Former extremists in Assam are farming reform in a revenue-sharing arrangement that is envisaged to make them self-reliant and help the State government check encroachment of its unused land. The Ministry of Home Affairs has been implementing a rehabilitation scheme for surrendered extremists in the northeast since 1998. Mr. Baruah, better known by his alias Anup Chetia, is the general secretary of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) that has been pursuing talks unlike the ULFA-Independent faction led by its military chief Paresh Baruah. Foreseeing a future in farming, leaders of the ULFA and the State officials began discussing the cooperative approach in 2016. It would be managed by 28 ex-militants, who are among 1,800 trained in various skills under the Swabalamban (self-reliant) Project designed by the Assam Police’s Special Branch.

Source: The Hindu October 20, 2019 22:52 UTC