PM to visit Assam on January 16

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PM to visit Assam on January 16

Onkar Singh in New Delhi | January 12, 2007 20:09 IST

Prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh would be visiting the three affected districts of Assam on Janaury 16 soon after his return from Philippines to meet some of the members of the families whose relatives were gunned down by the ULFA on January 6. In different operations ULFA killed over 70 persons in Tinsukhia, Sibsagar and Dibrugarh.

Briefing newsmen after a two-hour law and order meeting in the state the Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said the Home Minister Shivraj Patil would visit the state later. State Chief Secretary P C Sharma and the director general of police R N Mathur were present at the meeting which was attended by officials of agencies, Home Ministry, ministry of defence, paramilitary chiefs, secretary general of Indian Olympic Association and an official from ministry of sports and youth affairs.

"The national games would be held in Assam and all the necessary arrangements are being made for smooth games. This is going to be the biggest event to be held in Assam," Duggal said. A five-member committee has been constituted which would be headed by a joint secretary level official of ministry of sports and youth affairs to keep an eye on logistics of movement of athletes and other arrangements connected with security. The cell would be operative in Delhi and constitute officials of home ministry, IOA, ministry of railways and ministry of defence.

Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gagoi has been requested to chair the meeting of the security agencies on weekly basis. "I was told that he chaired one such meeting on January 10.

The state government has given Rs 3 lakh to the next of kin of the victims and an additional Rs 2 lakh was released from the prime minister's relief fund," Duggal said.

The home secretary did not agree with the suggestion that the government did not have the will to meet the challenge of ULFA. "We are ready to talk to those who give up violence but those who indulge in violence would be firmly dealt with. If this is not political will then is?" he asked.

He said that the security forces were carrying out a massive operations in the state to restore the confidence of the people and prevent any movement of migrant labour out of the state. The home secretary announced that the cabinet committee has approved for setting up 20 more companies of Indo Tebetan Border Police and these would be raised in next three years.