Assam approves Rs 160 crore scheme for rehabilitation of 4,036 former militants

BJP-led Assam government has approved an Rs 160 crore project for the rehabilitation of 4,036 former members of NDFB, a militant group, who had laid down their weapons in January last year soon after signing of the new Bodoland Accord.

The scheme was approved in a meeting chaired by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in Guwahati. The meeting also reviewed the status of implementation of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) Accord.

The meeting decided that the rehabilitation programme for the former NDFB cadres would be conceptualised and designed by the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) in association with State Institute for Panchayat and Rural Development.

Under the programme, skill development training would be imparted to 4,036 NDFB cadres in several parts of the BTR for their socio-economic development.

The NDFB cadres had carried out large-scale violence since 1986 before the accord was signed with their leaders and other organisations leading a movement for seperate Bodoland. NDFB was subsequently disbanded.

After the accord was signed in New Delhi, top leaders of the NDFB and those representing All Bodo Students' Union (ABSU) joined politics and contested the elections of Bodoland Territorial Council in December last year and the Assembly elections in March-April this year. Many joined United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), a political party and wrested power of the BTC with the help of BJP.

UPPL and BJP are in power of BTC now.

The two parties also contested the Assembly elections together and UPPL won six of the eight seats it contested in BTR, which has 12 Assembly seats. BJP won four in BTR.

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

The meeting also decided that the Welfare of Plain Tribes and Backward Classes (for BTC) to be reconstituted and renamed as BTC Affairs department which will work exclusively for the welfare of the Bodo people.