Assam & Meghalaya discuss border dispute at various levels: Govt

New Delhi, March 23 : The government on Wednesday informed Rajya Sabha that discussions at various levels between the states of Assam and Meghalaya are going on to arrive at an amicable solution to the border issue. In a written reply to Bhubneswar Kalita, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai said, “The approach of the Central Government has consistently been that inter-State boundary issues can be resolved only with the cooperation of the State Governments concerned and that the Central Government acts as a facilitator for amicable settlement of the boundary issue in the spirit of mutual co-operation and understanding.” He said that as a result of these discussions, the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya have agreed for permanent settlement of the inter-State boundary in respect of six areas of difference out of total twelve areas of difference. Kalita wanted to know whether high level discussions were held by the Central government with the State governments of Assam and Meghalaya to resolve the long pending border dispute between the two states. ASU RKM