Jayshree Tea eyes export market

Jayshree Tea eyes export market

27 Jun, 2008, 1755 hrs IST, PTI
KOLKATA: Jayshree Tea & Industries Ltd is eyeing export of around Rs 60 crore during the current financial year. During 2008-09 exports would be to the tune of Rs 60 crore Last year, Chairman Jayshree Tea, B K Birla told reporters today on the sidelines of the company's annual general meeting here. Jayshree exported tea worth Rs 40.6 crore last year. The company was keen to tap the markets of CIS countries and Egypt. Birla said tea production during the current fiscal would be 22 million kgs, against 18.4 million kgs last year. According to him, the prices of Assam, Cachar and Darjeeling tea were up Rs 15 to Rs 17 per kg. The company would also raise the production of orthodox tea. Birla said the company was expecting better realisation due to higher domestic demand. Source: economictimes.com

Central team to visit Gangtok today

Central team to visit Gangtok today

From Our Correspondent GANGTOK, June 24 – Sikkim Chief Minister, Pawan Chamling, called a meeting at his official residence here today to review the stock position of essential commodities in the State and devise ways and means to replenish the depleted stock of various items resulting from the ongoing indefinite strike called by the Gorkha Jan Mukti Morcha (GJMM) in the Darjeeling Hills and the closure of the National Highway 31A.During the meeting, the concerned officers apprised the Chief Minister about the State’s storage capacity of Motor Spirit and High Speed Diesel which are 255 KL and 875 KL respectively, enough to last only two days, 780 KL of Kerosene Oil and 10,700 MT of Wheat/Rice in FCI godown and almost equivalent capacity in the State Food Godowns, enough to last two months.Meanwhile, a high level team of officials consisting of Union Home Secretary, Union Defence Secretary, other senior officials and Managing Director, IOC will be reaching Gangtok tomorrow and hold a meeting with the Chief Secretary and senior State Government Officers on the latest situation. The Central delegation will also call on the Chief Minister. Source: assam tribune

Gorkhaland agitation

Gorkhaland agitation

Before the ink, of the memorandum of settlement, arrived at between the Government of India, West Bengal government and the Gorkha National Front supremo, Subhas Ghising upgrading the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council set up in 1988 to a Sixth Schedule council in the line of Bodoland Territorial Council with greater powers, could dry up, an unprecedented agitation led by Ghising’s erstwhile deputy Bimal Gurung under .the banner of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha rejected the settlement, disowned Subhas Ghising and launched an agitation demanding a separate State of Gorkhaland with huge popular support. For the last few days the Gorkha -Janamukti Morcha had paralysed the tourist town of Darjeeling commercial centre – Siliguri and the agitation turned violent. The Chief Minister. Buddhadev Bhattacharjya who earlier rejected the demand for a separate Gorkhaland State has now called an all party meet and also invited representatives of Gorkha Janamukti Morcha for talks. Subhas Ghising led the movement for a separate Gorkhaland in the eighties under the banner of Gorkha National Front and succeeded in getting an autonomous Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council in 1988 comprising hill subdivisions of Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Kurseong along with some mouzas of Siliguri Subdivision. As the Chief Executive Councillor, his relation with the Government of West Bengal was marked by highs and lows in respect of fund and powers. So when the Union Government conceded the demand for upgrading the Bodoland Autonomous Council to Bodoland Territorial Council under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India in 2003. Ghising pressed for Sixth Schedule status to his Council which was agreed to by the Union and the West Bengal Governments and necessary notification was under process. The Gorkha Janamukti Morcha is now demanding a State which should include Siliguri, Terai and the Dooars within its ambit resulting in clashes between Gorkhas and non Gorkhas. The situation is tense and would need delicate handling. How the West Bengal Government deals with the situation would be watched with interest in Assam where Bodo leaders consider the BTC as a stepping stone for a separate State. Autonomous Councils are not recommended by the Moily Commission on Administrative Reforms as it fails to fulfil the aspirations of the people and generate divisive forces within the State. West Bengal and Assam have already been truncated. It should not be further divided. Source: assam tribune editorial 15.06.08

Centre rules out separate state of Gorkhaland

Centre rules out separate state of Gorkhaland

June 14, 2008 14:51 IST

The Centre on Saturday ruled out any possibility of carving out a separate state of Gorkhaland from West Bengal as demanded by the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha, but said it was ready for talks.
"There is no question of creating a separate state of Gorkhaland," External Affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of Merchants' Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.

The government, he said, was ready to hold talks with GJM, but without any precondition.
He also held a brief meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya on this issue during the day.

The GJM has renewed the demand for Gorkhaland originally demanded by Gorkha National Liberation Front chief Subhas Ghising before settling for the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council.

The GJM had called an indefinite bandh in Darjeeling hills and in some parts of adjoining Terai and Dooars region demanding a separate Gorkhaland on June 10.
They had asked all tourists to vacate the hills overnight.

The hill party had relaxed the bandh for 60 hours from 4 pm on June 11 for easy exit of stranded tourists and facilitating the hill people to buy food and essentials.

Source: http://in.rediff.com/news/2008/jun/14gor.htm