Government won't reduce central forces in northeast

There is no plan to reduce the deployment of central security forces in the northeast, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said on Tuesday.

The minister also told the Lok Sabha that the central government was supplementing the efforts of state governments in the region by deploying central armed police forces (CAPF) to fight insurgency.

He said in a written reply that the CAPFs were providing security to vulnerable installations and infrastructure projects based on threat assessment.

Stating that there was no proposal to reduce the deployment of central forces in the northeast, he said state governments were reimbursed security-related expenditure.

The other measures taken by the government were sanctioning of India Reserve Battalions, banning unlawful associations, declaration of "disturbed areas" under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, and issue of notifications for unified command structure.

According to the minister, three factions of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) were observing a ceasefire with the central government.

"The NSCN-Khaplang had unilaterally abrogated the ceasefire in March and indulged in violence.

"However, the ceasefire with the NSCN-IM, NSCN-Khole Kitovi and NSCN-Reformation "are in force", he said.

The central government signed a peace accord with the NSCN-I-M here on Monday.

"In Assam, tripartite talks with the United Liberation Front of Assam (pro-talk), National Democratic Front of Bodoland-Progressive, the NDFB (of) Ranjan Daimary and the Karbi Longri NC Hills Liberation Front are continuing," Rijiju said.

He said at a meeting with the chief ministers of the northeastern states held on July 11 in Guwahati, the security situation in the region was discussed.

Also discussed were effective guarding of the India-Myanmar, India-Bangladesh and India-Bhutan borders, readiness to deal with natural calamities and development-related issues.