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Banking transforms lives in rural areas in northeast

September 17, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Agartala (Tripura)/ Jorhat (Assam), Sep.16 (ANI): Banking services are playing a major role in transforming the lives of people in rural areas of the northeast India.

To upgrade infrastructure and attract more investment, banks have undertaken several economic upliftment policies and schemes.

In Tripura, a financial outreach camp was recently organized at the State’s Pitra village to raise awareness among villagers about banking and central banking services. It also intended to bring them under the fold of mainstream banking.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) took the initiative along with different functioning banks in the State. It came as a boon to thousands of villagers, especially farmers, who enthusiastically participated in the camp.

Villagers were familiarized with various banking facilities, security features of currency notes. They were given an opportunity to exchange their soiled and mutilated currency notes and exchange currency notes for coins.

The participants put up their queries about banking facilities in the area.

“Here we do not have any banking system. Because of the camp the villagers would be benefited. With bank accounts, people will get to know about savings and this will help them in the future,” said Bubantala Jamatia, a Pitra villager.

“This outreach camp has helped poor villagers and we are now opening accounts without depositing any money,” said Anishmia Sarkar, a villager. o improve the banking sector in northeast, the Reserve bank of India has set up a Committee on Financial Sector Development.

The committee has made several major recommendations, including financial inclusion, opening of bank branches and enhancement of credit flow to the region.

“As far as Reserve Bank of India is concerned, the approach is that we work together, the State government, the banks, the non-governmental organizations, the local Panchayati Raj institutions and the Reserve Bank will act like a catalyst to make people come together an work for economic development,” said Usha Thorat, Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India.

The United Bank of India (UBI) has drawn up a plan for economic upliftment of the seven northeastern States called ‘Vision 2020 for northeast’ aimed to cover rural people.

‘Vision 2020 for northeast, the plan, was declared during a press conference by UBI held at Tocklai in Jorhat in Assam.

It would include introduction of low rate interest loans for the poor, unemployed youths, farmers, women, self-help groups, small scale industries and entrepreneurs among others.

The bank also handed over rupees 750 million loan to 8,673 Union Bank of India (UBI) account holders.The loans have benefited us a lot. The bank provided us loans based on the need of the customers. We are really satisfied,” said C. Saikia, one of the customers.

At present there are 252 Union Bank of India branches in the northeast region of the country. The bank is setting up 15 branches in different parts of Assam. Two branches each will also be set up in Manipur and Nagaland. By Pinaki Das / Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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Assam to revive Satriya Dance

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Guwahati, Aug 25 (ANI): In order to promote the unique Satriya classical dance form of Assam among the people of the state as well as at the national and international level, the Satriya Sangeet Charkha Kendra (SSCK) organised a cultural program in Jorhat recently.

It was held at Satriya Mahotsabha in Rajabari, Jorhat with many renowned scholars and researchers stressing on the importance of preserving this beautiful dance.

The cultural program attracted large number of audience from all across the state.

Dr. Nirupama Mahanta, Convenor, Assam Satra Mahotsabha said, “These are the teachers of different Satriya music schools of Assam and they have received vast knowledge of Satriya dance, music and with different arts of Satriya from the resource persons.”

“Satriya dance has been recognised as a major Indian traditional dance form and accordingly it has come of age,” said Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta, a audience.

Satriya dance was created by one of the great Assamese Vaishnavite Saint, Mahapurush Sankardeva in the fifteenth century.

It is an artistic way of presenting mythological teachings to the people.

Traditionally, only men performed Satriya dance as a part of their daily rituals or to mark special festivals. However, today, it is performed both by men and women and on themes other than mythology as well.

It is accompanied by musical compositions called borgeets, which are based on classical ragas played along with the khols (drums), taals (cymbals) and the flute.

The dance form has its origin in Majuli island, which is the seat of Assamese culture and tradition and the biggest river island in the world.

The government of India has recognized Satriya Dance as one of the classical dance forms of India. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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Wooden ornaments of Jorhat

May 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jorhat (Assam), May 28 (ANI): Fifty-year-old Jadab Mahanta in Assam’s Jorhat district is drawing attention from all over India for his skills in traditional arts, crafts and wooden ornaments.

Hailing from a small village in Assam, Mahanta carves fascinating wooden ornaments, masks and wooden craftwork at his home in Bor Alengi Village of Jorhat.

Mahanta creates facemasks for different characters of traditional dramas. By putting material like bamboo, wood, gray clay, cow dung and natural color paints to good use, he creates the wonderful masks.

Mahanta’s wooden ornaments are not just popular in India but abroad as well.

“My products are exported outside the country to Denmark, Thailand, USA. In India, it goes to Delhi, Kolkata and all over the country. I made different designs of lockets, pendants, chain, ring and bangles,” said Jadab Mahanta.

His skill and creativity in mask-making has earned him recognition by the Assam State Museum, Jorhat Museum and National Museum, New Delhi.

His work is quite popular in north eastern India and people from different districts of Assam come to him for placing their orders.

“I always help him (husband) in making mask and wooden ornaments. Though, it’s a time consuming work, lots of demands pour in from outside the state (specially wooden ornaments) and as well as from the state. For this (wooden ornaments) my husband is very popular in the region. Through this additional income, we look after the needs of our children’s studies,” said Reenu Mahanta, his wife.

“I was an unemployed youth. I realized that learning these arts would give benefits in future, so I requested him to train me. He readily agreed. Through him, my life has changed into a productive youth and now I am permanently engaged in painting and making of mask in our Satra (Vaishnavite Temple). I am regularly saving some amount from my income for my future,” says Porag Jyoti.

Mahanta says that he has used his expertise to preserve Sanchipat, a sheet made of bark from Agar tree. It was used in Assam for writing purposes, before the advent of paper.

With ‘Look East’ policy bringing the South East Asian market closer to north east; craftsmen like Mahanta will be able to find bigger markets for their products.

He is today a source of inspiration for the youth in the state who want to create a niche for themselves in the world. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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Bamboo cultivation popularised in a big way in India’s northeast

May 4, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jorhat, May 3 (ANI): The Indian Government is encouraging bamboo cultivation in a big way in the country’s northeast region with the aim of improving the lives of local communities.

Several steps have been taken to enhance bamboo conservation and productivity in the region.

The Rain Forest Research Institute (RFRI), Jorhat, recently organised a conference to discuss ways to promote the commercial cultivation of bamboo and its management, its use as an inter-crop and the propagation of bamboo in the region.

The Rain Forest Research Institute, Jorhat, and Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), Dehradun, had jointly organised the conference.

During the conference, strategies on how to develop the northeast as a center of excellence for bamboo was discussed.

“The establishment of bamboo composite center with the collaboration of one of the institute, which is located in Bangalore and here, will be demonstrating all technological aspects which are related to utilisation of bamboo. So that the local entrepreneurs and farmers of this region could be exposed to various uses of bamboo and how they could earn some money out of this bamboo enterprises,” said Jagdish Kishwan, Director General of the Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education in Dehradun.

“As a programme, our bamboo station village program, what we do that the R and D what we do here should be placed before the local people and they also understand about the bamboo propagation and application. So definitely it is going to be the exercise where the local community are involved and they are made known to the research we are doing here and how best that can help in getting additional income for them especially in bamboo and cane,” said N.K. Vasu, Director, Rain Forest research Institute in Jorhat.

Bamboo is one of the world’s most useful renewable natural resources and over 3,000 versatile uses are associated with the social, economic and cultural fabric of the north-eastern States.

Bamboo and its products can be a major potential export commodity in the northeast.

The Central Government is running a National Bamboo Mission to address issues relating to the development of bamboo and to encourage bamboo cultivation.

Farmers find bamboo cultivation quite useful.

“I took up bamboo plantation because it’s very easy, profitable and is not a time consuming job. Bamboo is used for different purposes in our region, in construction, fencing, house, manure, handicrafts etc. These days the demand of raw bamboo in the market is very high. I own 3/4 bighas of bamboo. Whenever financial need arises, I sell bamboo. I earn Rs.2-3 thousand every month. I support my family with this, ” said Jitul Gogoi, a bamboo farmer in Assam.

In northeast, bamboo is traditionally used as construction material, household articles, in handicrafts and papermaking, agriculture, fisheries, transportation and village industry.

India is home to almost 45 per cent of the world’s bamboo forest and two-third of the growing stock of bamboo in the country is available in the northeast.

136 species of bamboo are found across India, of which 89 species in north-east region only.

Bamboo cultivation and its proper utilisation are widely anticipated to benefit the local entrepreneurs and bamboo cultivators. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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Sericulture gets a boost in Assam

February 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jorhat (Assam), Feb.25 (ANI): Sericulture has the possibility of becoming a major profession here if an attempt is made to induct proper methodologies.

To help evolve new strategies for sericulture, the 3rd National conference of National Academy of Sericulture Sciences, India (NASSI) was held here recently.

Organised jointly by the Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute, and NASSI, the conference offered a platform to scientists and technocrats to share experiences and discuss new technologies related to improved silkworm rearing, seed production, disease management, high-yielding varieties or races of silkworms and their host plants.

Issues including how to find solutions due to emerging problems of changing climatic conditions and dissemination of the technologies were also discussed in the conference.

“There is a large potential for Eri sericulture and also the expansion of the Muga sericulture in this region. Various methodologies have been worked out in this conference which will ultimately help to increase Eri silk production India. Eri and Muga are the oldest silks of India,” said Dr. R.K. Dutta, the President of National Academy of Sericulture Sciences, Bangalore.

“We organized this conference in collaboration with NASSI for increasing seed production of Muga and Eri, measures to check various problems faced by the farmers, to enhance high productivity through modern scientific inputs and to promote the products in national and international market. We have drafted various policies for the growth of Muga and Eri in the North Eastern region,” said Dr. R. Chakravorty, Director of Central Muga Eri Research and Training Institute (CMER and TI) in Jorhat.

In 2007-08, Assam alone produced 105 metric tonnes out of a total national production of 117 metric tonnes of Muga raw silk and 837 metric tonnes out of 1530 metric tonnes Eri raw silk.

There was also an increase of 36.4 per cent in production of mulberry raw silk to 14 metric tonnes during 2007-08 from the previous years’ 11 metric tonnes.

The State has emerged as one of the leading producers of silk in the country with the climate of Assam being favourable for growth of mulberry throughout the year.

Also, the popularity of sericulture has provided employment to several farmers in the State.

“This is a small time family business besides cultivation. Our forefathers started this business. I have three Bighas of land where I do this Muga and Eri farming. I sell my products to a company from Nalbari District and also sometimes to the government. I earn about 40,000 to 50,000 rupees annually and with this income I take care the needs of my family. I also got some financial and technical support from the central government. I am looking forward to expanding my business,” said Makhan Saikia, one Assamese farmer.

“I earn 50,000 to 60,000 rupees annually. This is my only source of income with which I look after my family. I used to sell seeds and yarn from my home. I don’t hire any extra labor; we (family) do the work ourselves. The government as well as private companies buy my raw products. We also use the yarn in weaving clothes and shawls for our personal use. Our family has benefited from this business and I am trying to expand farming in the coming days,” said Sanjeet, one farmer.

An exhibition was also arranged during the conference and different Muga and Eri products were displayed.

The conference provided the much-needed exposure to the sericulture scientists of the silk products of Assam and the northeast region. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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Upswing in foreign tourists’ at Assam’s popular Kaziranga National Park

February 23, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Kaziranga National Park (Assam), Feb.23 (ANI): Assam’s popular Kaziranga National Park, which is home to the endangered one-horned rhinoceros, continues to be a major draw for tourists, both domestic and foreign, despite travel advisories issued by several countries against visiting Assam following blast incidents in the recent past.

While domestic tourists have increased from a million to over 3.4 million, the number of foreign tourists’ has risen from 7,000 in 2001 to 13,000 at present.

The national park is listed as a world heritage site.

The fact that today thousands of tourists visit Kaziranga is an indication of the park’s popularity.

Besides, the tourist influx has created new employment opportunities and helped the local people earn more money.

“Our elephants have been engaged here. All tourists who come here, get elephant rides. There is a great demand for it. Earlier, the seat rate was less, but now, we have increased it to Rs. 300 and with that amount we offer one hour safari rides,” said Diganta Baruah, an elephant owner.

“I’ve been in this business for the past two years. The government scheme is going on well here. Tourists are increasing day by day and it is benefiting the business of the local people. We hope that the government would come up with more new schemes and is going to be even better,” said Hari Gogoi, one local shop owner.

To conserve and protect Asiatic elephants, the park organizes an annual elephant festival, which is considered to be the biggest in the country.

The festival draws hordes of domestic and international tourists who are enthralled by the elephants and cultural programmes that are performed here.

The event is aimed at raising awareness about eco-tourism and the elephant’s struggle for limited resources with man. The objective is to spread the message of peaceful co-existence between man and animal.

“We must come forward to preserve these kinds of animals otherwise if we lose these kind of species day by day from this world we will be blamed by our coming generation. So they also have equal right to live in this world,” said D.D Bora, a forest ranger.

“This elephant festival, which is organize by the government is a good initiative. This is to preserve the wildlife. My wish is to take such programme to carry forward outside northeast as well to promote our region to other parts of the country. That ways people will visit our place and I’m very happy to attend this festival,” said Hashmi, ONGC.

Sixty elephants and over 20 cultural troupes from the state participated in the festival organised by Forest, Environment and Tourism Department in association with Golaghat District Administration.

Kaziranga has earned worldwide accolade and it has received several international wildlife awards for its exemplary conservation efforts. By Vaschipem Kamodang / Peter Alex Todd (ANI)

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Computer Accountants Inst. offers hope to unemployed in Assam

February 11, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jorhat, Feb.10 (ANI): Computerization is in full swing in the north-eastern states with most establishments using advanced systems of accounting.

The latest trend has created a huge demand for the trained manpower.

In Assam’s Jorhat, the Institute of Computer Accountants (ICA) is all geared up to meet this requirement.

People with good knowledge and aptitude, practical experience and good flair for business communication and ethics are in high demand in today’s job market here. And, the Institute of Computer Accountants (ICA) is enabling several fresh graduates in the field of Taxes and Business accounting.

It has helped unemployed youths get jobs.

“We are training the students and placing them in the market and the employers are also finding it very easy because they are getting a trained manpower without giving advertisement in the newspaper and going through the tedious process of interview,” said Arup Bhattacharya, the Centre Director.

In this competitive era where professional courses have almost become mandatory, the institute has so far enrolled over 800 students out of which 200 have been successfully placed and the rest are self-employed.

ICA has managed to bring quality education in the field of Excise, Accounts, Taxation, Banking and Finance – all of which meet the employers’ requirements.

“To work in the field of accounts and finance this course is very fruitful and I’m looking forward to get a good job after successful completion of this course,” said Chumpy Chetia, one student at Institute of Computer Accountants.
“Today it is very difficult to find a job after completion of graduation. But if anybody comes to ICA it is easy for him as people know that this certified industrial course has taught various subjects in the field of accounts,” said Leena Borah, another student.

The institute is a pioneer in providing services and empowering many youth through career oriented training courses not only from Assam but from other north-eastern states. By Vaschipem Kamodang (ANI)

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