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ASSAM, MEGHALAYA SIGN HISTORIC PACT TO END 50-YEAR BORDER DISPUTE

Pact resolves disputes in six out of 12 locations; the agreement was signed by Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Assam and Meghalaya governments on Tuesday signed a historic agreement here in the national capital to resolve their 50-year-old pending boundary difference. The agreement was signed by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the office of the Ministry of Home Affairs. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma signed the agreement in the presence of the chief secretaries of both the states as well as other officials of these states and the officials of MHA.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Assam and Meghalaya two months after a draft resolution was submitted by the Chief Ministers of both states to Shah on 31 January for examination and consideration by the MHA. The governments of Assam and Meghalaya had come up with a draft resolution to resolve their border disputes in six of the 12 “areas of difference” along the 884-km boundary.

According to the proposed recommendations for the 36.79 square km of land, Assam will keep 18.51 square km and give the remaining 18.28 square km to Meghalaya. The agreement between Assam and Meghalaya is significant as the boundary dispute between the two states has been pending for a very long time. The long-standing land dispute was sparked in 1972 when Meghalaya was carved out of Assam. The border issues came as a result of different readings of the demarcation of boundaries in the initial agreement for the new state’s creation.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday said after signing the agreement on the boundary dispute that he will work towards making the Northeast region a growth engine in the country. “It is a historic day for all of us. When I first became the Chief Minister, the Home Minister said to resolve all the differences with regard to the border and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants the northeast should become the growth engine of the country. Home Minister advised me that you are the Chief Minister of Assam and it is your responsibility to find a solution for the issue. As per his advice, we started talking and we succeeded in finding a solution to the issue,” said the Assam Chief Minister. He further said that in the next six-seven months, “we aim to resolve the issue of the remaining disputed sites”.

“After this MoU, in the next six-seven 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,” Sarma said. Sarma said that the initial discussions have started with the Chief Ministers of Mizoram and Nagaland to solve the border disputes with them.

“Union Home Minister also requested to resolve the border disputes between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. I had a meeting with AP CM where we formed a road map to settle 122 disputed points. Initial discussions have started with the CMs of Mizoram and Nagaland,” he added. “In 1970s, Meghalaya was carved out from Assam, but in the State Reorganisation Bill, Congress could have resolved this… Both states kept fighting internally resulting in casualties. We’re working on Peace, Heritage & Development (PHD) model for Northeast’s development,” said the Assam CM

The initiation of resolution of 50 years old border dispute between Assam and Meghalaya has been done today. This historic milestone could only be achieved because of the continuous effort of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and HM Amit Shah, said Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Tuesday said several issues, including insurgency in the area, have been taken into consideration while coming to an agreement with Assam to resolve the border dispute. “Political issues including insurgency and other issues related to North-East have been given due importance (while coming to an agreement with Assam over border dispute areas),” said Sangma. Sangma said that even the opinion of the general public was taken into consideration before coming to an agreement with Assam. “Earlier we only used to focus on historical facts and maps, but this time even the opinion of the public has been taken into consideration. We asked the people in the area what they want and then on their feedback we went ahead with the talks,” he said.

The CM further informed that the final demarcation of borders will be done after a survey is conducted in the area by the central authority Survey of India. “Out of 12 areas of difference, we have come to an agreement with Assam on six areas. Further, a survey will be done by Survey of India with both states’ involvement, and when that’s done, actual demarcation will take place,” said Sangma.

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