Assam Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi on Wednesday said that the state government has focused on zero tolerance policy against all kind of crimes – drugs smuggling, crime against women and children, human trafficking, cattle smuggling, cyber crime.

The Governor said that last year 2,152 cases under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act were registered, 3,643 drug peddlers arrested and large quantities of varied drugs worth Rs 2.35 crore recovered.

He said that a mobile App “Drugs Free Assam” has been developed by Assam CID so that any member of the public may provide information on the crimes relating to drugs to the Police from anywhere in order to make Assam a drugs free state.

On the occasion of the 73rd Republic Day celebrations, unfurling the national flag and taking salute of the security contingent at the Veterinary field, Khanapara, the Governor said that four Karbi militant outfits had signed memorandum of settlement with the Central and state governments in September last year while a large number of extremists belonging to five groups have surrendered to the government.

He said that last year 14 hardcore militants, including a wanted leader of ULFA-I were killed in separate encounters with the security forces. “Two newly formed Bodo militant groups were also neutralised as all the cadres of these groups surrendered before the authorities,” Prof. Mukhi said.

The Governor said that few significant steps were initiated by the present Government just after taking over charges (in May last yar) for speedy and effective implementation of Assam Accord.

Referring to the inter-state disputes between the northeastern states, the Governor said that both the states of Assam and Nagaland, according to an agreement on July 31 last year, decided to withdraw armed police forces from disputed locations, leading to restoration of normalcy along the border.

To resolve the 12 disputed areas along Assam-Meghalaya inter-state borders, six regional committees headed by the ministers of both the states were constituted and the committees have already submitted their reports for six areas of difference during the first phase to the Chief Ministers of both the states, the Governor said.

He said that after the unfortunate incident July 26 last year (when six Assam police personnel were killed), Assam and Mizoram signed a joint resolution at Aizawl on August 5, following which all out efforts are being made to normalise movement of traffic between the states. Chief Minister’s level meeting was also held in New Delhi on November 25.

Referring to the education sector, the Governor said that new engineering Colleges at Golaghat and Dhemaji are started functioning and construction of six new engineering colleges at Sualkuchi, Bihali, Bongaigaon, Samaguri, Nalbari and Udalguri and Polytechnics at Majuli and Tingkhong have already been started.

He said that six government model colleges have been taken up and construction of nine Women Degree Colleges in minority areas of Assam have also been started.

Construction of 119 high schools for tea garden areas in Assam has been taken up out of which four are already completed and construction of 10 law colleges at various places of Assam and 21 model residential schools in minority concentrated areas of Assam are in progress, he added.

The Republic Day was celebrated with enthusiasm and fervour across Assam on Wednesday.