Assam owes Rs 45 cr to Central security forces

NEW DELHI, July 25: Assam Government owes a whopping Rs 45.62 crore to the various Central para-military forces currently engaged in anti-insurgency operations in the state. This information was tabled in the Lok Sabha today by the Minister of State for Home Affairs C Vidhyasagar Rao. Assam is among the handful of 18 states which owes a staggering Rs 980.37 crore to the various Central forces. Assam is the lone state from the region as other Northeastern states of Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram have been exempted from paying any charges. Assam is, being charged 10 per cent of the deployment cost since 1998, while 90 per cent of the cost is borne by the Centre. According to the available figures, Assam Government owes Border Security Force (BSF) Rs 1.75 crore, CRPF Rs 43.86 crore. These two Central para-military forces are currently deployed in the state. Meanwhile, in reply to another question, Union Home Minister LK Advani said that during the period 1999-2000 July there has been 262 incidents of violence in Assam, leading to death of 143 militants, and killing of 43 security forces personnel. A total number of 139 civilians also lost their lives during the same period, he added. He also added that the Assam Government as well as other Northeastern states have been advised by the Centre to take initiative to bring the militant group to the negotiating table.