Meghalaya and Assam today signed an agreement to resolve their five-decade-old border dispute in six areas out of 12.
Their seal of approval to the agreement was signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya Himanta Biswa Sarma and Conrad Sangma respectively.
Shah called it a “historic day” for the Northeast. “Since 2014, Modi Ji has made numerous efforts for the development of the northeast region. Today, I congratulate Assam CM and Meghalaya CM and their teams on the signing of the agreement to resolve their boundary dispute,” he said at the function held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in New Delhi.
The home minister said with the signing of the agreement, 70 per cent of the border dispute between the two states has been resolved.
“After this MoU, in the next 6-7 months, we aim to resolve the issue of the remaining disputed sites. We will work towards making the Northeast region a growth engine in the country,” the Assam CM said.
Meghalaya CM said, “Today the first phase of the resolution has been done. It could only be possible because of Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.”
Out of the 12 areas of differences, six areas have been resolved which was taken up by the government in the first phase.
Meghalaya and Assam have signed a memorandum of understanding on January 29 to settle the boundary dispute in six of the twelve disputed locations. The agreement was based on the recommendations regarding the boundary settlement submitted by specially appointed committees of the two states. The chief ministers of the two states had also met the Union Home Minister on January 31 and expressed their desire to end the border dispute.
The areas where the boundary are settled with the agreement are Tarabari, Gizang, Hahim, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pillangkata and Ratacherra – falling under West Khasi Hills, Ri Bhoi and East Jaiñtia Hills districts of Meghalaya and Cachar, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup districts of Assam.
The disputes in the six areas cover 36.79 sq km of land. According to the recommendations, 18.51 sq km will go to Assam and the remaining 18.28 sq km to Meghalaya.
