Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday said that Karbi Anglong, once a hotbed of insurgent activities, has witnessed a transformation over the last few years following the signing of the peace accord with six outfits in 2021.
The once troubled district has embarked on a journey of peace and development with a particular focus on the reintegration of former militants into society, the chief minister said on the first day of his two-day visit to the hill district of Karbi Anglong.
The chief minister also met with representatives of the six outfits that had signed the peace accord and reviewed the terms of the settlement.
”From guns to groundnuts and extremism to entrepreneurship, Karbi Anglong has seen a massive turnaround in recent years,” Sarma posted on X.
“Met ex-cadres of various armed groups who gave up violence to help build a prosperous society. Through our various reintegration programs, many have become fishery and agricultural entrepreneurs as well as job creators,” he said.
The state government is implementing the Karbi peace accord in ”letter and spirit” with a thrust on development and with the Centre’s Rs 1,000 crore package, he said.
“On the occasion, I also reviewed the Terms of Settlement with the ex-cadres of the 6 erstwhile groups,” Sarma added.
The representatives from all the six Karbi outfits, Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF), People’s Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), three factions of Karbi People’s Liberation Tiger (KPLT) and United People’s Liberation Army (UPLA), had signed the accord in September 2021 after the chief minister assumed office the same year in May. (PTI)
