GUWAHATI, Feb 5 � The Government has already spent hundreds of crores of rupees on account of rehabilitation of surrender of militants in Assam, but the number of those who �laid down arms� is much higher than the total number of militants as assessed by the police and security agencies. Moreover, there have been allegations that some lower level cadres of the militant groups are not getting the monthly stipend regularly after coming over ground.
Highly placed official sources told The Assam Tribune that at least 18,000 militants �laid down arms� since the new policy of rehabilitation of militants came into effect and the Government spent a huge amount for their rehabilitation. But the figure of those who surrendered was much higher than the total number of militants. Majority of the militants who laid down arms did not have any police case against them and even the police and security forces did not have any record on their involvement in activities of militant groups.
Sources admitted that at one point of time, the past records of those who wanted to surrender were not checked and taking advantage of the situation, a number of �fake surrenders� took place, which resulted in misuse of huge amounts of funds. Recently, the Government tightened the policy for surrender of militants and only surrenders of those whose names are cleared by a high power committee are accepted. But a huge number of �fake surrenders� took place before the new policy came into being.
As per the new policy of the Government, the militants who lay down arms and come to the mainstream, get a monthly stipend of Rs 3,000 each for three years and a fixed deposit of Rs 1.50 lakh is kept against the name of each surrendered militant, which is released to them after completion of three years. As per rules, the fixed deposit is released only after a militant receives a good conduct certificate.
Sources said that there have been instances when leaders of militant groups gave inflated figures of members to get extra amount of money against the monthly stipends paid to militants who laid down arms. To deal with the problem, the Government has taken a decision to make the payments through crossed cheques which would stop all fake payments. But the decision is yet to be implemented as leaders of most of the militant groups, which laid down weapons to come to the negotiation table are opposed to the idea of making payments through cheques due to obvious reasons, sources added.
