INVITE A FRIEND VIEW IN BROWSERSATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 2020Times Top10Good morning!5 THINGS FIRSTPM Modi on a two-day visit to West Bengal; Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi; Kerala high-rises to be demolished for violating coastal norms; German Chancellor Merkel to meet Putin in Moscow; Presidential and parliamentary elections in Taiwan 1. Relief for Kashmir, a message for all1. Relief for Kashmir, a message for allThe Supreme Court, hearing a batch of pleas which challenged curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre's abrogation of provisions of Article 370 on August 5 last year, answered the following questions in its verdict on Friday:Q1: Can government claim exemption from producing orders through which it imposed restrictions?A1: Government should publish all orders that are in force and also future orders to enable affected people to challenge it.Q2: Is freedom of speech and expression and freedom to practise any profession, or to carry on any business over the Internet a fundamental right?A2: These freedoms enjoy constitutional protection and the restriction upon such fundamental rights should be in consonance with the mandate under Article 19 (2) and (6) of the Constitution, inclusive of the test of proportionality.Q3: Is government's action of prohibiting internet access valid?A3: An order suspending internet services indefinitely is impermissible. Such orders must adhere to the principle of proportionality and must not extend beyond necessary duration. We direct the authorities to review all such orders forthwith and revoke those not in accordance with the law laid down above. Authorities should consider allowing government websites, limited e--banking facilities, hospital services and other essential services in areas where internet is not likely to be restored immediately.Q4: Were restrictions under Section 144 valid?A4: The power under Section 144 cannot be used to suppress legitimate expression of opinion or grievance or exercise of any democratic rights. Orders under the section should state the material facts to enable judicial review. Repetitive orders under Section 144 would be an abuse of power. Authorities are directed to review forthwith the need for continuance of any existing orders passed under Section 144.Q5: Was the freedom of press violated due to the restrictions?A5: Executive editor of Kashmir Times Anuradha Bhasin had said that she couldn't publish her newspaper from August 6 to October 11 last year due to the restrictions. Taking into account the government's submission that other papers were being published at that time and that the Kashmir Times has resumed publication, the court said "we do not deem it fit to indulge more in the issue than to state that responsible governments are required to respect the freedom of the press at all times."Read the full judgment here 2. The state of protests, orders and law...2. The state of protests, orders and law...With permission: The Tripura High Court has ruled that government employees can take part in political programmes and post messages on social media without incurring any punitive measure under service conduct rules. This was after the BJP-led state government recently warned employees of punitive action for taking part in anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests. In Mumbai, professors from some central government institutes like IIT have been reminded about service rules by the government for participating in anti-CAA protests.Protest vs traffic: The Delhi High Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking directions for removal of demonstrators protesting against the CAA at Shaheen Bagh in the capital in order to clear road blockages that are causing traffic congestion. The protest began on December 14.More arrests: Four more people have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district for their alleged involvement in violence during the anti-CAA protests taking the total number of such arrests to 85, police said on Friday. Eighteen people have been released in Muzaffarnagar so far by court orders after police filed reports stating there was no evidence of their involvement in the violence.More protests: To register their protest against CAA, thousands of people, holding national flags, marched in Hyderabad after offering Friday prayers at various mosques in the city. There is no let-up in protests against the new citizenship law in Assam, which completed one month this week. The All Assam Students' Union, which is leading the protests, has vowed to carry on until the Act is scrapped. Check out the protest tracker here.Out of jail: A Delhi court granted bail to 12 people arrested in connection with violence in Seemapuri area of northeast Delhi during recent anti-CAA protests. Elsewhere, an NIA court has rejected NIA's plea for taking farmers' leader Akhil Gogoi, one of spearheads of anti-CAA agitation, back into its custody.Meanwhile, Delhi Police is yet to arrest anyone for the attack by a masked mob on students and teachers of Jawaharlal Nehru University on January 5 evening that left 36 injured though it named nine suspects for the clashes that took place on the campus earlier. Among those named is JNU students' union president Aishe Ghosh, who received 16 stitches on her head and fractured her left hand in the violence. 3. Does India need more prisons or less?3. Does India need more prisons or less?Jail reduction: Even as the number of crimes keeps going up year after year, surprisingly, the number of prisons in India has been on the decline — with their count in 2018 the lowest since 2008, at 1,339. This, despite 16 new jails being built in 2018, according to the NCRB's Prison Statistics 2018 report. Consequently, there's rampant overcrowding in India's jails, which is showing no signs of decreasing, with almost a fifth more inmates housed in jails than they can accommodate. Last year, the Centre had allocated Rs 1,800 crore to set up 199 new jails in the country, even though prisons are a state subject — worried by how overcrowding had led to an increase in criminal activities inside prisons.Jam-packed jailsCatching up: While the total inmate capacity in the three years between 2016 to 2018 has increased by 4.03% — from a capacity for housing 380,876 inmates in 2016 to 396,223 in 2018 — the number of prisoners housed in all jails has shot up by almost twice that rate, at 7.64%, in the same period. With the result, while there were 433,003 inmates in 2016, there were 466,084 prisoners in 2018. While prison overcrowding puts the health and physical safety of both the staff — whose actual strength is more than 30% less than its sanctioned strength — and inmates at risk, it also 'shames' India globally since it's a signatory to the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, also known as Nelson Mandela Rules.Unwanted inmates? The number of undertrials, who constitute the largest chunk of prison inmates, outnumber convicts by a ratio of 2.32:1. Towards this end, the government had also introduced the concept of plea bargaining in the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973 by way of Criminal Law (Amendment) Act 2005. However, unlike in the US, where plea bargaining is used in almost all offences — including murder, sex abuse and arson — in India, a plea bargain can only be used for offences which attract a maximum sentence of 7 years. The result? Less than 1% of all cases under the IPC are settled via this method whereas the figure for the US was close to 97%. 4. Will RBI come to Centre's rescue again?4. Will RBI come to Centre’s rescue again?What: The government is planning to push the Reserve Bank of India for another interim dividend, as it struggles to meet its expenditure commitments amid a steep revenue shortfall, reports Reuters. The fresh call comes just months after the central bank approved a Rs 1.76 lakh crore dividend payment to the government, including Rs 1.48 lakh crore for the current fiscal year.Why: The government faces a shortfall of more than one-third in its revenue target of Rs 19.6 lakh crore following a severe economic slowdown (GDP growth is projected to fall to an 11-year low of 5%) and cut in corporate tax rates last year. If RBI agrees, it would mark the third straight year in which it has agreed to give the government an interim dividend.What's for next year_ (4)How: The RBI largely earns profits through its trading of currencies and government bonds. Part of these earnings are set aside by the RBI for its operational and contingency needs while the rest is transferred to the government in the form of dividend. It earned a surplus of Rs 1.23 lakh crore in its last financial year, which was substantially higher than previous years.Meanwhile, in some good news for the economy, the Index of Industrial Production recorded a growth of 1.8% in November after having contracted for three months in a row, though the numbers are lower than the estimates of 2.5%. The rupee rose 7 paise to 71.14 against the US dollar in opening trade on Friday, buoyed by sliding oil prices and the country's foreign exchange reserves touched a record high of $461.157 billion. NEWS IN CLUES5. Who was the first Indian to win the World Championship in badminton?Clue 1: She was among the top 15 earning female athletes globally last year.Clue 2: In her first Olympic appearance, she became the youngest individual medal winner for India.Clue 3: She and her father are both Arjuna Award winners. 6. Mistry isn't coming back to Tata, yet6. Mistry isn't coming back to Tata, yetThe stay: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order restoring Cyrus Mistry as executive chairman of the Tata Group. The tribunal's decision suffers from "basic errors and we have to hear the matter in detail,'' the apex court said.A question: The court also asked, "You (Cyrus) have been out of the saddle for quite a long time. Does this hurt you....How does it hurt you today." The court said there was no prayer in the petition for reinstatement of Mistry but the tribunal went ahead with it and ordered his reinstatement. "The tribunal granted the prayer which was not prayed,'' the court observed.What next? While the petition was pending, Mistry came out with a statement on Sunday saying that he is not interested in returning to the Tata Group and the decision was made in the interest of the Group. NCLAT had held the group's chairman emeritus Ratan Tata's actions against Mistry were oppressive and the appointment of a new chairman was illegal. The SC has posted the matter after four weeks. 7. Sorry Boeing, but air crashes are neither funny, nor monkey business7. Sorry Boeing, but air crashes are neither funny, nor monkey businessWhistleblowers Inc: In perhaps what could be the most damning indictment of Boeing's safety certifications for its 737 Max aircraft, emails exchanged among Boeing employees show that they were far from satisfied with the aircraft's design. The emails, comprising 100 pages, were sent by Boeing to the House and Senate Committees probing the design flaws in the aircraft that earned fatal notoriety with two air crashes, one each in 2018 and 2019, that resulted in the deaths of 346 people.Clowns & monkeys: The emails detail employee views when the 737 Max simulators were developed and certified in 2017 and 2018 — with one of the employees coming down heavily on the company, saying the aircraft was "designed by clowns, who in turn are supervised by monkeys" while another called it an aircraft with "piss poor design." In another email exchange, an employee made it clear that he wouldn't let his family fly in the 737 Max. One employee also hints that the company 'forced' them to lie to the FAA when it checked the aircraft before granting it approval to fly.The cover up: The emails also reveal how Boeing's chief technical pilot was adamant that the simulator training wasn't required for pilots who had flown earlier versions of the 737 — telling Boeing's employees that any demand for simulator training would be resisted by the company which was prepared to "go face to face with any regulator who tries to make that a requirement." As is now well known, the non-disclosure of the stabilisation system in both the Max training and the flight manual, known as MCAS, which malfunctioned, resulted in the aircraft's deep dive and subsequent crash.Meanwhile, in the crash of the Ukraine International Airlines aircraft on Wednesday near Tehran, Iran has denied that it shot down the plane ‘by accident’ with a missile — which resulted in the death of all 176 people on board, which included 82 Iranian nationals. YOU SHARE YOUR B'DAY WITHYOU SHARE YOUR B’DAY WITHSource: Various 8. World watches as a Chinese-speaking democracy votes8. World watches as a Chinese-speaking democracy votesThe polls: Taiwan will vote today to pick its next president and parliament members. The elections come amidst Chinese efforts to get the island to accept Beijing's rule as well as anti-government protests in Chinese-ruled Hong Kong.The history: The self-ruled democratic island, which has its own currency, flag, military and government, is not recognised as an independent state by the UN and most nations. China claims Taiwan, which lies off its southeast coast, as its territory and has threatened to take it by force if needed. Taiwan says it is an independent country and has been politically separated from China for the past seven decades.The contest: President Tsai Ing-wen, of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is running for a second term. Tsai is pro-independence, favours a separate Taiwanese identity and has tried to reduce the dependence of the island's economy on China. She had also expressed her support for the Hong Kong protests. Tsai is being challenged by Han Kuo-yu of the main opposition Kuomintang party who favors close ties with China.The message: The elections are being seen as a referendum on its relations with China. Beijing had stepped up its indirect threats in recent months holding military exercises across the Taiwan Strait. The polls will also be closely watched by the US (which sells arms and provides other assistance to the island) and Japan (Taiwan lies on major shipping lanes between Southeast Asia and Japan and South Korea) amidst their struggle for dominance in the region. 9. Do lingering protests cause depression?9. Do lingering protests cause depression?Traumatic protests: The anti-China protests in Hong Kong may be causing a political headache for its administration and the Chinese authorities, but they are also leaving the residents of Hong Kong more depressed than before, according to findings published in The Lancet on Friday. The study notes that increasing protests in India, especially Delhi, may warrant a similar analysis of their effect on mental health. The study revealed that 1 in 5 adults in Hong Kong is either suffering from depression or post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — a figure which is similar to those who experience armed conflicts.Rising tide: The study also compares the increase in depression and PTSD during the anti-China protests of last year — which are still continuing — and the 2014 pro-democracy Occupy Central movement, which lasted 79 days. It found that compared to 2014, the prevalence of probable depression has doubled since the Occupy protests and is five times higher than what it used to be before the 2014 movement — this, in a state which has the longest life expectancy in the world.The numbers: During the peak of the protests last year, the study found that 31.6% of people suffered from PTSD, which translated into an adult population of 1.9 million. The combined prevalence of suspected PTSD and probable depression was 21.8% — with those aged 60 and above showing the highest prevalence of depression, along with those who are unemployed or not earning. BEFORE YOU GO10. What kills malaria, kills cancer too10. What kills malaria, kills cancer tooWell, who would have thought of that! Apparently, what's fatal for malaria has also proved to be fatal attraction for cancer cells, especially those that cause lung cancer. In a breakthrough research, Angshuman Sarkar, an assistant professor at BITS Pilani's Goa campus, discovered that a re-purposed drug, based on the anti-malarial medicine Quinacrine (QC), was effective in killing non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for 80% of all lung cancer cases diagnosed.NSCLC is tough to beat for two reasons — its extremely high resistance to chemo drugs and its ability to metastasise (spreading of cancer in other parts of body), with the result that anyone who suffers from NSCLC usually dies within a year or two of its detection. Sarkar’s discovery will not only extend the lifespans of people suffering from lung cancer but will also significantly reduce the treatment cost. 3 CURATED WEEKEND READS1. How the US squandered its Cold War victoryThe US believed the American way of life was humankind's ultimate destiny. But unrestrained greed has led to an era of injustice and division.2. Eating at your work-desk can be dangerousMany of us struggle to leave the office for lunch, but it could mean we're overeating, being less productive and putting our health at risk3. Who is Jared Kushner?The Kushner family history — from lying on immigration forms to becoming major Democratic donors — often seems at odds with the initiatives Jared supports in his father-in-law Donald Trump’s Administration. Answers To NEWS IN CLUESAnswers to NEWS IN CLUESP V Sindhu. The shuttler, who won the silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and is the first Indian, male or female, to win badminton's world championship last year, lost in the quarterfinals of the Malaysia Masters Super 500 badminton tournament on Friday, after being beaten by Chinese Taipei's Tai Tzu Ying 21-16, 21-16. She was ranked 13th in the Forbes list of highest paid female athletes, with earnings of $5.5 million in 2018-19. Sindhu’s father, P V Ramana, is also an Arjuna awardee for volleyball. Follow news that matters to you in real-time.Join 3 crore news enthusiasts. GET APPCompiled by: Judhajit Basu, Rakesh Rai, Sumil Sudhakaran, Tejeesh N.S. Behl Are you reading this in Gmail?To continue receiving updates from the Times of India, kindly move our emails to primary folder.Thanks for reading. We are ready with updates and more news on timesofindia.comWe'd love your feedback on this newsletter. Please send your thoughts and suggestions to timestop10@timesinternet.inOUR MAILING ADDRESS IS:Times Internet, Times Centre. Sector 16 A Noida, 201301 Copyright 2018 Times Internet. All rights reserved. UnsubscribeSHARE THIS NEWSLETTER

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DescriptionMeghalaya is a hilly state in northeastern India. The name means "the abode of clouds" in Sanskrit. The population of Meghalaya as of 2016 is estimated to be 3,211,474. Meghalaya covers an area of approximately 22,430 square kilometres, with a length to breadth ratio of about 3:1. WikipediaCapital: ShillongPLAN A TRIPMeghalaya travel guide15 h flightDESTINATIONSShillongGuwahatiCherrapunji‎MawlynnongDawkiMāwsynrāmNongriatUmiamView allPEOPLE ALSO SEARCH FORMizoramArunachal PradeshNagalandManipurSikkimTripuraAssamHimachal PradeshView allMore about MeghalayaPEOPLE ALSO ASKWhat is Meghalaya famous for?Is Meghalaya safe for tourists?

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The state is bounded to the south by the Bangladeshi divisions of Mymensingh and Sylhet, to the west by the Bangladeshi division of Rangpur, and to the north and east by India's State of Assam. The capital of Meghalaya is Shillong. During the British rule of India, the British imperial authorities nicknamed it the "Scotland of the East".[7] Meghalaya was previously part of Assam, but on 21 January 1972, the districts of Khasi, Garo and Jaintia hills became the new state of Meghalaya. English is the official language of Meghalaya. Unlike many Indian states, Meghalaya has historically followed a matrilineal system where the lineage and inheritance are traced through women; the youngest daughter inherits all wealth and she also takes care of her parents.[7]The state is the wettest region of India, recording an average of 12,000 mm (470 in) of rain a year.[6] About 70% of the state is forested.[8] The Meghalaya subtropical forests ecoregion encompasses the state; its mountain forests are distinct from the lowland tropical forests to the north and south. The forests are notable for their biodiversity of mammals, birds, and plants.Meghalaya has predominantly an agrarian economy with a significant commercial forestry industry. The important crops are potatoes, rice, maize, pineapples, bananas, papayas, spices, etc. The service sector is made up of real estate and insurance companies. Meghalaya's gross state domestic product for 2012 was estimated at ₹16,173 crore (US$2.3 billion) in current prices.[9] The state is geologically rich in minerals, but it has no significant industries.[7] The state has about 1,170 km (730 mi) of national highways. It is also a major logistical center for trade with Bangladesh.[6]In July 2018, the International Commission on Stratigraphy divided the Holocene epoch into three,[10][11] with the late Holocene being called the Meghalayan stage/age,[12][13] since a speleothem in Mawmluh cave indicating a dramatic worldwide climate event around 2250 BC had been chosen as the.Ancient EditMeghalaya, along with the neighbouring Indian states, have been of archaeological interest. People have lived here since Neolithic era. Neolithic sites discovered so far are located in areas of high elevation such as in Khasi Hills, Garo Hills and neighbouring states. Here neolithic style jhum or shifting cultivation is practised even today. The highland plateaus fed by abundant rains provided safety from floods and a rich soil.[15] The importance of Meghalaya is its possible role in human history through domestication of rice. One of the competing theories for the origin of rice, is from Ian Glover, who states, "India is the center of greatest diversity of domesticated rice with over 20,000 identified species and Northeast India is the most favorable single area of the origin of domesticated rice."[16] The limited archaeology done in the hills of Meghalaya suggest human settlement since ancient times.[17]After the Conquest of Taraf in 1304, Shah Arifin Rafiuddin, a disciple of Shah Jalal, migrated and settled in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills where he preached Islam to the local people. His khanqah remains in Sarping/Laurergarh on the Bangladeshi border but the part containing his mazar is in Meghalaya on top of Laur Hill.[18]Modern history EditThe British discovery of Camellia sinensis in 1834 in Assam and later companies to renting land from 1839 onwards.[19]Meghalaya was formed by carving out two districts from the state of Assam: the United Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills, and the Garo Hills on 21 January 1972. Before attaining full statehood, Meghalaya was given semi-autonomous status in 1970.[20]The Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia tribes had their own kingdoms until they came under British administration in the 19th century. Later, the British incorporated Meghalaya into Assam in 1835.[7] The region enjoyed semi-independent status by virtue of a treaty relationship with the British Crown. When Bengal was partitioned on 16 October 1905 by Lord Curzon, Meghalaya became a part of the new province of Eastern Bengal and Assam. However, when the partition was reversed in 1912, Meghalaya became a part of the province of Assam. On 3 January 1921 in pursuance of Section 52A of the Government of India Act of 1919, the governor-general-in-council declared the areas now in Meghalaya, other than the Khasi states, as "backward tracts." Subsequently, the British administration enacted the Government of India Act of 1935, which regrouped the backward tracts into two categories: "excluded" and "partially excluded" areas.At the time of Indian independence in 1947, present-day Meghalaya constituted two districts of Assam and enjoyed limited autonomy within the state of Assam. A movement for a separate Hill State began in 1960.[20] The Assam Reorganisation (Meghalaya) Act of 1969 accorded an autonomous status to the state of Meghalaya. The Act came into effect on 2 April 1970, and an autonomous state of Meghalaya was born out of Assam. The autonomous state had a 37-member legislature in accordance with the Sixth Schedule to the Indian constitution.In 1971, the Parliament passed the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act, 1971, which conferred full statehood on the autonomous state of Meghalaya. Meghalaya attained statehood on 21 January 1972, with a Legislative Assembly of its own.Meghalaya is one of the Seven Sister States of northeast India. The state of Meghalaya is mountainous, with stretches of valley and highland plateaus, and it is geologically rich. It consists mainly of Archean rock formations. These rock formations contain rich deposits of valuable minerals like coal, limestone, uranium and sillimanite.Meghalaya has many rivers. Most of these are rainfed and seasonal. The important rivers in the Garo Hills region are Ganol, Daring, Sanda, Bandra, Bugai, Dareng, Simsang, Nitai and the Bhupai. In the central and eastern sections of the plateau, the important rivers are Khri, Umtrew, Digaru, Umiam or Barapani, Kynshi (Jadukata), Umngi, Mawpa, Umiam Khwan, Umngot, Umkhen, Myntdu and Myntang. In the southern Khasi Hills region, these rivers have created deep gorges and several beautiful waterfalls.Farming on hilly terrain (tea plantation).The elevation of the plateau ranges between 150 m (490 ft) to 1,961 m (6,434 ft). The central part of the plateau comprising the Khasi Hills has the highest elevations, followed by the eastern section comprising the Jaintia Hills region. The highest point in Meghalaya is Shillong Peak, which is a prominent IAF station in the Khasi Hills overlooking the city of Shillong. It has an altitude of 1961 m. The Garo Hills region in the western section of the plateau is nearly plain. The highest point in the Garo Hills is Nokrek Peak with an altitude of 1515 m.The town of Sohra (Cherrapunji) in the Khasi Hills south of capital Shillong holds the world record for most rain in a calendar month, while the village of Mawsynram, near Sohra (Cherrapunji), holds the record for the most rain in a year.[23]Flora and fauna EditSee also: Meghalaya subtropical forestsMeghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds[24] and numerous species of other wildlife. Peacock pheasant (top) and hoolock gibbon (bottom) are found in Meghalaya.[25]About 70% of the state is forested, of which 9,496 km2 (3,666 sq mi) is dense primary subtropical forest.[8] The Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity. A small portion of the forest area in Meghalaya is under what are known as "sacred groves" (see Sacred groves of India). These are small pockets of an ancient forest that have been preserved by the communities for hundreds of years due to religious and cultural beliefs. These forests are reserved for religious rituals and generally remain protected from any exploitation. These sacred groves harbour many rare plant and animal species. The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve in the West Garo Hills and the Balphakram National Park in the South Garo Hills are considered to be the most biodiversity-rich sites in Meghalaya. In addition, Meghalaya has three wildlife sanctuaries. These are the Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary, the Siju Sanctuary, and the Baghmara Sanctuary, which is also the home of the insect-eating pitcher plant Nepenthes khasiana also called "Me'mang Koksi" in local language.Due to diverse climatic and topographic conditions, Meghalaya forests support a vast floral diversity, including a large variety of parasites, epiphytes, succulent plants and shrubs. Two of the most important tree varieties are Shorea robusta (sal tree) and Tectona grandis (teak). Meghalaya is also the home to a large variety of fruits, vegetables, spices, and medicinal plants. Meghalaya is also famous for its large variety of orchids — nearly 325 of them. Of these, the largest variety is found in the Mawsmai, Mawmluh and Sohrarim forests in the Khasi hills.Nepenthes khasianaMeghalaya also has a large variety of mammals, birds, reptiles and insects.[26] The important mammal species include elephants, bear, red pandas,[27] civets, mongooses, weasels, rodents, gaur, wild buffalo,[28] deer, wild boar and a number of primates. Meghalaya also has a large variety of bats. The limestone caves in Meghalaya such as the Siju Cave are home to some of the nation's rarest bat species. The hoolock gibbon is found in all districts of Meghalaya.[29]Common reptiles in Meghalaya are lizards, crocodiles and tortoises. Meghalaya also has a number of snakes including the python, copperhead, green tree racer, Indian cobra, king cobra, coral snake and vipers.[30]Meghalaya's forests host 660 species of birds, many of which are endemic to Himalayan foothills, Tibet and Southeast Asia. Of the birds found in Meghalaya forests, 34 are on worldwide threatened species list and 9 are on the critically endangered list.[24] Prominent birds spotted in Meghalaya include those from the families of Phasianidae, Anatidae, Podicipedidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Falconidae, Accipitridae, Otididae, Rallidae, Heliornithidae, Gruidae, Turnicidae, Burhinidae, Charadriidae, Glareolidae, Scolopacidae, Jacanidae, Columbidae, Psittacidae, Cuculidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Alcedinidae, Bucerotidae, Ramphastidae, Picidae, Campephagidae, Dicruridae, Corvidae, Hirundinidae, Cisticolidae, Pycnonotidae, Sylviidae, Timaliidae, Sittidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Nectariniidae and Muscicapidae.[24] Each of these families have many species. The great Indian hornbill is the largest bird in Meghalaya. Other regional birds found include the grey peacock pheasant, the large Indian parakeet, the common green pigeon and the blue jay.[31] Meghalaya is also home to over 250 species of butterflies, nearly a quarter of all butterfly species found in India.Meghalaya is one of three states in India to have a Christian majority. About 75% of the population practices Christianity, with Presbyterians, Baptists and Catholics the more common denominations.[33] .The religion of the people in Meghalaya is closely related to their ethnicity. Close to 90% of the Garo tribe and nearly 80% of the Khasi are Christian, while more than 97% of the Hajong, 98.53% of the Koch, and 94.60% of the Rabha tribes are Hindu.[citation needed]Hindus are the largest religious minority in Meghalaya with 11.52% of the total state's population as of 2011 census[33]Hindus are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills, East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi with 19.11 percent, 17.55 percent and 11.96 percent respectively.The Nartiang Durga Temple in Meghalaya is a famous Hindu temple and it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas on Earth.[34]Muslims constitute 4.39% of the population[33] The Muslims are concentrated mainly in West Garo Hills with 16.60 percent.[35]Conversion from indigenous to Christianity began in the 19th century under the British era. In the 1830s, American Baptist Foreign Missionary Society had become active in Northeast to convert indigenous tribes to Christianity.[36] Later, they were offered to expand and reach into Cherrapunji Meghalaya, but they lacked the resources to do so and declined. Welsh Presbyterian Mission took the offer and they began work at the Cherrapunji mission field. By the early 1900s, other Protestant denominations of Christianity were active in Meghalaya. The outbreak of World Wars forced the preachers to return home to Europe and America. It is during this period that Catholicism took root in Meghalaya and neighbouring region. In the 20th century, Union Christian College started operations at Barapani, Shillong. Currently, Presbyterians and Catholics are two most common Christian denominations found in Meghalaya.[37]State government EditThe Meghalaya Legislative Assembly has 60 members at present. Meghalaya has two representatives in the Lok Sabha, one each from Shillong and Tura. It also has one representative in the Rajya Sabha.Since the creation of the state the Gauhati High Court has jurisdiction in Meghalaya. A Circuit Bench of the Guwahati High Court has been functioning at Shillong since 1974. However recently in March 2013 the Meghalaya High Court was separated from the Gauhati High Court and now the state has its own High Court.Local self-government EditNE Autonomous divisions of India.svgTo provide local self-governance machinery to the rural population of the country, provisions were made in the Constitution of India; accordingly, the Panchayati Raj institutions were set up. However, on account of the distinct customs and traditions prevailing in the northeast region, it was felt necessary to have a separate political and administrative structure in the region.[citation needed] Some of the tribal communities in the region had their own traditional political systems, and it was felt that Panchayati Raj institutions may come into conflict with these traditional systems. The Sixth Schedule was appended to the Constitution on the recommendations of a subcommittee formed under the leadership of Gopinath Bordoloi, and the constitution of Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) is provided in certain rural areas of the northeast including areas in Meghalaya. The ADCs in Meghalaya are the Khasi Hills Autonomous District CouncilGaro Hills Autonomous District CouncilJaintia Hills Autonomous District CouncilEconomy Urban areas Culture and society EditThe main tribes in Meghalaya are the Khasis, the Garos, and the Jaintias. Each tribe has its own culture, traditions, dress, and language.

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