Imphal: At least forty-three militants, including a woman cadre, laid down their arms before Chief Minister N Biren Singh here on Saturday.
While welcoming the cadres, Biren Singh stated that confidence and trust building are the key ingredients for a strong and united Manipur and India.
Biren Singh said his government kept its doors wide open at all times for anyone willing to give up arms and join the mainstream.
The Chief Minister further emphasised that unity and cooperation among all sections of the people were the need of the hour for building a better Manipur and a united India. “Despite the collective and painstaking efforts of the security forces and government on the “War Against Drugs” for the total eradication of illegal drugs in the state, it is very unfortunate that a few sections of the people resorted to immature acts of mockery of the government’s initiatives,” he lamented.
N Biren Singh stated that the government will implement rehabilitation benefits under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) scheme for surrender and rehabilitation of militants in the North East States in 2018 to assist youths in reintegrating into society.
DGP P. Doungel highlighted that the government is keen to have talks and bring home all the misguided youths of the state, while adding that the many counterinsurgency operations conducted are not enough. “Till today, 644 surrendered cadres have come back home to start a new life out of the 749. They were screened and accepted by the Surrendering Committee. Altogether 108 surrendered cadres of different UG groups are now in camps under the Surrender Scheme of the MHA,” DGP Doungel added.
The DGP further stated that the government will continue to bring all those who have strayed from normal lives back into the national mainstream to ensure peace in the state, under the able leadership of the Chief Minister and guidance of the Home Department, with cooperation from security agencies.
The forty three cadres from different groups included 13 cadres from KYKL, 5 from PLA/RPF, 5 from KCP N, 11 from KCP, 5 from UNLF, 1 from PREPAK, 2 from PREPAK (PRO), and 1 from NSCN (U). Weapons and gadgets surrendered included 19 arms consisting of AK-47 rifles, pistols, hand grenades, handheld IED sets, and live ammunition, among others.
It may be mentioned that the revised scheme for surrender and rehabilitation of militants in the North East States, 2018 of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, includes a one-time financial grant of 4 lakh rupees each. The amount is to be kept in a bank account in their names as a fixed deposit for a period of three years. They were also paid a monthly stipend of 6,000 rupees per person, along with incentives for surrendering weapons. The surrendered cadres will stay in a rehabilitation camp for three years.
