New Delhi, Mar 31: The Government of India on Thursday announced to reduce the disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades as there has been significant improvement in the security situation in these states and the entire North Eastern region as a whole. The reduced coverage of AFSPA will come into effect from April 01, 2022.

Disturbed Area Notification is in force in whole of Assam since 1990; in Manipur, it is in force in entire Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) since 2004; and in Nagaland, it is in force in the whole of Nagaland from 1995.

Mentionably, due to the improvement in the security situation the Disturbed Area Notification under AFSPA was completely removed from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018.

Making the announcement on Thursday through twitter, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said: “In a significant step, GoI under the decisive leadership of PM Shri Narendra Modi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.”

In a significant step, GoI under the decisive leadership of PM Shri @NarendraModi Ji has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 31, 2022

“Reduction in areas under AFSPA is a result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to the consistent efforts and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East by PM Narendra Modi government,” he said.

Reduction in areas under AFSPA is a result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to the consistent efforts and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East by PM @narendramodi government.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 31, 2022

In another tweet, the Home Minister said: “Thanks to PM Narendra Modi Ji’s unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development. I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occasion.”

Thanks to PM @NarendraModi Ji’s unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development.

I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occassion.

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 31, 2022

Scope of reduced AFSPA

Disturbed Area Notification is in force in whole of Assam since 1990. Now, AFSPA is being removed with effect from 01.04.2022 completely from 23 districts and partially from 1 district of Assam.

The Disturbed Area Declaration is in force in entire Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) since 2004. Now, 15 police station areas of 6 districts of Manipur will be excluded from the Disturbed Area Notification with effect from 01.04.2022.

The Disturbed Area Notification is in force in the whole of Nagaland from 1995. The Central Government has accepted the recommendation of a committee constituted in this context for withdrawal of AFSPA in a phased manner. The Disturbed Area Notification is being withdrawn from 15 police stations in 7 districts in Nagaland with effect from 01.04.2022.

In 2015, AFSPA was in force in 3 districts of Arunachal Pradesh, 20 kms. belt of Arunachal Pradesh along the Assam border and in 16 police station areas in 9 other districts of the State. This has been gradually reduced and the Disturbed Areas Notification is currently applicable in only 3 districts and in 2 police station areas in 1 other district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Efforts to bring peace to NE under PM Modi 

A separate statement from MHA said due to the continuous efforts of the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, many steps have been taken in the North Eastern States, which have led to a significant improvement in the security situation and accelerated development. In comparison to 2014, there has been a reduction of 74 percent in militancy incidents in 2021. Similarly, deaths of security personnel and civilians have also come down by 60 percent and 84 percent respectively during this period.

To realize PM Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous North East region, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has held dialogue with all the States of the North East on a regular basis. As a result, most of the extremist groups have laid down their arms expressing their faith in the Constitution of India and the policies of the Modi government. Today all these persons have become a part of the democratic process and are participating in the development of the North East. About 7,000 militants have surrendered in the last few years, the statement added.

It further underscored that PM Modi is committed to make the whole of the North East region free from extremism.

Important agreements in last 3 years

The Government of India, in the last three years, has signed several agreements to end insurgencies and bring lasting peace to the North Eastern States.

The Bodo Accord of January, 2020 resolved the five decades long Bodo problem of Assam.

The Karbi-Anglong Agreement of September 4, 2021 resolved the long standing dispute over the Karbi region of Assam.

Similarly, the NLFT (SD) agreement was signed in August 2019 to bring militants into the mainstream of society in Tripura.

After that a historic agreement was signed on January 16, 2020 to resolve the 23 year-old Bru-Reang refugee crisis, under which 37,000 internally displaced persons are being resettled in Tripura.

On March 29, 2022, another important agreement was signed between Assam and Meghalaya to resolve boundary dispute in 6 of the 12 areas of difference between the two states.