Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Government ink deal to end 51-yr old border dispute

• The Government of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to resolve the 51-year-old pending border dispute along the boundaries of both northeastern states.
• The MoU was signed on April 20, 2023 by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and CM of Arunachal Pradesh Pema Khandu in presence of Home Minister Amit Shah and union minister for law and justice Kiren Rijiju, who represents Arunachal Pradesh in Lok Sabha.
• Both the states share an 804-km long boundary.
• The border dispute between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh was going on since 1972.
• There was dispute related to 123 border villages, spread across almost the entire boundary length between the two states.
• Under the deal, out of these 123 villages, disputes in 71 villages have been resolved amicably. The decision includes:
  • One village from Arunachal Pradesh will get included in Assam,
  • 10 villages will continue to remain in Assam
  • 60 villages from Assam will be included in Arunachal Pradesh
• Coming to the remaining 52 villages, the boundary of 49 villages will be finalised by the regional committees of both states in the next six months.
• The left 3 villages are situated inside an Indian Air Force (IAF) bombing range, located in the border between both states. Their residents will be rehabilitated.