No feelers from Mukul Sangma to join BJP, says Party Vice President

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Jan 4: BJP national vice president and Meghalaya Incharge Dr M Chuba Ao today said no feelers have come from the former chief minister Mukul Sangma for joining the party’s fold.

Speaking to reporters, Dr Ao said, “No feeler has come (from Mukul Sangma). That might be the kind of people talking in the air”.

He said the BJP leadership has not approached Mukul Sangma to join the party.

“No such thing because it is up to him if he likes he can join, if he doesn’t like what to do that is upto him, not the BJP,” the Meghalaya Incharge asserted.

The former chief minister had left the Congress along with 11 other legislators and merged with the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). However, the AITC could win only five seats in the 2023 Assembly polls.

Mukul asks what happened to seized drugs

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sept 19: Opposition AITC leader and former chief minister Mukul Sangma today sought to know the status of the drugs seized by the State police.

“What happened to the drugs seized by the police during the different occasions?” Sangma asked while raising a supplementary query during the question hour in he Assembly.

He said usually, the state police used to inform the public as to what has been done to such seizures.

Sangma also said petty peddlers are being arrested but who are the kingpins? He further asserted the need to speed up the charge sheeting of NDPS-related cases.

In his reply, deputy chief minister in-charge home (police) Prestone Tynsong said the menace of drugs in Meghalaya is not only a state problem but is also a national and an international problem.

“As far as the state government is concerned, we have now recently notified the advisory board under the PITNDPS to deal with those arrested people, who deal with the supply or who are involved in the spreading of drugs throughout the state,” he said.

“This advisory board is in place. Once police arrested those people, the criminals cannot just easily come out of the jail as according to the board they can even recommend to 2 years time (of imprisonment),” Tynsong added.

PM Vishwakarma scheme to empower traditional artisans, craftsmen

Staff Reporter

Shillong, Sep 17: Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Food Processing, and Industries, Prahlad Singh Patel has stated that the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme will accord due respect to the traditional artisans and craftsmen. Patel made these remarks today in Shillong during the launch of the scheme by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Minister emphasized that traditional artisans and craftsmen play an integral role in the society by preserving India’s centuries-old traditions and crafts but they are yet to receive the recognition they deserve, given their remarkable skills. Patel credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving the talented artisans their due right by launching the ‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme. He highlighted that this initiative would provide the necessary support and training to empower these essential members of our society.

He conveyed his best wishes on the occasion of Vishwakarma Jayanti and remarked that it is dedicated to the traditional artisans and craftspeople. Thanking the Prime Minister for launching the scheme for the artisans of the country, Patel said, “It is a coincidence that it is also the birthday of our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi who has been labouring to build a prosperous Bharat. This is a historic day in the development journey of India as the government has come forward as a partner to elevate the respect, enhance the capabilities, and grow the prosperity of the traditional artisans and craftsmen”

Enumerating the details of the scheme, the Minister said that during the next five years from 2023-24 to 2027-28 with an outlay of Rs 13,000 crore, 18 focus areas of artisans and craftsmen – Carpenter, Boat Maker, Armourer, Blacksmith, Hammer and Tool Kit Maker, Locksmith, Goldsmith, Potter, Sculptor, Stone breaker, Cobbler (Shoesmith/ Footwear artisan),  Mason (Rajmistri), Basket/Mat/Broom Maker/Coir Weaver, Doll & Toy Maker (Traditional), Barber, Garland maker, Washerman, Tailor and Fishing Net Maker have been included in the PM Vishwakarma Scheme.

They will be given recognition through PM Vishwakarma certificate and ID card, skill upgradation involving basic and advanced training, toolkit incentive of Rs 15,000, collateral-free credit support up to Rs 1 lakh (first tranche) and Rs 2 lakh (second tranche) at a concessional interest rate of 5 per cent, incentive for digital transactions and marketing support, he added.

‘PM Vishwakarma’ scheme represents a perfect blend of India’s civilisational ethos and traditional craftsmanship. The scheme offers the option of earning livelihood while at the same time sustaining India’s age old Guru-Shishya Parampara, said the Minister.

Elaborating on the measures to impart training to the skilled artisans and professions, Patel informed that during training times Rs 500 per day allowance will be provided to the Artisan friends. He also said that a toolkit voucher worth 15 thousand rupees will be given for a modern toolkit and the government will help in branding, packaging and marketing of the products.

The products of the local artisans will also be made available in the Government e Marketplace (GeM) for better marketing of their products, he added. He requested the authorities to make awareness across the state so that people get to know more about the scheme and can get themselves benefitted.

Two drug peddlers held in Ri-Bhoi

The Ri-Bhoi District Police on Wednesday arrested two drug peddlers including one woman and recovered a drug consignment from them.

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Reportedly, the drug peddlers were transporting the consignment from Tripura to Bihar in a tourist bus bearing registration number AS 01LC 1412, where they were arrested by the ANTF Team Ri Bhoi District in a Naka check at around 9 AM in Byrnihat.

The two drug peddlers have been identified as Rohit Kumar Mogalpura Barkhat Khan Ka Akhara, Jhauganj, Bihar and Premlata Devi of Panchayat Lagar, Gram Timapur Lagar, Bihar. A total of five packages of different sizes of illegal contraband and two mobile phones were seized from the two arrested.

Preliminary testing suggests that the recovered contraband was around 16.2 kg and the test result of the preliminary test conducted on the spot showed positive for Marijuana.

Meanwhile, the two have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further investigation is underway.