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Assam, Arunachal Pradesh sign pact aiming to solve the border dispute

GS Paper-2

Syllabus: Inter-State relations, special provisions for some states, Namsai Declaration etc

 

Source: Indian Express, The Hindu

Context:

  • A boundary line delineated in 1960 by a committee will be the basis for the realignment of the Assam and Arunachal Pradesh interstate boundary as the two states attempt to solve their longstanding border disputes.
  • Assam CM and his Arunachal counterpart held their third meeting on the disputes at Namsai in Arunachal.
  • Later, they jointly issued the ‘Namsai Declaration’.

              Current Affairs

 

Key Highlights:

  • Boundary line delineated by High-Powered Tripartite Committee taken as a basis: The boundary line delineated and signed on the 29 toposheets by the High-Powered Tripartite Committee as notified boundary during the year 1960 would be taken as the basis for realignment of boundary by both states,” the declaration reads.
  • 12 Regional committees: Both states decided to constitute 12 “regional committees”, each covering 12 districts of Arunachal and the counterpart districts of Assam for joint verification of 123 villages.
      • They will make their recommendations to the respective governments keeping in view the historical perspective, administrative convenience, contiguity and people’s will to delineate the interstate boundary.
      • Both agreed in principle regarding 37 villages.
  • Final decision on the basis of regional committees: The final decision will be made based on the recommendations of the regional committees.
  • Distribution of villages: Twenty-eight villages, which are within the constitutional boundary of Arunachal, will remain with it.
      • Three villages, on which claims were withdrawn by Arunachal, will remain with Assam. The locations of six villages could not be located in Assam and if they exist in Arunachal, they will continue to be with it.
  • Final tranche before august 15: It was also agreed upon that the regional committees will submit their first tranche of reports on areas where consensus is arrived at before Aug. 15.
  • Present-day Arunachal Pradesh, which attained Statehood in February 1987, used to be the North East Frontier Tract, administered by the Governor of Assam as an agent of the President of India. It was renamed North East Frontier Agency and brought under the Central government’s control in 1954.

 

Namsai Declaration:

●      This declaration is signed between the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh on July 15, 2022, at Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh to minimize the border dispute between the two states in respect of 123 villages placed before the Local Commission by Arunachal Pradesh.

●      According to the declaration, all border issues between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh will be confined to those raised before the local commission in 2007.

 

Insta Links:

Inter-State Council

 

Practice Questions:

 

Q. The concept of cooperative federalism has been increasingly emphasized in recent years. Highlight the drawbacks in the existing structure and the extent to which cooperative federalism would answer the shortcomings. (UPSC 2015)

 

Q. Which of the following is the correct arrangement of Northeast states from North to South?

a. Arunachal Pradesh-Assam-Nagaland-Meghalaya-Mizoram

b. Arunachal Pradesh-Nagaland-Assam-Meghalaya-Mizoram

c. Assam-Arunachal Pradesh-Meghalaya-Mizoram-Nagaland

d. Arunachal Pradesh-Assam-Mizoram-Meghalaya-Nagaland

Ans: (a)

Justification:

 

Current Affairs