M A I N   N E W S

PM announces relief for Assam riot-hit
Says culprits will be punished; orders probe
Bijay Sankar Bora
Tribune News Service

Riot-affected people at a relief camp in Botamari village in violence-hit Kokrajhar district of Assam on Friday. — PTI

Guwahati, July 28
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today announced a probe into the violence in Assam and said those found guilty of instigating it would be punished. He promised to do everything possible to bring back normalcy to the life of ‘hundreds of thousands’ of violence-displaced people.

Talking to the media after visiting two of the relief camps in the western Assam town under violence-ravaged Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC) area, the Prime Minister announced Rs 300 crore immediate financial assistance to Assam government to facilitate proper relief and rehabilitation of the violence-displaced people.

“At this juncture, I can say that the Centre will work closely with the Government of Assam to provide adequate security to help the violence-displaced people to go back home and lead a proper life in a peaceful atmosphere,” Singh said in the presence of Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

The PM also announced that an inquiry would be conducted into the causes of the violence that had affected hundreds of thousands of people and punishment would be handed out ,if anyone found guilty of instigating it.

The Rs 300 crore financial assistance announced by the PM comprises Rs 100 crore immediate assistance to Assam government for facilitating relief and rehabilitation of the violence-affected people in the BTC districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang and Baksa and Dhubri district outside the BTC; Rs 100 crore special Plan assistance to Assam for development of the violence-affected people and areas and another Rs 100 crore would be provided under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) scheme to facilitate rehabilitation of violence displaced people.

The PM further announced Rs 2 lakh ex-gratia compensation to the kin of those killed in the violence and Rs 50,000 to each of the seriously injured. Those whose houses have been completely damaged will get Rs 30,000 per family while Rs 20,000 will be given per family to those whose houses were partially damaged. The assistance would be provided from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund.

He said everybody should join hands to provide relief and rehabilitate hundreds of thousands of those who have been displaced by the violence.

After landing at Kokrajhar around 1.15 pm in an IAF chopper, the Prime Minister went straight to interact with violence-displaced people in two relief camps at Kokrajhar Commerce College and Bhutgaon. He also interacted with various political and non-political organisations at Kokrajhar Circuit House over the situation.

Interacting with relief camp inmates, the PM said, “I have come here to share your sorrow and pain. This is time for healing. It is time to stop enmity and heal wounds. The riots will remain as a blot on the country’s history.”

His arrival in Kokrajhar was delayed by about two hours as his first attempt to go to Kokrajhar in a chopper from Guwahati airport at around 10-40 am was disrupted due to development ‘technical snag’ in the chopper. The PM was accompanied by Assam Governor JB Patnaik, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi during his visit to violence-hit Kokrajhar.

The violence that broke out on last Saturday , has so left over 50 dead, 58 injured while displaced about four lakh people in the districts of Kokrajhar, Chirang, Baksa and Dhubri in Assam.

Centre monitoring situation

Centre has been reviewing the relief measures for the people in Kokrajhar district. Cabinet Secretary Ajit Seth held a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. The meeting was attended by senior officers of all the concerned ministries/ departments. The Chief Secretary and other senior officers of Assam also participated through video conferencing.

Rs 300 cr relief package

Rs 100 crore immediate assistance to Assam government for facilitating relief and rehabilitation

Rs 100 crore special Plan assistance to Assam for development of the violence-affected people

Another Rs 100 crore would be provided under Indira Awas Yojana (IAY) scheme

Arrival delayed

His arrival in Kokrajhar was delayed by about two hours as his first attempt to go to Kokrajhar in a chopper from Guwahati airport at around 10-40 am was disrupted due to development ‘technical snag’ in the chopper.