pandora, the wonderful James Cameron created in his 3D sci-fi classic. It's an app that allows you to listen to your favourite music and even discover new music.

Not only that. You get to rate and bookmark your favourite songs and artists. It's unlike a radio station. You make your own by just asking it to play a certain artist or song, and it will intelligently pull up songs that match your tastes.

Endomondo Sports Tracker

This is a must-try for fitness freaks who walk, jog, cycle and other forms of sport. With precise statistics on time, distance, altitude and speed with which you conducted your fitness routine, it keeps a training log of everything you've done in the year with date and time to boot.

What's more, you can share your logs with friends on Facebook and Twitter, among other social networking groups. Endomondo Sports Tracker is your very own personal trainer. Make the most of it. And it's free.

iFonz 2

If you want your Windows mobile to look like the home page of your iPhone, this app will do that and a lot more. It includes a lot of customisation and a fully graphical design and animations for Windows Mobile 5/6 completely written in .NET.

Press the 'enter' key, and you can switch the first and last page of icons. There are cool backgrounds to programmes page. And if you have set a portrait background, it will go panoramic when you go landscape.

What's more, you can even see the battery charge indicator on the home page. Neat!

Shopping Cart

This is an intuitive list manager that allows you to list down all the things you need to put in your virtual shopping cart. It's simple and yet very useful, particularly when you have to checklist a lot of stuff, leaving some room for missing out a few things.

It's a finger friendly application and new features are added frequently by the developer.

Some upcoming features include language support for configuration utility and save/ open/ browse dialogues. SMS and Dpad support are up next.

For now, you can easily create and manage lists (both standard and master lists) from your PC and transfer them directly to your device. Requires registration.

Evernote

This is a nifty note-taking app that is great on every platform. If you have the app running on your camera phone, it will automatically upload your snapshots to the Evernote server.

The best part? It has optical character recognition (OCR). Which means, it can scan the text in your images, so you can find them later by searching for text in them.

Use this tool to snap pictures of products you see in stores and want to remember, to grab whiteboards in meetings, and to take pictures of people with name tags at conferences. It's one of those utilities that might just change your life. And yes, it stores and synchronizes all your information on your phone, PC and online. So you don't have to worry about data loss.

Scrub

Want to update your phonebook, but don't know how? This convenient app does all the homework for you. Like what percentage of contacts don't have email IDs, company names, phone numbers, address, birthdays and so on.

It's convenient and must be the one thing on your to-do list: clean up incomplete information about all your phone contacts.

DivX Mobile

If you know DivX, you know it stands for quality and the ability to play complex formats that a windows media player cannot. However, it's the DivX videos that are clearer than their counterparts.

So load Divx videos and use this mobile player for all it's worth. You can view the videos in full screen, forward or rewind, rotate the video and synchronize. Sweet!

CellSpin

Be it video, audio, photos or text, CellSpin is your definitive mobile blogging platform. The interface cannot be simpler than this.

With one click uploads to all the popular web addresses, be it Blogger, eBay, Facebook, Flickr, Linkedin, MySpace, Picasa, Twitter or YouTube, it's an all-inone app you could well do with.

RAR

This app is the WinRAR version for PocketPC, the popular and successful file compressor for windows. It allows you to compress and decompress any file using your PocketPC without the need of a PC.

With an intuitive interface, you can save on file storage and maximise space usage on your windows mobile.

Shorthand

Don't have a data plan? Or don't want to incur additional data charges, then sign up for this TextApp.

What does it do? Let you access social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, Netflix and others by using texts to send and receive the data. But yes, standard messaging rates apply.

O! Market

Want more apps and don't find something to your liking among the ones listed above? Want to be updated about firmware versions of the apps already on your mobile?

Want to be constantly in the loop for new and popular apps? No problem. This appfinder will that for you in a jiffy. With neat categories for the same, like 'What's new', 'Popular' and'Featured'.

You can search apps by category and install what you like.

TreeSize Mobile

If you are forever worried about reducing memory on your windows mobile, and don't know what is taking up so much space, this app will come in handy like no other. It will easily locate the large files when your smartphone is running out of disk space.

The best part? The file system is represented in a descending order, just like a tree and thereby its name. It shows you the size of folders, including their subfolders. This app is the WinRAR version for PocketPC, the popular and successful file compressor for windows.

It allows you to compress and decompress any file using your PocketPC without the need of a PC. With an intuitive interface, you can save on file storage and maximise space usage on your windows mobile.

Manipur’s Population At 27 Lakh

Imphal, Apr 2 : The provisional population total of the state was released by the census director of the state Y Thamkishore at Hotel Classic today.

The releasing function was attended by Imphal west DC K Radhakumar and census state coordinator S Dinokumar.

Briefing media persons, Thamkishore stated that a decadal population growth of 4,27,860 has been registered in the recent concluded enumeration.

The state saw a total population rise of 18.65 %. The total population of the state is registered at 27,21,756, among that males have registered at 13,69,764 and females at 13,51,992.

The population density per square kilometer is 122 and the sex ratio of females per 1000 males is at 987.

The 0 to 6 infants have registered at 3,53,237 numbers, males consisting of  1,82,684 and females at 1,70,553 numbers contributing  a total of 12.98 % of the total population.

The literacy rate has climbed down to 79.85, males at 86.49 % and females at 73.17 %.

The ranking of districts of the state by population size of the census is topped by:

• Imphal West with a total of 5,146,83(18.91 %)
  followed by Imphal East at 4,52,661 (16.63 %)
  Thoubal at 4,20,517 (15.45 %)
  Senapati at 3,54,972 (13.04 %)
  Churachandpur at 2,71,274 (9.97 %)
  Bishnupur at 2,40,363 (8.83%)
  Ukhrul at 1,83,115 (6.73 %)
  Chandel at 1,44,028 (5.29 %) and
  Tamenglong as the least populated at 1,40,143 (5.15 %).

The district with the highest literacy rate is 86.70 for Imphal West at 86.70 % for 3,95,731 persons literate and Churachandpur at 84.29 % literate for.

The third most literate percentage is Imphal East with a percentage of 82.81 %..The district with the highest number of infants within the age group from 0 to 6 is Thoubal district at 66,953 .

Imphal East at 60,760 and Imphal West at 58,239 infants. Lowest population is Chandel district with 16,496 infants.

The figures for Manipur include by sex, the estimated population,0 to 6 population and literates of Paomata, Mao Maram and Purul sub divisions of Senapati district.

Director of census operations Y Thamkishore stated that the census report is a provisional one and subjected to change, the enumeration details have been completed and announced up to state and district wise , the sub divisional report is yet to be released along with the total numbers of disabled persons of the state.

He further stated that there has been no abnormal growth in the census. It may be mentioned that enumeration drive was conducted in two stages throughout the state by a total of 7,000 enumerators and lasted from February 9 till the 28.

The analysis report states to bear in mind that the first flush of provisional census results,is raw and not subjected to the intensive checks and cross checks as the usual final data is,further the numbers given are also tentative and the final numbers are found to be different.

Some caution is needed while interpreting the results and subjected to limitations.

Northeast Insurgents Groups Get The Message

People want peace

By Avalok Langer

In the face of dozens of piercing gazes, the young Naga journalist, struggling to hold back tears, said: “For the sake of healing and the future, all who have committed wrongs in the name of the Naga cause, whether underground or not, must be held accountable. But, right now is the time for reconciliation.”

The occasion was the ‘Sitting Around the Fire’ conference in Delhi on 25-26 March, to discuss the way forward for the reconciliation process of the underground groups (UG).

With a reconciliatory mood spreading amongst the Nagas, Bodos and the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), the logic seems to be unless the UG factions unite, a lasting solution with India cannot be achieved.

People power An FNR meeting in Phek, Nagaland

Photo: The Morung Express

Factional violence in Nagaland reached a peak in 2007-08 with the NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) locked in a battle for dominance. With thousands orphaned and widowed, a group of Nagas stepped in to put an end to the internal clashes. In February 2008, Reverend Wati Aier started the Forum for Naga Reconciliation (FNR), a non-government initiative to bring the warring factions together.

The ongoing clashes in Tirap in Arunachal Pradesh between NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) put the internal reconciliation and the Indo-Naga peace process in jeopardy.

The postponement of the FNR’s ‘meeting at the highest’, pegged as a breakthrough moment, has forced them to admit the process of reconciliation has stagnated. “Today the Naga people have become indifferent, they don’t care anymore.

They need to realise that while the underground leaders are doing what they can, the onus is on the people to push them towards reconciliation,” says Akum Longchari, an FNR member. “At the same time, the groups need to realise reconciliation is not the language of the weak. It is the only way forward.”

This reconciliation effect has spilt over into neighbouring Assam. Both the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) and ULFA seem eager to hold internal talks before talking to the government.

A two-day national convention in November 2010 following the harsh treatment of arrested commander of the NDFB’s anti-talks faction, Ranjan Daimary, by the authorities was the first step. An umbrella organisation, the Bodo National Conference was created to carry out a three-point agenda.

First, to stop all fratricidal killings. Second, to unite the Bodo people, and finally, to jointly work towards a goal. From the indications, the process seems to be moving in the right direction.

Feelings echoed by Anjali Daimary, sister of the arrested commander: “Ranjan has always maintained that he has been fighting for the Bodo people and if they want talks, he will talk. The process is on and we hope we can bring the groups together and continue to work for our people.”

The Naga peace process has spilt over into neighbouring Assam. The ULFA and NDFB are set for talks

The rebuilding process amongst the ULFA factions is still at a nascent stage. A meeting slotted for 10 April is to allow the two sides (pro- and anti-talks) to find a common ground. Top ULFA leaders, recently released from jail, have agreed to unconditional talks.

Although the active Paresh Baruah group is yet to agree to peace talks with the Centre, a breakthrough could be reached soon.

While the underground groups of the Northeast move towards peace and reconciliation, many feel the onus is on the Centre to think out of the box. Instead of fighting over past differences, the need is to start by coming to a consensus on a shared future.

Avalok can be contacted at avalok@tehelka.com

Source: Tehelka