Law and order in Assam was gradually improving despite witnessing some incidents in recent times like the Behali Reserve Forest killings, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said today.
On January 29, ten persons were killed by unidentified men inside the forest along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
"The fear factor among the people has gone. We have been able to instill a sense of security in people's mind," Gogoi told the Assembly.
Stating that many militant organisations like ULFA and NDFB had come forward for dialogue, Gogoi said continuing development was needed for peace.
"Unless there is an improvement in law and order, the state cannot grow and vice-versa. If development stops, insurgency will grow again because the root of the problem is still there," he said.
Gogoi said Assam's woes started from 1977 and the state gradually moved backward, while rest of the country marched ahead.
"...But we have improved. We are getting funds from the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, besides assistance from the Central government. Investors are coming in. We are giving salaries on time," he said.
On erosion, he said that there was urgent need to reclaim the land to rehabilitate affected people.
"Erosion is a big problem. Every year around 8,000 hectare are eroded. So far, over four lakh hectare have been claimed by erosion," Gogoi said.
"We are taking the erosion problem very seriously. We are talking to the Government of India," he said, adding the state received around Rs 27,000 crore under the 13th Finance Commission to address the problem.
