Guwahati, July 30: Assam chief minister, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma today said the state government has sanctioned Rs 160 crore for rehabilitation of all the surrendered cadres of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).

He also said that the non-heinous crime cases pending against the NDFB cadres would be disposed of very soon and the Government would also transfer all the cases pending with NIA to Government of Assam to make a congenial to peace.

 He also said that the surrendered cadres of NDFB would also be absorbed in various government vacancies in accordance with essential and desired qualifications. 

Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma said so while paying rich tributes to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, the then ABSU President who was assassinated on 30th July, 1996. 

Speaking on the programme organized by ABSU at Goibari in Basugaon of Chirang district today, Dr. Sarma said “Today on the occasion of anti-terrorism day, I recall with heavy heart and pay rich tributes to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary, the then ABSU President who laid down his life on July 30, 1996. On this day, let us all resolve to nip terrorism in the bud. Let us all work together to strengthen our society based on the tenets friendship and universal brotherhood and wipe out drugs and human trafficking which are also the manifestations of terrorism.”

Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also said that late Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary sacrificed his life for the sake of peace, as the peace process in Bodo territory started 25 years ago.

He said that disgruntled groups which so far kept themselves away from the peace process now have started coming back to the mainstream to help the government to usher in permanent peace in the Bodo areas. 

In order to help the family members of those who were martyred in Bodo movement, Assam government would extend an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 5 lakhs to the next of the kin of those killed in Bodo Movement.