The Hindu : Relief package for violence-hit in State

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 02, 2003

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Other States - Assam

Relief package for violence-hit in State

By K. Balchand

PATNA DEC. 1. The Centre has decided to grant a relief package to the Assam Government for rehabilitating the displaced Hindi-speaking population in the recent anti-Bihari violence that rocked the State last month.

The Union Minister for Development of North East, C.P. Thakur, said the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had cleared the proposal to provide relief to those whose houses and shops had been burnt.

Dr. Thakur said the District Magistrates in Assam had been directed to make an estimate of the losses and forward it to the Centre for reimbursement. He said more than 18,000 people had taken shelter in about 40 camps and they would be rehabilitated at places of their choice.

The Minister took exception to the reported remark of the RBI Governor that development should be the criteria for impetus and not backwardness.

Dr. Thakur said the RBI officials should visit places such as the North East and Bihar and assess the reason for the failure of development programmes. He took the stand that backwardness should be given preference for making grants.

Meanwhile, the call for a Bihar bandh issued by the Indian Federal Democratic Party to protest the killing of Biharis in Assam met with poor response, and the impact was felt only in Purnia.

The IFDP president, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, MP, was taken into police custody here along with about 100 supporters as a precautionary measure.

Educational institutions remained closed, but offices functioned as usual and normal life was not affected.

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