Minister for Development of North Eastern Region Mani Shankar Aiyar on Wednesday termed the second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) recommendation to abolish his ministry as unfortunate and said the Centre should instead increase its budget. The ARC, headed by former Karnataka Chief Minister M Veerappa Moily, had recommended abolition of the ministry and suggested that responsibility for development of the region be restored to the Home Ministry.

Till date the southern states were infamous for boundary disputes. But this malaise seems to have spread to the north-east where Assam and Meghalaya are locked in a border row over a remote village Lampih following the potential discovery of uranium in this tiny hamlet. To ensure that Lampih remains with it. the Assam Government has dangled lots of carrots including a health centre and motorable roads for 31,200 villagers who have to travel for six hours on horseback to reach the nearest road.

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