The 132nd edition of  Durand Cup kicked off in Kokrajhar,  Assam today. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh inaugurated the grand beginning of the annual  football competition for the first time in the Assamese city. The tournament is organised by the Armed Forces and supported by the Government of #Assam.
Addressing the people at the Sai Stadium, the Raksha Mantri complimented the efforts of the Armed Forces and Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) for creating a positive environment in Kokrajhar which resulted in the event being organised in the city for the first time. He commended the people of the Northeast for their excitement and love for football, terming ‘the beautiful game’ as not just a sport, but an emotion.

The woman, who has speech and hearing impairments, and is unable to communicate, was found wandering homeless in Sonapur New Market, Kamrup district by Assam Police, nearly 165 kilometers from her home in Khanamukh village, Sonitpur district andwas traced using Aadhaar.

The police referred her to Sakhi One Stop Centre, an NGO that offers psychosocial counselling and temporary shelter to women under Sambal sub-scheme of Mission Shakti of the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India. When communication could not be established through writing and sign language, she was shown pictures and she pointed to an Aadhaar card.

When the Guwahati Regional Office of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) was contacted, it offered its support and advised that the woman may submit her fingerprint biometrics for a possible Aadhaar enrolment.

Upon submission of the same, her existing Aadhaar biometrics could be matched and from her Aadhaar details, her home address could be located and she could be reunited with her family earlier this month.

Aadhaar enrolment helps not only in ease of living and better service delivery, but can also help persons separated from their families to reconnect. Therefore, UIDAI has always been encouraging that children be enrolled at the earliest, and their biometrics be enrolled once they attain the age of five years and updated upon attainment of 15 years of age. Such enrolment and update is free of charge and can be done at all Aadhaar enrolment and update centres across the country.

Under the partnership, ARIAS will be the nodal agency for establishing and implementing a contributory and determinate investment trust – the Assam Agribusiness Investment Fund (AAIF). ARIAS is designated as the anchor investor for the AAIF, which will be managed by Caspian Equity as the fund manager. With anchor funding from the World Bank through Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project (APART), AAIF will operate as a Category II Alternative Investment Fund registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

With a corpus of INR 250 crore, AAIF is a unique sector-specific fund through a State government in India, focusing on boosting agricultural productivity and employment generation in the state. It will mainly invest in small and medium enterprises in the agribusiness and allied sectors to achieve accelerated growth.

Shri Akash Deep, IAS, State Project Director, ARIAS Society, said, “The partnership is aimed at identifying and addressing key challenges faced by the rural communities in Assam. It will open up new avenues for us to advance our efforts in rural development. By leveraging our collective strengths and through targeted investments, the initiative will enable farmers and rural entrepreneurs of Assam to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and advanced technologies to enhance efficiency and reduce environmental impact.”

Shri Toshiaki Ono, Finance Sector Specialist, World Bank Group, said, “The World Bank is committed to supporting food value chain development in Assam in response to the growing demand for high-value food products. Agribusiness SMEs play a vital role in this transformation but external finance, especially long-term and patient capital for their growth is extremely limited. We are very much excited to launch the Assam Agribusiness Investment Fund with the Government of Assam, the ARIAS Society, and the Caspian Impact Investment Advisor. We are confident that the Fund will support high-growth and high-impact agribusiness SMEs for vibrant and resilient agri-food value chains in Assam.”

Shri Saurabh Johri, Executive Director and CEO, Caspian Impact Investment Adviser Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are delighted to collaborate with ARIAS in our shared mission to catalyze the economic development of Assam’s rural communities. By combining our investment expertise with ARIAS’s deep-rooted knowledge and experience, we aim to make a sustainable impact and empower individuals to thrive. Mr. Ravi Narasimham, Investment Director, Caspian, will lead the fund and we look forward to build on partnership with ARIAS to enable the creation of a prosperous and empowered rural community.  The AAIF Fund is aligned with Caspian’s vision to work at the grassroots level to create a deep impact towards UN Sustainable Development Goals”.

Joydeep Goswami, a composer and singer from Assam, has made an impressive debut as a film producer with the Hindi movie ‘Ginti’ (The Countdown). This psychological horror thriller has garnered attention and acclaim from critics and audiences worldwide, especially at international film festivals. The film was selected for screening at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2023 under the initiative of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and the Lift-Off Film Festival 2023, both of which recognised its unique storyline, directorial treatment, and powerful performances.
‘Ginti’ (The Countdown), produced under JD Motion Pictures, explores the mind of a schizophrenic contract killer living in a jungle hideout. Haunted by memories of the past and his victims, the protagonist must confront his inner demons. The film is directed by M Durga Prasad and has received praise for its gripping narrative.
Joydeep Goswami, also known as JD, began his career as a singer-composer with the album ‘Daastan’. He gained popularity with the release of his music video ‘Jee Bhar Gaya’, which was broadcasted worldwide by MTV Indies. He later signed with T-Series and released the highly popular single ‘Sun Le bekhabar’, which marked a turning point in his career. This led him to establish his own production house, JD Motion Pictures. During the lockdown period, Goswami met M Durga Prasad and discussed the idea for ‘Ginti’ (The Countdown), eventually bringing it to fruition.
Goswami was not only involved financially but also artistically in the production, overseeing various aspects with the support of a talented creative team. ‘Ginti’ promises to be a visual spectacle, with stunning visuals capturing the charm and vibrancy of Jamshedpur, a city that retains its allure despite rapid urbanisation.
The film features a predominantly local cast and crew, contributing to its authenticity and depth. Satyakam Anand, known for his roles in Hindi films like ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ and ‘Sherni’, leads the cast, supported by Vishal Singh, Laique Khan, Shuru Sardar, Adil Izaz, and others. The crew has pushed their artistic boundaries, with Akhalque Manzar as the cinematographer, Bapi Murmu as the editor, Ashish as the music director, Naash94 as the composer, and Hari Pada Mukhi as the art director.
‘Ginti’ (The Countdown) is a promising cinematic endeavour that combines creativity, passion, and a captivating plot, offering viewers a compelling experience.

Assam Higher Secondary Education Council declared the Class 12 examination (Arts, Commerce and Science stream) results today.

The overall pass percentage in the Arts stream this year is 70.12 % while 79.57 % in Commerce stream & 84.96 % in the Science stream.

The results can be viewed on the following website ;-

1. https://ahsec.assam.gov.in

Guwahati: Vantage Circle, a leading employee engagement platform, is proud to announce the successful inauguration of a community library initiative to provide educational support to students in the rural areas of Bongaigaon, Assam, under the program of ‘Project Young Readers’.

In collaboration with Xondhan Foundation, a non-governmental organization (NGO), Vantage Circle is committed to empower young minds through the establishment of a transformative community library.

The inauguration of the community library took place on 15th May 2023 and marked a significant milestone in Vantage Circle’s commitment to supporting education and empowering the youth in underprivileged communities. The event was attended by prominent dignitaries and local people. By providing easy access to educational resources, the initiative aims to bridge the educational gap in rural areas and promote a culture of learning and intellectual growth.

The event ceremony included introductory speeches by village community leaders, art competitions, prize distributions, and other activities to boost the creativity of young minds. Furthermore, Vantage Circle has generously decided to offer complimentary storytelling sessions to the students, aiming to enhance their skills and foster holistic growth.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Anjan Pathak, CTO and Co-founder of Vantage Circle, said, “We are honored to collaborate with ‘Xondhan Foundation’ in creating this valuable resource for the students in rural areas. Education is a fundamental right, and through this initiative, we hope to empower the students of Bongaigaon district by providing them with a conducive environment for learning and personal development. We believe that it will open doors to a brighter future for them.”

About Vantage Circle: Vantage Circle is a global HR Tech company revolutionizing employee engagement with its unique and affordable platform for recognition, well-being, rewards, feedback, and exclusive perks. With Vantage Circle’s holistic platform, companies only need one platform to focus on the four major engagement areas: rewards and recognition, corporate discounts, employee feedback, and employee wellness. The company’s innovative and research-based solutions are designed to unlock employee engagement and unleash employee potential to drive productivity. Currently, the user base is a massive 2M+ employee from leading corporations like Infosys, WIPRO, Airtel, Bosch, Tata Communication, and many more. Visit vantagecircle.com to learn more.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today dedicated AIIMS Guwahati to the nation in a function held at Changsari in Assam. Mr. Modi also inaugurated three medical colleges at Nalbari, Nagaon and Kokrajhar. Addressing the gathering on this occasion, the Prime Minister said that North East has got its first AIIMS which would hugely benefit the people of the region. Mr. Modi said that during the last nine years, connectivity got a major upliftment in North East. He said that along with connectivity, social infrastructure sector was also made a remarkable progress in the region including health and education. The Prime Minister said that for decades North East was facing challenges due to corruption, instability and regionalism. He added that after 2014, 300 new medical colleges have been set up all across the country. He mentioned that works on 15 new AIIMS are on and most of them have already started working.

Mr. Modi said that India is committed to make the country free from TB. Citing examples of various government schemes, Mr. Modi said that technology also played a positive role in uplifting the health sector of the country. Mr. Modi mentioned that, India’s role during COVID vaccination was appreciated by all. He said that it was become possible to the efforts of all people.

He laid foundation stone of Assam Advanced Healthcare Innovation Institute at IIT Guwahati from the same event. Prime Minister ceremonially distributed Ayushman Bharat – PMJAY card to 1.1 crore beneficiaries of Assam.

Guwahati : Malaria No More (MNM) in collaboration with the National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP), Assam organized a workshop to deliberate on malaria elimination strategies for the state. The workshop engaged with key health officers, both from the Regional Office of Health and Family Welfare and the State Health Department of Assam. The goal of the workshop was to develop a state-specific malaria elimination strategy, in collaboration with the state government, and help reduce the burden of the disease in Assam while strengthening the efforts towards malaria elimination.

Malaria continues to pose a public health challenge across the tribal belts and rural communities of Assam. Despite progress in reducing malaria’s burden in the state, there is still much work to be done to achieve the goal of malaria elimination.

The workshop took a holistic approach in its execution and focused on a range of themes linked to malaria elimination. These included assessing the preparedness for elimination in the state, re-aligning strategies from control to elimination, the need for improved surveillance and case management, the use of innovative tools and technologies, integration of improved data collection and management tools, and the importance of community engagement and social behaviour change interventions. The Director Health Services, Govt. of Assam along with Mr. Pratik Kumar, Country Director, Malaria No More enlisted a comprehensive way forward for crafting “State and District Specific Malaria Elimination Plans”.

Addressing the workshop, Dr. M.S. Lakshmi Priya, IAS, Mission Director, National Health Mission Assam said “To achieve malaria elimination in the state of Assam, surveillance and treatment compliance need to be robust. The most important person for any health program is the last patient suffering with the disease, identifying and treating them is critical to achieve elimination. We are in the business of saving lives and improving the quality of life for future generations. I am glad Malaria No More India has offered support to the Government of Assam for this endeavor – their experience of supporting other states with their respective malaria programs is reassuring and instills confidence.”

Mr. Pratik Kumar, Country Director, Malaria No More India; commenting on the workshop said, “The workshop was successful in deliberating and laying a roadmap for the development of a targeted state and district specific malaria elimination plans for the state of Assam. Building on our experience of supporting elimination efforts in the state of Odisha, we hope to similarly collaborate and support the state of Assam in building robust mechanisms and strategies to help the state achieve this ambition and move our country one step closer to a Malaria Mukt Bharat.”

The workshop resulted in laying the foundations for the development of a comprehensive and targeted strategy to eliminate malaria in Assam, which included earmarked interventions to reduce the burden of the disease, increased investment in malaria research, and improved community engagement. The workshop also emphasizes the need for collaboration between diverse stakeholders such as civil society, private sector, industry, global philanthropies, and so on to ensure the success of malaria elimination efforts in the state.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will visit Assam on 14th April, 2023.

At around 12 noon, Prime Minister will reach AIIMS Guwahati and inspect its newly built campus. At a public function subsequently, he will dedicate AIIMS Guwahati and three other Medical colleges to the Nation. He will also lay the foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) and launch ‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign by distributing Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to eligible beneficiaries.

At around 2:15 PM, Prime Minister will attend the programme marking the platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati.

At 5 PM, Prime Minister will reach Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati to preside over a public function, where he will witness a colourful Bihu programme performed by more than ten thousand performers/ Bihu dancers. During the programme, Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone and dedicate to the Nation various development projects including commissioning of a 500 TPD Menthol Plant in Namrup; laying of foundation stone of bridge on Brahmaputra River connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi; foundation stone laying for beautification of Rang Ghar, Sivasagar; and dedication to five railway projects to the Nation.

PM at AIIMS Guwahati

Prime Minister will dedicate to Nation and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 3,400 crores.

The operationalization of AIIMS, Guwahati will mark a momentous occasion for the state of Assam and the entire North-East region. This is also a testimony of the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthen health infrastructure across the country. The foundation stone of this Hospital was also laid by the Prime Minister in May 2017. Built at a cost of more than Rs. 1120 crores, AIIMS Guwahati is a state of the art Hospital having capacity of 750 beds including 30 AYUSH beds. This hospital will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students every year. The Hospital will provide world class health facilities to the people of North east.

Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation three Medical Colleges viz Nalbari Medical College, Nalbari; Nagaon Medical College, Nagaon; and Kokrajhar Medical College, Kokrajhar, built at a cost of about Rs. 615 crore, Rs. 600 crore and Rs. 535 crore respectively. Each medical college has an attached 500 bedded teaching hospitals with OPD/ IPD services including emergency services, ICU facilities, OT and diagnostic facilities etc. Each Medical College will have an annual intake capacity of 100 MBBS students.

The ceremonial launch of ‘Aapke Dwar Ayushman’ campaign by the Prime Minister, is a step towards realising his vision of reaching out to every beneficiary to ensure 100 percent saturation of welfare schemes. Prime Minister will distribute Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB-PMJAY) cards to three representative beneficiaries, which will be followed by distribution of about 1.1 crore AB-PMJAY Cards in all districts of the state.

The foundation stone of Assam Advanced Health Care Innovation Institute (AAHII) is a step towards realising Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Atmnirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Make in India’ in the areas related to health. Majority of technologies used in healthcare in the country are imported, and developed in a different context, which are highly expensive and complex to operate in the Indian environment. AAHII is envisioned in such a context and will work such that ‘we find our own solutions for our own problems’. AAHII, to be built at a cost of about Rs. 546 crore, will facilitate cutting-edge inventions and R&D in medicine and healthcare, identify the nation’s unique problems related to heath and promote development of new technologies for solving those problems.

PM at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra

Prime Minister will attend the programme marking the platinum Jubilee Celebrations of Guwahati High Court.

During the programme, Prime Minister will launch a mobile application ‘Assam Cop’ designed by Assam Police. The app will facilitate accused and vehicle search from the database of Crime & Criminal Network Tracking System (CCTNS) and the VAHAN national register.

The Gauhati High Court was established 1948 and it served as the common court for the seven north-eastern states of Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh until March, 2013, when separate High Courts for the States of Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura were created. The Gauhati High Court now has jurisdiction over the States of Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, with its Principal Seat at Guwahati and three permanent Benches in Kohima (Nagaland), Aizawl (Mizoram) and Itanagar (Arunachal Pradesh).

PM at Sarusajai Stadium

Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of various projects worth more than Rs. 10,900 crores.

Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of a bridge on Brahmaputra river connecting Palashbari and Sualkuchi. The bridge will provide much-needed connectivity in the region. He will also commission a 500 TPD Methanol plant at Namrup in Dibrugarh. He will also inaugurate five railway projects including doubling and electrification of various sections in the region.

The railway projects being inaugurated include Digaru – Lumding section; Gauripur – Abhayapuri Section; Doubling of New Bongaigaon – Dhup Dhara section; Electrification of Raninagar Jalpaiguri – Guwahati section; Electrification of Senchoa – Silghat Town and Senchoa – Mairabari section.

Prime Minister will also lay the foundation stone for the project for beautification of Rang Ghar in Sivasagar, which will enhance tourist amenities at the location. The project for beautification of Rang Ghar will provide for facilities like fountain-show built around a huge water body and showcasing history of Ahom dynasty, boat house with jetty for adventurous boat rides, artisan village for promotion of local handicrafts, diverse ethnic cuisines for food lovers etc. Rang Ghar located in Sivasagar is one of the most iconic structure to depict the Ahom cultures and traditions. It was built by the Ahom King, Swargadeo Pramatta Singha in the 18th Century.

Prime Minister will also witness a mega Bihu dance which has been organized in order to globally showcase the Bihu dance of Assam as a mascot of cultural identity and life of the Assamese people. This event would feature more than 10,000 performers/Bihu Artists in a single venue, and would attempt a New Guinness World Record in the category of largest Bihu dance performance in the world in a single venue. It will feature artists from across the 31 districts of the state.

The workshop was attended participants from media backgrounds, including journalism students, academicians, and members of other departments/centres of Dibrugarh University.

In the event  Bharat Nayak, Google News Initiative Trainer shared his knowledge and experience with the attendees online and taught the media students on how to verify media information. In his talk, Nayak emphasized on the importance of fact-checking in today’s digital age and the impact of misinformation on society. He said, “Since fake news affects people and many of them are completely unaware of fact checking, I realised that mainstream media or journalists should receive training in fact checking techniques and become familiar with it. Understanding the various tools available for fact checking as well as how to verify a video, image, or message received via social media is crucial.”

The workshop included presentations and interactive sessions on various aspects of fact-checking, such as identifying reliable sources, verifying information, and detecting fake news. The participants had the opportunity to learn from the expert and engage in discussions and practical exercises to enhance their skills.

The organizers of the event expressed their satisfaction with the success of the workshop.                 Prof. P.K. Gogoi, Chairperson of CSJMC, said, “This online workshop conducted by Google certified trainer Bharat Nayak and organized by CSJMC, is a great learning opportunity for the students.” It is essential to promote media literacy and critical thinking, especially in today’s age of misinformation.

Samagnee Baruah, Asst. Professor CSJMC, DibrugarhUniversity mentioned that, “With billions of web portals providing information on almost every conceivable topic, fake news or information is very likely in today’s date. Bharat Nayakpractically explained the students on how to differentiate fake vs fact through visual verification, further helping them in improving their professional skills and knowledge.“

The Fact Checking Workshop organized by CSJMC, DibrugarhUniversity was a timely and relevant initiative to promote media literacy and critical thinking in society. It served as a platform for journalists, students, and the public to learn from experts in the field and enhance their fact checking skills.

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