Special scheme for surrender and rehab of militants framed
Helipads to come up at Indo-Myanmar border
Source: The Sangai Express / Press Information Bureau

New Delhi, August 01 2013: A new special scheme for surrender-cum-rehabilitation of militants in the State has been framed and implemented with effect from December 1, 2012 .

Under this scheme, the benefits/incentives include immediate grant of Rs 2.5 lakh, monthly stipend of Rs 4000/- for 36 months, incentives for surrendered weapons, imparting vocational training to the surrenderees and establishment of rehabilitation camps for surrenderees.

This was stated by Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde while addressing a press conference at New Delhi today.

Sushilkumar Shinde further said that three Meitei insurgent groups in Manipur have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of India and the State Government of Manipur on February 13, 2013 and laid down their arms.

A total of 197 cadres of these groups laid 138 arms of different kind on Feb 13 .

The leaders and cadres who have joined the peace process will be rehabilitated as per the rehabilitation policy notified by the Ministry of Home Affairs and approved by the State Cabinet of Manipur.

Shushil Kumar Shinde addressing the media

These groups are the United Revolutionary Front (URF), comprising various factions of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and its military wing, Manipur Army (MA).

This group comprised of URF and KCP (Lanheiba), KCP (Chingkheingnanba) and KCP (Sunil Meitei); the second group is KCP (Lamphei) comprising three factions of KCP, namely KCP (Lamphel), KCP (City Meitei) and KCP (Taibanganba); and the third group comprised two factions of Kanglei Yawal Kanna Lump (KYKL) namely, Athouba faction and Achouba faction.

United Peoples' Party of Kangleipak (UPPK), a valley based insurgent group in Manipur signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on May 24, 2013 and 80 cadres of the militant group joined the peace process and surrendered their arms, the Union Home Minister said.

The Govt is also planning to implement a Project for creation of border Infrastructure ie construction of 4585 Km of roads, 113 helipads and two helibases, along Indo-Myanmar Border during the period 2013-2025 in two phases, he told the press conference.

In Phase I ( during 2013-18 ) construction of 1417 Km roads, 56 helipads and two helibases will be undertaken.

The work of construction of remaining 3168 Km roads and 57 helipads will be taken up in Phase II from 2018-2025 after completion of Phase I .

On India-Myanmar relations, the Home Minister said a National level meeting between India and Myanmar was held in December 2012 at New Delhi to discuss security and border management related matters between two countries.

Sectoral level meeting between the two countries was held in June 2013 in Myanmar.

He added that Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Government of India, Government of Manipur and United Tribal's Liberation Front (UTLA-SK Thadou group) on July 17 this year.

UTLA (SK Group) surrendered with 34 cadres and 25 weapons.

He further said that peace talks with NSCN/IM are continuing.