Due to the effective steps taken by the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, there has been a significant improvement in the security situation in the North-Eastern states and pace of the development has increased. Compared to the year 2014, there is a reduction of 76% in the extremist incidents in the year 2022. Similarly, the deaths of security personnel and civilians have come down by 90% and 97% respectively during this period.

With the consistent efforts of the Central Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, there has been an unprecedented improvement in the security situation in North East India, and in a historic move, after decades, the Government of India from April 2022, has reduced disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur. Taking another important decision today, again from April 01, 2023, disturbed areas under AFSPA in these three states are being further reduced. Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah said that this decision has been taken in view of the significant improvement in the security situation in North-East India. Prioritizing the security, peace and development of the North East was done for the first time under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, as a result of it, the region today is rapidly heading on the path of peace and development.

Realizing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of a peaceful and prosperous North-East, under the leadership of the Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, several peace accords were implemented in the North-Eastern states in last 4 years. As a result of which, most of the extremists groups expressing faith in the Constitution of the country and the policies of the government led by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi have laid down their arms and became partners in the peace and development of the North East. From  2014 till now around 7000 insurgents have surrendered.

During the last 4 years, to realize Prime Minister Modi's dream of a peaceful, prosperous and developed North East, the Ministry of Home Affairs has signed several historic agreements, which have resolved decades-old problems.

• In August 2019, agreement was signed with NLFT(SD) in Tripura bringing insurgents into the mainstream.
• The Bodo Accord of January, 2020 has resolved the 5 decades old Bodo problem of Assam.
• In January 2020, a historic agreement was signed to resolve the decades old Bru-Reang refugee crisis, under which 37,000 internally displaced people are being resettled in Tripura.
• The Karbi-Anglang Agreement of September, 2021 has resolved the long-standing dispute in the Karbi region of Assam.
• An agreement has been signed with the tribal group of Assam in September 2022.

Prime Minister Modi is determined to make the entire North-East region insurgency free, in this regard the Central Government has been in constant dialogue with the State Governments and other stakeholders. Due to improvement in the security situation by the Modi government, the disturbed area notification under AFSPA was completely withdrawn from Tripura in 2015 and Meghalaya in 2018.

The Disturbed Areas Notification is in force since 1990 in the whole of Assam. As a result of significant improvement in the security situation due to the untiring efforts of the Modi government, the disturbed areas under AFSPA were removed with effect form 01.0.4.22 from the entire state of Assam except 9 districts and one sub-division of another district, and from 01.04.2023 it has been reduced to only 8 districts.

Disturbed area declaration under AFSPA in Manipur (except Imphal Municipality area) was in operation since 2004. Taking an important step by the central government under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi ji, 15 police station areas of 6 districts were taken out of the disturbed area notification from 01.04.2022, and now from 01.04.2023 the disturbed area notification under AFSPA is being withdrawn from 4 other police station. Thus, 19 police stations in 7 districts of Manipur have been removed from the disturbed area notification under AFSPA.

The Disturbed Areas Notification was applicable in the whole of Nagaland from since 1995. Following the recommendation of the committee constituted in this context to remove AFSPA in a phased manner, the disturbed area notification was withdrawn from 15 police stations of 7 districts with effect from 01.04.2022. It is further being withdrawn from 3 other police stations with effect form 01.04.2023, therefore, a total of 18 police stations in 8 districts of Nagaland are being removed from the disturbed area notification under AFSPA.

Home Minister Shri Amit Shah thanked the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, and said that, I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Modi ji for bringing this positive change in the lives of the people of North East and connecting the region with the hearts of rest of India, greetings to the people of North East on this momentous occasion.

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RK/AY/AKS