Assamese litterateur Sashi Sarma passed away at 89
On January 29, 2020 Famous Assamese litterateur Sashi Sarma, 89 years old passed away at his home Nalbari, Assam due to age-related ailments.
Awards: Sarma had received Soviet Nehru Award in 1968 & the Sitanath Brahma Chowdhury Award from Assam Sahitya Sabha.
Key Points:
i.Sarma was an academic, intellectual and an example of Hindu-Muslim unity in Assam and authored nearly 100 books. He was a retired professor of Nalbari college, Assam and his last book ‘Antim Jatra’ was released in 2019
President gives nod for delimitation exercise in NE States of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur andNagaland
On February 28, 2020, President Ram Nath Kovind gave his nod for resuming delimitation exercise in the northeastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Nagaland by rescinding/cancelling the February 8, 2008 order. The decision has been taken following the improvement in the security situation in these states and a reduction in insurgency incidents.
Background:
A Delimitation Commission was set up under the Delimitation Act, 2002 to readjust the division of each state and union territory into territorial constituencies for the purpose of Lok Sabha and state assembly elections on the basis of census figures of 2001. The Delimitation Commission completed the delimitation exercise on November 26, 2008 in respect of all the states, except in these four northeastern states due to threat to the peace and public order.
What is Delimitation?
According to the Election Commission website, it means the act or process of fixing limits or boundaries of territorial constituencies in a country or a province having a legislative body.
-Delimitation Commissions in India have been constituted four times in the past in 1952 under the Delimitation Commission Act, 1952, in 1963 under Delimitation Commission Act, 1962, in 1973 under Delimitation Act, 1972 and in 2002 under Delimitation Act, 2002.
-This process is assigned to a high power body namely Delimitation Commission or a Boundary Commission, whose orders have the force of law and cannot be called in question before any court.
-The Copies of the orders passed by Delimitation Commission has to be laid before Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assembly. But no modifications are permissible there in by them.
APEDA-CFTRI Sign MoU for Liason Office in Guwahati to Promote Food Processing & Organic Agri Exports in North-East States
On February 4,2020 A Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) was signed between CSIR-CFTRI(Council of Scientific & Industrial Research- Central Food Technological Research Institute) and APEDA (Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority ) to set up a Liaison Office, Guwahati, Assam to provide technical support to the food industries in the NorthEast region.It will benefit the farmers, products and entrepreneurs.
Key Points:
- CSIR-CFTRI had brought many innovative efforts to the market.
- Apeda has undertaken many promotional activities in the North-east states of India.
- Apeda has organized 5 international buyer-seller meets in Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh & Sikkim. iv.To create awareness on agriculture and exports in the North-East states, converting the large areas of land into organic certification training is provided based on requirements based on National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP).
About CSIR-CFTRI:
Founded- 21 October 1950.
Headquarters- Mysore, Karnataka.
Director- Dr Karumanchi Srisaila Mallikarjuna S Raghavarao.
About APEDA:
Founded- 1986.
Headquarters- New Delhi.
Chairman- Pawan Kumar Borthakur.