The Centre today extended the period of ceasefire agreement with Meghalaya's proscribed Achik National Volunteers' Council (ANVC) militant outfit by another year.
"The Centre has decided to extend the period of tripartite ceasefire agreement among the ANVC, the Centre and the state government by a year," Chief Secretary Barkos Warjri told PTI.
The agreement expires on March 31.
The decision to extend the period of agreement was taken at a joint monitoring group meeting held here and attended by officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the state government and leaders of the militant outfit.
With this extension, the political dialogue with the ANVC, the central and state governments would continue, ANVC spokesperson Arist Sangma said.
The ANVC which had demanded a separate Garoland Territorial Council on the lines of Bodoland Territorial Council in Assam later climbed down to upgradation of the existing Garo Hills Autonomous District Council and allotting it more powers.
"We are informed that the agreed text of peace settlement awaits the nod of the Union Cabinet and this would take place only after the new government comes to power at the Centre," Sangma said.
The ANVC which had a membership of over 250 cadres had first signed the ceasefire agreement in 2004 and thereafter renewed it periodically.
At present there are about 40 cadres in the designated camp of the outfit in West Garo Hills district headquarter, Tura, the ANVC official said.
