Prime Minister of India - Dr. Manmohan Singh

PM's statement to the media after his visit to Kokrajhar

I am visiting Assam in very tragic circumstances. The pain and suffering the recent incidents have caused to a large number of people have saddened all of us. The ethnic conflict which occurred is unacceptable and must come to a stop. We are one people and one nation and we must live together as such. We must restore peace and calm throughout the area and I ask all of you to work with the Government to ensure this.

This calamity has affected hundreds of thousands of our people. We must do everything possible to bring relief to them and to rehabilitate those who have been displaced from their homes.  I am today announcing immediate Special Central Assistance to Assam of Rupees 100 crore for relief and rehabilitation efforts.  Another 100 crore of Rupees will be provided as Special Plan Assistance for development programmes in the affected areas.  Further, extra funds to the tune of Rupees 100 crore will be made available under Indira Awas Yojana for the affected areas.

We must also address the causes of the conflict. If the conflict has been instigated, the guilty must be punished. The Central Government will work closely with the State Government to ensure this.

I also announce an assistance of Rs. 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund to the family of each of those who have lost their lives in these tragic events. An amount of Rs. 50,000 will be provided as immediate relief to the seriously injured. To aid in rehabilitation of the affected people, an assistance of Rs. 30,000 will be given to those whose houses are fully damaged and Rs. 20,000 for partially damaged houses.

The Central Government will work closely with the State Government to bring back normalcy to the lives of the people affected by these very tragic events. This is a task which all of us in the country should unite and accomplish.