Amit Shah lays foundation for Workshop and Stores for para-military forces in Assam

Guwahati: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday laid the foundation for a Central Workshop and Stores of BSF, the second of its kind in India, in Assams Tamulpur to supply arms and ammunition to all the Central para-military forces in the northeastern states and parts of West Bengal.

Currently, the arms and ammunition to the central para-military forces are being supplied from the Central Workshop and Stores at Tekanpur in Madhya Pradesh.

After the foundation stone laying ceremony, Shah said that in future, all arms and ammunition will be supplied from here to the BSF, ITBP, CISF, CRPF, SSB and other para-military forces.

"Rs 50 crore would be invested to set up the Workshop and Stores which will save crores of rupees in the future," the Home Minister said while addressing the gathering at Tamulpur.

Shah arrived in Guwahati late on Sunday night and would attend at least eight different events on Monday and Tuesday, coinciding with the completion of one year of the BJP-led government's second term in Assam.

Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, "we have been able to brimg peace after over 9,000 cadres of different militant groups laid down their arms and joined the mainstream".

"By signing the Bodoland accord (in January 2020), peace has been restored in the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) in just two years. We have fulfilled about 90 per cent of the promises made while signing the peace accord," Shah said.

The BTR in western Assam comprises the five districts of Tamulpur, Chirang, Baksa, Udalguri and Kokrajhar, bordering Bhutan and West Bengal.

Shah said that as far as the BTR agreement is concerned, "we had to give Rs 1,500 crore for the development of the BTR within three years".

"Till now, the Assam government and the government of India have given Rs 1,980 crore. We have given priority to institutional development of the region. A DPR of Rs 500 crore is under consideration with the government of India and we will approve it within a very short time," he added.

The Home Minister said that for the first time since Independence, a person from the Bodo community has become the Speaker (Biswajit Daimary) of the Assam Assembly.

"We would work towards making 'Aatmanirbhar' Bodoland. After bringing peace to Bodoland, now we would try to create jobs for the youth of Bodoland. There would be all-round development of Bodoland region along with its political empowerment," Shah said.

Accompanied by BSF officials, the Home Minister earlier reviewed the situation along the Assam-Bangladesh border from the Mankachar sector of the state and interacted with senior BSF officials.

Shah discussed issues related to infiltration, cattle-smuggling, border fencing, river patrolling etc.

He also interacted with the villagers, who gathered in the area in large numbers.

A flag march was conducted by the border guard personnel of both India and Bangladesh in the presence of the Home Minister.