List of India’s Cabinet Ministers 2009
May 22, 2009
On 22 May 2009, Dr. Manmohan Singh was sworn in as Prime Minister for a second term. Cabinet ministers were also sworn in. Here is the new list of India’s cabinet ministers:
1. Shri Pranab Mukherjee
2. Shri Sharad Pawar
3. Shri A.K. Antony
4. Shri P. Chidambaram
5. Km. Mamata Banerjee
6. Shri S.M. Krishna
7. Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad
8. Shri Sushilkumar Shinde
9. Shri M. Veerappa Moily
10. Shri S. Jaipal Reddy
11. Shri Kamal Nath
12. Shri Vayalar Ravi
13. Smt. Meira Kumar
14. Shri Murli Deora
15. Shri Kapil Sibal
16. Smt. Ambika Soni
17. Shri B.K. Handique
18. Shri Anand Sharma
19. Shri C.P. Joshi
It is expected that Prime Minister Singh will shortly announce the assignment of cabinet portfolios.
Congress Wins Both Seats in Arunachal Pradesh
May 17, 2009
The Indian National Congress (INC) won both seats in Arunachal Pradesh following India’s 2009 Lok Sabha Elections. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were unable to retain these parliamentary seats.
The winning Congress candidates are as follows:
– Arunachal West: Takam Sanjay.
Sanjay won by 1,314 votes, closely followed by BJP candidate Khiren Rijuju.
– Arunachal East: Ninong Ering.
Ering won by a clear 68,449 votes. The BJP candidate was Tapir Gao.
Also, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance will lead India’s government for a second term. It is expected that Dr. Manmohan Singh will again be elected as Prime Minister.
Launch of Cleanliness Drive in Aalo
May 13, 2009
The Deputy Commissioner of West Siang has implemented a 15-day cleanliness drive in Aalo from 18 May to the first week of June 2009.
DC Amjad Tak has also advised the sector secretary to regulate bamboo plant cutters, and meat and fish sellers in Aalo.
In addition, DC Amjad Tak has ordered the following:
(1) Shopkeepers are now obliged to keep dustbins in front of their shops.
(2) Polythene bags are banned, due to the fact that they cause blocked drains.
Residents are being asked to participate and share the responsibility for keeping Aalo clean.
Bomdila
May 13, 2009
Elevated at a height of about 2,217 meters above sea level, the town of Bomdila is the headquarters of the district of West Kameng, in Arunachal Pradesh. It is small, having only a total population of 6,685 as per the 2001 census, but this does not take away from the fact that it is beautiful, perched on such a high elevation with a panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges serving as its backdrop. It is located in the northwestern part of the state, some 100 kilometers west of Bhalukpong. Like some other Indian towns, Bomdila is a remote destination, which makes it still virtually unspoiled by tourists who have been coming to India recently. The place is famous for its scenic and beautiful environments, Buddhist monasteries that have been erected since ancient times, and wide stretches of apple orchards. Most of the population of Bomdila come from the Monpa and Sherdukpen tribes.
Bomdila’s ancient history is not recorded, but it is generally accepted that during the medieval period, it was part of the kingdom of Tibet. The tribal leaders of Bhutan in the west also ruled the place from time to time, as well as the local tribal rulers; the rulers of Assam did not generally interfere with the local leaders’ rule unless there was a retaliatory raid into the tribal territory which happened from time to time. When the British came and colonized India, they declared this part of Arunachal Pradesh as off-limits in 1873. When India finally gained its independence in 1947, the area became an object of dispute between India and China. In 1962, China invaded the area around the town but they later withdrew, leaving the town still under the rule of the Indian government.
Aside from the already picturesque and beautiful vista afforded by the town to its visitors, there are other places that may attract the interest of tourists. There are the gompas, or Buddhist monasteries, that show a strong influence of Buddhist and Tibetan culture – an existing testament of the time when Bomdila was still under Tibetan rule. The most famous of these gompas is the GRL Gompa, more properly known as Gentse Gaden Rabgyel Ling Monastery. It was built in 1965 by the 12th reincarnate of Tsona Gontse Rinpoche. The monastery was built to resemble the Tsona Gontse Monastery in South Tibet, which was established during the 15th century. Trekkers and adventurers will also find that the area around the town has a number hiking and trekking trails that is perfect for such an activity. Going from Bomdila to another nearby town, Tawang, will also reward the traveler with some breathtaking mountain terrain, which is perfect for those who want to see the unspoiled richness of the east.
Souvenir hunters and shoppers will be glad to know that Bomdila is also known for its exquisite handicrafts. The town’s main craft center is known for producing wonderful and beautiful woollen carpets and traditional masks. These can be bought either from the main center or through the various shops all around town.
Arunachal Pradesh Economy
May 12, 2009
By and large, the economy of the state of Arunachal Pradesh is dependent on agriculture. More than half of the state’s one million plus population is engaged in agriculture; however, only a small portion of the total land area is under cultivation. Many of the people still engage in the age-old, traditional practice of jhum, or what is known as shifting agriculture. In jhuming, a patch of a jungle or grassland is cleared either by cutting the existing vegetation or burning them. The patch is then cultivated and harvested for several years, in what is known as the jhum cycle. This is done until the soil loses its fertility. Once the land cannot hold the production of crops, it is left in favor of another, more fertile patch and the cycle starts again. This system of agriculture is often practiced by family units although whole tribes may engage in it as well. In recent years, however, the practice of jhum has been lessened all over Arunachal Pradesh in favor of modern methods of farming; those who still engage in jhum are the hill people, who cultivate and farm on the slopes and hills. Among the chief crops grown are rice, maize, millet and buckwheat. There are also indigenous vegetables that are being exported to neighboring districts and states and make up the major commercial crops. These include sweet potatoes, oilseeds, ginger, pumpkin, chili and the local cowpea.
Forest products were also among the most significant sectors of the state’s economy. This is logical since Arunachal Pradesh has close to about 61,000 square kilometers of forests, so logging and forestry contribute much to the gross state product. However, this has declined starting the in the 1970s, when environmental legislation were implemented. Since the turn of the 21st century, forest-related activities have been confined to just a few local industries, which are mostly small or medium sized. Most of these industries are rice mills, handloom crafts and fruit preservation units. There are also sawmills and plywood mills although these are stated as illegal by the state government.
The state also has various resources at its disposal although these have been largely unutilized until recently. The mineral resources found in Arunachal Pradesh include marble, clay, graphite and pyrite. Dolomite, limestone and quartzite can be mined there as well. In 1991, the Arunachal Pradesh Mineral Development and Trading Corporation Limited was set up; the Namchik-Namphuk coal fields are under the corporation’s control. Another natural resource that the state government is using to its full capacity is hydroelectricity; Arunachal Pradesh accounts for a significant portion of India’s untapped hydroelectric power production potential. This led to the state government to sign deals with various Indian companies in 2008 for 42 hydroelectric schemes which, upon completion, will produce more than 27,000 megawatts of electricity. The construction of the Upper Siang Hydroelectric Project started in April 2009. It is estimated that this will generate between 10,000 to 12,000 megawatts of power.
Itanagar
May 12, 2009
Itanagar is located in the Arunachal Pradesh district of Papum Pare. It also happens to be the Indian state’s capital. It is situated at the foothills of the Himalayan mountain range, sitting at an altitude of 350 meters above sea level. It is known as the “Land of Dawn-lit Mountains,” referencing the fact that it is near the Himalayas, which takes in the dawn as the sun rises. Itanagar is the most populated city in the state, and it is also a major tourist base. It is also historic, as it was the capital of the Jltri dynasty which flourished in the 11th century, when it was still going under the name of Mayapur. Itanagar finally got its present name from a historical fort that was constructed during the 14th or 15th century, named Ita Fort. As of the 2001 census, the city has a total population of 34,970, with males constituting 53% of the population. The city has a literacy rate that is higher than the national average: 69% compared to 59.5%. The major tribe living in the Itanagar area is the Nishis or Nishings.
The city has been Arunachal Pradesh’s capital since it was declared as such on April 20, 1974. As the state’s capital, it is well-connected with the rest of the country by air and road communications. In fact, it was Itanagar’s convenient location placed near the state’s roads and rail arteries, and its location alongside the Brahmaputra River that made the city as the choice for Arunachal Pradesh’s capital. Although there is no airport in the city itself (the nearest ones are at Lilabari and Tezpur in Assam, some 71 kilometers away), there is a helicopter supplied by Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited that services between Itanagar and Guwahati three times a week. The nearest railway station is located in Assam, which is the Harmuti Railway Station, 32 kilometers away. The National Highway 52A passes through the city, though, and is usually the route most take for a direct connection to Itanagar.
Tourists who want to visit Itanagar (or anywhere in Arunachal Pradesh) need to obtain a clearance from the Home Ministry of New Delhi, as well as a Restricted Area Permit. Tourists must have a minimum number of four and a maximum of 14 in their group on a tour arranged through an approved travel agent in order to visit the city’s attractions. For Indian tourists, it is easier; they just need an Inner Line Permit issued by the Liaison Officer of the state government.
Itanagar showcases several wonderful and interesting tourist attractions. First of these is the Ita Fort, situated at the heart of the city. It has an irregular shape, built mainly with bricks, which comprises about 16,200 cubic meters in length. It is estimated that no less than 46,300 days were required to build it. There is also the Buddhist Temple, a beautiful, yellow-roofed shrine that overlooks the whole of the city. It stands behind a stupo tree planted by the Dalai Lama himself. Finally, the Ganga Lake is a forest lake surrounded by primeval vegetation, tall trees and orchids which make it the perfect spot for outings, boating and picnics.
BJP Accuses ECI of Bias Towards Congress
May 12, 2009
The BJP has stated that it does not accept the ECI’s findings of no vote rigging by Congress during the 16 April Lok Sabha polls in Arunachal Pradesh. BJP’s Kiren Rijiju has indicated that the party will soon file a case against the ECI for refusing its demand for a repoll at the Mukto and Palin assembly constituencies.
With regard to the Palin constituency, Rijiju alleges that voting was done in the name of dead people.
Also, in violation of election commission rules, Rijiju states the BJP did not receive notification of the enrollment of additional voters.
Tawang District
May 11, 2009
The district of Tawang is found in the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. China’s Tibet Autonomous Region borders it to the north while Bhutan bounds it to the west. Its fellow Arunachal Pradesh district of West Kameng adjoins it to the south and the east. The district has a total area of 2,085 square kilometers, but the population is only about 38,924, based from the 2001 census. This puts the district’s population density at a very low 16 people per square kilometer. Almost 75% of the population are considered tribal, with the majority belonging to the Monpa tribe. The elevations found in the district range from 6,000 to 22,000 feet (about 1,828 to 6,705 meters), with the inhabitants living in the lower altitude where the climate is temperately cool. The district’s administrative headquarters is the town of Tawang.
The district has a rather obscure history. During the medieval period, it was part of the kingdom of Tibet. It got its name from the majestic Tawang Monastery that perches atop a ridge and is surrounded by thick clouds and mists, giving it a mystic air that can’t help but draw the breath of everyone who sees it; the mist makes the temple seem as if it is suspended from heaven. Legend has it that the site of the monastery was chosen by the horse of Merag Lama, who was asked by the fifth Dalai Lama, Nagwang Lobsang Gyatso. Unable to find a place, he was praying in a cave one day to ask for divine guidance. After praying, he found his horse was missing. After a search, he found the horse standing quietly on a hilltop. Considering this as the sign he was praying for, he had the monastery built upon the very spot where the horse was found.
Tawang was a part of Tibet until February 12, 1951 when Major R. Kathing led the Indian Army troops to relocate Chinese squatters. In order to end the oppression of the Monpa tribe, India assumed sovereignty of Tawang and established a democratic rule. During the Sino-Indian war in 1962, Tawang was returned to Tibet’s rule but with the voluntary withdrawal of the Chinese troops, the district went back under Indian administration, and it became part of the West Kameng district. In 1984, Tawang broke off from its mother district to establish its own claim for districthood.
The people of the district are mostly Monpa, who inhabit 162 of the 163 villages. There are also Tibetans although they are mostly concentrated in the village of Shyo. The remainder is made up of the Takpa tribe, who are found in small, scattered numbers in the north and west. Most of the people, regardless of tribe, are Tibetan Buddhist by religion, although Shamanist and Bön influence can also be found. Agriculture is the primary means of living for the tribes with potato, maize, and millet being the primary crops. Due to the cold weather, yak breeding and sheep herding are also practiced.
The main tourist attraction is, of course, the majestic and beautiful Tawang Monastery. It is the largest Buddhist monastery in India, and is home to some 600 Lamas. It also contains the Parkhang library, which is a collection of the 400-year-old Kagyurs consisting of 110 volumes with about 400 to 500 pages each. Other invaluable manuscripts and old books are also found there. Aside from the monastery, other attractions include the Handicrafts Center as well as the Sela Top Pass, which is snowy for most of the year.
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary
May 11, 2009
The West Kameng District in Arunachal Pradesh state in India has a haven for bird watchers and avian lovers. Named the Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary, this protected area in the foothills of the Himalayan region serves as a sanctuary for hundreds of bird species as well as covering a wide variety of habitats, from the evergreen forests that one can find in the foothills to the sub-alpine rhododendron bushes found at 2800 meters up. This sanctuary also marks a historic place in Indian avian history, as it is where the Bugun Liolichla, a brilliantly-colored laughingthrush bird, is found. This bird was first discovered in 1995 and was again observed and described by Ramayana Athreyaa in 2006. Eaglenest Sanctuary’s altitude ranges from 500 meters to 3,250 meters above sea level.
The sanctuary conjoins another sanctuary to the northeast, the Sessa Orchid Sanctuary. Together they occupy a rough rectangle, with Sessa found on the northeast quadrant. The sanctuary is also adequately drained, with the Tippi Naala joining the Kameng River at Tippi village on the Bhalukpong-Bimdila highway. There are also several smaller streams in the western half of the area that eventually drain to the Brahmaputra. This makes the lush forests and vegetation in the area thrive wonderfully, making for a wonderful and living biodiversity.
Eaglenest Wildlife Sanctuary is isolated, and it only has one serviceable road leading through it. This makes it hard for poachers and hunters to get in and wreak havoc to the sanctuary’s ecosystem. The absence of any settlement inside Eaglenest is also one of the detriments to hunting. The sanctuary is administered by the Divisional Forest Officer at Seijusa, who also happens to be the Field Director of the nearby Pakke Tiger Reserve. Assisting the officer is a Range Forest Officer in Singchung and Beat Forest Offices in Khellong and Ramalingang.
Due to the diverse species of birds found inside the sanctuary, Birdlife International has declared Eaglenest as an Important Bird Area (IBA IN344). However, birds aren’t the only species that rely on the sanctuary for their continued survival. It also plays an important role for the conservation and continued existence of the Asian Elephant. The elephants regularly move up from the Assam plains to the Eaglenest Ridge in summer, which is probably the highest altitude that elephants can reach in India. However, excessive forest clearings and illegal encroaching in the nearby forests have forced the elephants to stay in the Eaglenest area, probably leading to the depletion of food sources if illegal logging and clearing are not addressed by the Indian government.
There are several reasons that make Eaglenest Sanctuary different from the other wildlife reserves in the region. For one, it is still easily accessible even during the monsoon seasons. Since some birds breed during monsoon and certain cold-blooded animals are only visible in Arunachal Pradesh during the rainy days, it is important for some scientists to be able to have access to their natural habitats during monsoon. Also, since there is an airport at Guwahati, tourists can hop off the plane and be at Eaglenest in less than 5 hours. This ease of access makes the sanctuary a very ideal place to study the flora and fauna in the Indian region.
ECI Finds No Evidence of Vote Rigging
May 10, 2009
As previously reported, the BJP has accused the ruling Congress Party of electoral fraud in the poll held on 16 April in Arunachal Pradesh. The Election Commission of India (ECI) has rejected the BJP’s demand for a repoll in 65 voting booths.
Alok Shukla, the Deputy Election Commissioner, stated there were a number of reasons why the votes exceeded 100%. Shukla’s explanations, as per The Times of India, are as follows:
He gave the example of one polling station where 108% polling was alleged to have taken place. Shukla said this polling station had only 37 voters and all of them voted. On top of that, as per EC rules four poll staff also voted. Polling staff is given election duty certificate to cast their vote at the booth they are stationed at. “If we take four poll staff over and above the 37 voters it becomes more than 8% and the entire thing looks scandalous,” he explained.
Shukla also pointed out that a lot of names are added in the electoral roll even after the final publication as part of the process of continuous updation. Therefore, the number of registered electors was more than what the complainant gave, he said.
The results of India’s general election will be announced on 16 May 2009.