CM Attends Ceremonial Distribution of Financial Grants to Former Adivasi Rebels
1,181 Former Rebels Provided with a Fixed Deposit of Rs. 4 Lakh Each
Govt. Committed to Implementation of Adivasi Peace Agreement in Totality: CM Dr. Sarma
There’s Unprecedented Peace in State; Confident AFSPA Will Disappear Completely from State: CM Dr. Sarma
Play Constructive Role in Society; Become Role Model; Lead Fight against Alcoholism: CM Dr. Sarma to Former Rebels
Scholarship under Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojan Achoni to be Increased to
Rs. 50,000 from current Rs. 25,000: CM Dr. Sarma
Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday attended as Chief Guest the ceremonial distribution of financial grants to 1,181 numbers of former cadres of five Adivasi militant organizations which had signed a tripartite peace agreement with the Centre and the Government of Assam. As part of the financial grant, the 1,181 former militants, belonging to the Birsa Commando Force (BCF), Adivasi People’s Army (APA), All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam (ACMA) and Santhal Tiger Force (STF), have been provided with a fixed deposit of Rs. 4 lakhs each with a maturity period of 3 years. Further, arrangements have been made with the State bank of India to provide these former rebels with a loan of Rs. 3.2 lakh each against the Rs.4-lakh fixed deposit as security.
Speaking at the event organized at the Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra International Auditorium, Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma termed today’s distribution of financial grants to the formers rebels a historic moment for overall uplift of the Adivasi communities of the State. Chief Minister Dr. Sarma exuded confidence the 1,181 former rebels will achieve self-reliance by making the best use of the financial grants being provided to them. The Chief Minister said the government will also facilitate skill-training of the former rebels through agencies such as the State Institute of Rural Development (SIRD), if approached to do so. The Chief Minister also appealed to the former rebels to apply for schemes of the Government of Assam such as Mukhya Mantri Atmanirbhar Asom Abhiyaan, to name a few.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said the 1,181 former rebels from today have shed the “rebel” tag altogether and from hereafter, they shall be recognized as “ambitious youths of the mainstream Adivasi society”. Dr. Sarma assured them of the government’s sincerity in implementation of all the points of the Adivasi peace agreement.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said the State government has been taking steps to fulfil hopes and aspirations of various communities and that the conclusion of peace treaties with several ethnic rebel groups manifests that very commitment of the current dispensation. He said peace talks with organizations such as the pro-talks faction of United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) are also going in the right direction. Stating that with the return of normalcy, many measures such as the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) are now being confined to just four districts of upper Assam, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma expressed hope such Acts would be repealed altogether from Assam, in days to come.
Despite a considerable reduction in the deployment of armed forces personnel in the past 2-3 years, there has been no incidence of organized violence in the State, the Chief Minister said, adding that members of civil society organizations, student groups, deserve praises for their roles in bringing about this perceptible change in the State.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma said Assam has left behind its troubled past and is now taking the road towards unprecedented growth and progress. With the State now attaining a strong economic base, the government is now focusing on fulfilling the genuine hopes and aspirations of the downtrodden sections of the society, Dr. Sarma said, adding that the increases in the daily wages of tea garden labourers of the State is a step in that direction.
Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also spoke about the number of measures the current State government has been taking with the aim of uplift of the Adivasi and tea tribe communities of the State. The decision to provide reservations to members of tea tribe communities in government job vacancies, reserving seats in medical colleges, among others, would go a long in ensuring the Adivasi communities are able to walk hand-in-hand with others in days to come. Dr. Sarma added an amount of Rs. 200 crores would be approved for improvement of road infrastructure in the localities inside tea estates inhabited by tea garden labourers. Steps are being taken to provide children of tea tribe communities with the best education available, he said. The scholarship amount of Rs. 25,000 each to beneficiaries under the Swahid Dayal Das Panika Swaniyojan Achoni shall be increased to Rs. 50,000, the Chief Minister added.
Dr. Sarma appealed to the former rebels to play a constructive role in the society by building themselves as role models and take the lead in fighting prevalent social evils such as alcoholism and practice of child marriages.
Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, Additional Chief Secretaries of Home & Political Department Dr. Ravi Kota and Niraj Verma, Director General of Police G.P Singh, Additional DGP Hiren Nath, along with a host of other dignitaries, were also present.