New Delhi, Sept 4: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced that the Centre will release Rs 1000 crore over the next five years for the development of the Karbi Anglong region on the occasion of signing of the “historic” Karbi Anglong Peace Accord with Karbi militant organisations on Saturday.
Karbi militant organisations viz., Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT), Kuki National Liberation Army and United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA) signed the accord with the Centre, Assam and Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) on Saturday.
Shah said that at least 1000 militants from the five militant organisations that were active in KAAC that includes Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts of southern hills of Assam, had laid down their arms to be included in the mainstream.
“It is the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to welcome those who leave guns to be inducted to the mainstream and provide them with more benefits than they ask for to encourage them to work for betterment of their region,” Shah said on Friday at New Delhi where the Accord was signed.
Shah said, “As per the Accord, Rs 1000 crores in five Rs 200 crore instalments will be allotted through the Assam budget over the next five years. Besides that, Karbi Kalyan Parishad and a consolidated fund for the KAAC through the state is also being discussed.”
He further said that at least 32 new projects have been initiated with the Rs 325 crore that was allotted to the KAAC while a Rs. 22 crore infrastructure development project has also been undertaken and soon, 20 projects total worth at least Rs 200 crore will also be undertaken.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who sat on the right side of Shah during the signing said, “This accord also paves way for the inclusion of both plain and hill Karbi people to be included as Scheduled Tribes of the land.”
Union Minister and former Assam CM, Sarbananda Sonowal who sat on the left of Shah and KAAC Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang thanked Shah and congratulated the people of KAAC claiming the accord will bring “lasting peace and prosperity to the land.”
Saturday’s peace accord is the second by the BJP regime in Assam after the one with Bodo groups last year in January following which at least 1500 militants from several factions of National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) had laid down their arms.
The accord is expected to restore peace in Karbi Anglong which has suffered from militancy since the 1990s.
