Assam Govt Finalises Rs 160 Crore Package For Rehabilitation Of Over 4,000 NDFB Cadres

The Assam government on Monday (7 June) finalised a Rs 160 crore package to rehabilitate 4,036 cadres of erstwhile militant outfit National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), with whom it had signed a deal on 27 January last year.

An official statement said that a high-level meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, was held to review the status of implementation of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) accord, which ushered in peace in western Assam.

The Assam government last month set up the separate Bodoland Department for all-round and speedy development of the BTR, comprising the four western districts of Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Kokrajhar, bordering Bhutan and West Bengal.

The statement said that under the package, skill development training would be imparted to 4,036 NDFB cadres across the BTR for their socio-economic development.

"Moreover, the identity of the Bodo people, their culture, language and educational aspects were also discussed. The Chief Minister in the meeting also advocated promoting and building a social empowerment narrative of Bodofa Upendra Nath Brahma's philosophy for the Bodo people," the statement said.

Sarma directed to expeditiously complete the construction of the Cultural Complex cum Centre of Excellence to be built in the name of Brahma along with other development works which are intrinsically associated with the pride and prestige of the Bodo people.

Minister for Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes Urkhao Gwra Brahma, Chief Executive Member of Bodo Territorial Council Promod Boro, Chief Secretary Jishnu Baruah, Special DGPs L.R. Bishnoi, and G.P. Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Samir Kumar Sinha, Principal Secretary, Home and Political, Neeraj Verma among others were present in the meeting.

The NDFB cadres of four factions had laid down their huge cache of arms and ammunition on 30 January last year after the signing of the accord in New Delhi on 27 January in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)