Delhi perks for NE ex-ultras

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

GUWAHATI, Feb 7: The Centre has revised the stipend amount and fixed deposits for the surrendered militants in the Northeast. The surrender scheme will be effective from April this year.

Disclosing this in the Parliament, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said that the surrendered will be paid monthly stipend not exceeding Rs. 6,000 per month, for a period of 36 months and an immediate grant of Rs 4 lakhs will also be kept in a bank, in the me of each surrendered as fixed deposit for a period of 3 years. 

Incentive for surrendered weapons has also been revised.

“The Surrender Scheme has been modified to be more effective and will be effective from April 1, 2018,” said Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha.

The Government of India has been implementing such scheme for surrender-cum-rehabilitation of militants in the Northeast. The objective of the scheme is to wean away the misguided youth who have strayed into the fold of militancy and bring them to the mainstream.

Earlier, the surrendered have been paid monthly stipend not exceeding Rs. 3,500 per month, for a period not more than 36 months and an immediate  grant of Rs 1.5 lakh is kept in a bank in the me of each surrendered as fixed deposit for a period of 3 years. 

For the last many years, cadres related to different militant organisations in the Northeast have shunned the path of violence and surrendered themselves before the security forces.