Representative image of arms laid down by militants in Assam.
Credit: PTI Photo
As many as 1,182 former Adivasi insurgents in Assam were given financial assistance of Rs. 4 lakh each as fixed deposit on Sunday for their rehabilitation.
The former insurgents belonged to the Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam (453), All Adivasi National Liberation Army (125), Birsa Commando Force (340), Santhal Tiger Force (140) and Adivasi People's Army (124).
The insurgents belonging to all five groups and their factions had formally deposited their weapons before the Assam government on July 6. The adivasi groups also signed an Accord with the Centre and Assam government in September 2022.
Certificates of fixed deposits as financial assistance were handed over to the former insurgents in the presence of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma at a function at Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra in Guwahati.
Officials said apart from the fixed deposit of Rs. four lakh, the former insurgents would also get Rs. 6,000 per month for three years under the Centre's special scheme meant for rehabilitation of surrendered militants in the Northeast. They would also be provided skill development training for proper rehabilitation.
After the arms-laying ceremony in July, some of their leaders took oath as members of the 16-member Adivasi Welfare and Development Council. The council was constituted as per the accord signed between the eight extremist groups and the Centre in September last year. The council will work for welfare of the Adivasis and protection and preservation of their identity and culture.
The cadres had earlier deposited their weapons, which included 304 sophisticated arms and 1,460 rounds of ammunition, an official statement said.
The extremist organizations had surrendered before the government on January 24, 2012 and signed the Suspension of Operation (SoO) agreement in October, 2016. After several rounds of talks with the government, the Adivasi Accord was signed in New Delhi in September last year in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam CM Sarma and others.