Month: April 2023

In the recently concluded Business 20 (B20) summit, delegates of G20 countries, diplomats of other foreign countries and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) have expressed willingness to invest in various sectors in Nagaland.

By James Khangenbam 13 April 2023 Imphal:

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that the Bangladesh delegation has expressed interest in purchasing cereals from the state and reviving the Tuli Paper Mill in Mokokchung, where production had stopped in 1982, reported Assam Tribune.

Nagaland attracts lots of investment proposal in B20 meet

The chairman of Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) North East Council, Pradeep Bagla said interest was expressed in organic agriculture, skill development, cultural tourism and technology after the conference. The Nagaland summit was a great success as 60 delegates from 27 countries participated in it. “This was the first time that Nagaland showcased its potential before so many foreign delegates. The rich tradition and culture, agriculture and textiles of the Nagas were shown to the world and its potential was highlighted,” said Bagla.

Four B20 meetings were held as part of the G20 summit in Manipur, Mizoram, Sikkim and Nagaland.

The B20 is the official G20 dialogue forum representing the global business community, with companies and business organizations as participants. The Northeast region of India has been a significant focus for B20 India Initiatives, with four conferences planned across the region to showcase the vast potential and opportunities within the region, reported Newson Air.

The first three conferences held in Imphal, Aizawl, and Gangtok have been successful in their objective of highlighting the untapped potential of the northeast.

Nagaland has the potential for organic agriculture, food processing and skill development. A lot of interest has been generated and hopeful of much more investments and employment generation in the state, said principal economic advisor in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Rupa Dutta.

Nagaland has the potential for organic agriculture, food processing and skill development. A lot of interest has been generated and hopeful of much more investments and employment generation in the state, Dutta said.

According to Assam Tribune, the president of India Association of Japan, Sanjay Mehrotra said the organisation is interested in infrastructure development work in Nagaland.

Japan wants to invest in sectors like drinking water, garbage and crowd management and tourism industry in Nagaland, he said. “We have discussed with Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio … He was very positive and is keen about the development of Nagaland. He has said he will take a high-profile delegation to Tokyo in the coming months, while Japanese diplomats will visit the state soon to strengthen ties,” Mehrotra said.

The B20 conference was attended by delegates from Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Cuba, Estonia, Germany, Iceland and Indonesia. Delegates from Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Nepal, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkiye, United Kingdom and the United States also attended.

Manipur hosting global events of G20 is a sign that the State is moving towards development, said Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Addressing the inaugural session of the C20-India 2023 Vashudhaiva Kutum-bakam National Conference, organized by Chinmaya Mission at the conference hall of the Hotel Imphal.

By James Khangenbam 10 April 2023 Imphal:

Manipur hosts C 20 Meet 

N Biren said there is development in the State with improvement in the law-and-order situation under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and support of the people.C20, short for Civil-20 is an official engagement group of the G20, representing the civil society organizations of the G20 member countries.

Continuing his speech, N Biren said India has been bestowed with the honour of guiding the world with the country assuming the G20 presidency. It is a proud moment for every citizen of India. He added that the Prime Minister has very aptly chosen the theme for India’s presidency as “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” which translates to “One Earth, One Family, One Future” .

The theme, LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) also puts the spotlight on the importance of making environ- mentally sustainable and responsible choices which will lead to adopting globally transformative actions for a cleaner and greener Earth.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that India’s G20 presidency also marks the beginning of Amritkaal that will lead the country to become a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core.

He added that Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is a universal maxim whose purpose is not imposition but the evolution of human consciousness that will lead to protection of the world through friendship and cooperation. 

N Biren further observed that India has shown the way to defining Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam by supplying Covid vaccines to various Nations, foodgrain to war-torn Nations, and human power to combat disasters. 

He expressed confidence that the deliberation at the conference will go a long way in spreading the invaluable message of universal brotherhood and voicing the concerns of the world population through the civil society organizations to the world leaders in the G20 .

Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Y Khemchand Singh, while delivering his speech, stated that economic development of the State is possible through development in the tourism sector. Khemchand continued that Vasudhaiva Kutum-bakam reflects India’s global leadership and added that the country’s role as a global leader has improved a lot under PM Modi.

He mentioned that India as a global leader has been taking a broader role in solving several challenges. He stressed the need to promote the concept of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam to maintain peace across the world and also expressed gratitude to the Chinmaya Mission and C20 team for organizing the conference in the State.

Swami Mitrananda resident spiritual mentor at Chinmaya Mission Chennai, Chairman, M Asnikumar Singh Loktak Development Authority, L Nishikanta Singh, Secretary, Chinmaya Mission Trust Manipur, Vice Chancellors of Universities, Professors of various educational institutes, retired and serving army officers also attended the conference, among others.

The inaugural session was followed by technical sessions on topics including Dharma, Education, Ecology, Geopolitics and Defence.

By James Khangenbam 8 April 2023 Imphal:

Renowned Manipuri folk artist Mangka Mayanglambam is set to go on a tour of Switzerland and France from April 11 to 18.

Manipuri Folk Artists Mangka

A press release issued by MaolKeki Foundation has shared that Mangka will perform at three locations in Switzerland and two in France. The tour will also include a collaborative session with Enrico Lenzin, a well-known Swiss Alphorn player and Angela Sofia Sterzer, a Franco-German artist who teaches Manipuri dance in Paris.

According to the statement, this will mark the first collaboration between a Manipuri and a Swiss artist to create a unique form of music from the ‘Pena’, a single-stringed traditional Manipuri instrument, and the ‘Alphorn’, a traditional Swiss wind instrument.

Folk Artists Mangka

Mangka, from Laihui Ensemble, will be accompanied by her father Mangangsana Mayanglambam, an artistic director at Laihui, who will provide musical and vocal support and Nirupa Sanjenbam, Head of Projects at MaolKeki Foundation, who will provide management support during the tour which is designed to raise awareness on Manipur and Manipuri arts and culture. 

The highlights of the tour include a performance at the India Day Event in Riehen, Basel Stadt, Switzerland on April 15 and another at the Caveau du Café littéraire, Saint Louis, France on April 14, both of which are open to the public.

The tour has been organised with the support of various entities namely, the Government of Manipur, Manipur State Tourism Department, the European Manipuri Association, the Association of Friends of India Basel, Riehen Lebenskultur, Swisslos-Fonds Basel-Stadt, MaolKeki Foundation and BalmeticaTM: Swiss Made Physiotherapy Cream, the statement added.

Keeping northeastern part of the country as one of its focus areas, Indian Railways has decided to operate “North East Discovery: Beyond Guwahati”. This unique trip will facilitate tourists to travel the length and breadth of northeast with by Bharat Gaurav Deluxe AC Tourist train.

By James Khangenbam 2 April 2023 Imphal:

The Railways Ministry stated that the train will cover Guwahati, Sivasagar, Jorhat & Kaziranga in Assam, Unakoti, Agartala and Udaipur in Tripura, Dimapur & Kohima in Nagaland and Shillong and Cherapunji in Meghalaya in15 days tour.

Spanning over 14 nights and 15 days, the trip will cover states including Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya. The tour will start from Delhi (DSJ) and then proceed to Guwahati – Naharlagun -Sibsagar Town – Furkating – Kumarghat – Agartala – Dimapur – Guwahati.

“Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train launch is in line with the Government of India initiatives “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat” and “Dekho Apna Desh” to promote domestic tourism. At a price range starting from Rs.1,06,990/- per person in AC 2 Tier, Rs.1,31,990/- per person for AC 1 (Cabin) and Rs.1,49,290/- Per Person for AC 1 (Coupe), the IRCTC tourist train will be a 15 days all-inclusive tour package and the price will cover train journey in respective class, night stay at AC hotels, all meals (VEG ONLY), all transfer & sight-seeing in buses, travel insurance and services of guide etc. All necessary health precautionary measures will be taken care of and IRCTC will make efforts to provide a safe and memorable experience to the guests,” the ministry stated.

Indian Railways

The Deluxe AC Tourist Train is equipped with various luxurious features, including two fine dining restaurants, a contemporary kitchen, shower cubicles in coaches, sensor-based washroom functions, foot massagers, and a minilibrary. The fully air-conditioned train provides two types of accommodation, AC I, and AC II. The train also has enhanced security features, such as CCTV cameras, electronic safes, and dedicated security guards appointed for each coach, reported Newson Air.

The first stop of the train is Guwahati, where tourists will visit Kamakhya Temple, Umananda Temple, and enjoy a sunset cruise on the Brahmaputra River. The train will then depart for Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, from the Naharlagun Railway Station.

Further, the itinerary includes a visit to Sivasagar, the old capital of the Ahom Kingdom, Jorhat’s tea gardens, and an overnight stay at Kaziranga followed by an early morning jungle safari at Kaziranga National Park.

The train will then depart from the Furkating Railway Station for the state of Tripura, where tourists will visit famous heritage sites such as Unakoti, Agartala, the famous Ujjayanta Palace, and the Neermahal palace and Tripura Sundari mandir at Udaipur.

Post-Tripura, the train departs to Dimapur for visiting the state of Nagaland. From Dimapur station, tourists shall be taken to Kohima by buses for visiting the local sites, including a tour of the Khonoma village to experience the Naga way of life.

The next halt for the tourist train will be Guwahati, and tourists will be taken to Shillong, the capital city of Meghalaya, by road, with a pit stop at the majestic Umium Lake en route. The next day starts with an excursion to Cherrapunji nestled in the East Khasi Hills. Shillong Peak, Elephant Falls, Nawkhalikai falls, and Mawsmai caves are a part of the day’s sightseeing.