Majuli to become India’s first river island district

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Assam government has granted district status to Majuli(a river island).

Mājuli or Majoli is a large river island in the Brahmaputra River. Mājuli island was formed due to course changes by the river Brahmaputra and its tributaries, mainly the Lohit.

The island is formed by the Brahmaputra river in the south and the Kherkutia Xuti, an anabranch(a section of a river or stream that diverts from the main channel or stem of the watercourse and rejoins the main stem downstream.) of the Brahmaputra, joined by the Subansiri River in the north.

Environmental problem:
The island had a total area of 1,250 square kilometres but lost its area to erosion and reduced to only 352 square kilometres in 2014. Majuli has shrunk as the river surrounding it has grown.

To save the island, the Union Government of India has sanctioned ₹ 250 crores (US $55 million) for the protection of the island. The water resource department & The Brahmaputra Board are struggling to solve the erosion problem of this island for the last three decade but without much success. Recently it was suggested that a four-lane highway protected by concrete mat along the southern boundary of Majuli and excavation of river bed of the Brahmaputra River, only can solve the problem. The project also includes two flood gates for the Kherkatia suti which is a tributary of the Brahmaputra. The Brahmaputra River Restoration Project is yet to be implemented by the government. However, a nomination has been sent to the UNESCO for the declaration of Mājuli to be as a world heritage site.

Other facts:

Tribes found: Mising, Deori and Sonowal Kacharis tribes
The southern part of the island is a bird lover's paradise.
Mājuli is the abode of the Assamese neo-Vaisnavite culture.

Bank NPAs may hit 8.5 % by March

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Gross bad loans at commercial banks could increase to 8.5 per cent of total advances by March 2017, from 7.6 per cent in March 2016, according to a baseline scenario projection by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its Financial Stability Report released on Tuesday.

The central bank has been pushing lenders to review the classification of loans given by them as part of an Asset Quality Review (AQR). The resultant sharp surge in provisions for bad debts has eroded profitability, especially at state-owned banks, in recent quarters. The gross bad loans of public sector banks increased to 9.6 per cent as of March 2016, from about 6 per cent a year earlier, RBI data showed.

Over 23% pay hike likely for govt. employees, pensioners

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The Finance Ministry is set to propose on Wednesday a 23.55 per cent overall increase in salaries and pensions for more than 1 crore government employees and pensioners, in line with the 7th Pay Commission’s recommendations.