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Advani announces Rs 1 billion reimbursement for Assam

Home Minister L K Advani has announced that Rs 1 billion would be reimbursed to Assam by the Centre as security-related expenditure.

Addressing a press conference after his two day-visit to Assam and Meghalaya, the home minister said that a committee headed by the additional secretary of the ministry would look into the state government's demand for reimbursement.

Advani said the Centre would reimburse all security-related expenditure incurred after April 1, 1995. "The committee will scrutinise the state's demand and would initially release Rs 1 billion within the next few weeks," he said.

The state government has been demanding Rs 4.5 billion, spent on security since 1991. The home minister, however, said the reimbursement would be made only from April 1995.

''We have made certain guidelines for reimbursement and the Assam situation has made the state eligible for it. Besides this, we have released 250 vehicles, 50 of which are bullet proof, along with ammunition worth Rs 165 million to the state police for containing insurgency.''

Advani said the situation in Assam was gradually improving. Initiating dialogue with the United Liberation Front of Asom was the task of the state government, he added.

He made it clear that the home ministry would give security-related expenses to only states found eligible under the new guidelines.

As an incentive, the home ministry also declared annual cash awards for five district magistrates and five superintendents of police in the North-East. Moreover, Rs 1 billion would be allocated to 30 districts of the region every year for developmental activities.

The home minister said the ongoing peace talks with the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (I-M) has brought relief to the state.

UNI

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