SRINAGAR: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) will be withdrawn from almost the entire Northeast by next year, except for one or two states, asserting that the shrinking coverage of the law reflects a marked improvement in the region’s security situation and the return of peace.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Centre, Assam and Nagaland to facilitate mineral oil exploration in disputed border areas, Shah described the agreement as a historic step that would accelerate economic growth and regional development.
He said he was confident that AFSPA would be removed from most parts of the Northeast next year, adding that the reduction in areas under the Act was a key indicator of lasting peace and stability.
Highlighting the significance of the Assam–Nagaland agreement, the Home Minister said the pact had removed a long-standing obstacle to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed Northeast and would pave the way for large-scale exploration of oil, gas and mineral resources in the disputed border belt along the interstate boundary.
He noted that exploration activities in the region had remained stalled for over three decades due to jurisdictional disputes and law-and-order concerns.
Shah said the agreement would unlock new opportunities for mineral exploration and economic development, adding that the region holds substantial reserves of oil, gas and minerals that have remained untapped for years.
He further stated that a single oil field in the area could yield recoverable value of more than Rs 15,000 crore, and said that harnessing oil deposits across Nagaland could help reduce India’s dependence on imported energy resources.
Referring to the Centre’s engagement in the Northeast, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consistently prioritised the region and had made the highest number of visits there compared to any previous Prime Minister.
He added that since 2019, the Centre had signed 12 peace accords with various groups and state governments, resulting in nearly an 80 per cent decline in violence-related incidents across the region.
Describing the MoU as an example of cooperative federalism, Shah said it would open new avenues of development and prosperity for both Assam and Nagaland. (JKNS)
