Budget earmarks Rs 500 crore as special package for ULFA groups in Assam

The Union Budget 2026-27 has allocated Rs 500 crore as a special package for the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) groups. The fund is expected to be used for the rehabilitation of the ULFA cadre who have surrendered and joined the mainstream. According to the Budget documents, an amount of Rs 500 crore has been earmarked as a special package for the ULFA groups in Assam under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). The pro-talks faction of the ULFA signed a Memorandum of Settlement with the Centre and the Assam government on December 29, 2023, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. This faction is led by Arabinda Rajkhowa. According to the Budget, a total of Rs 6,812.3 crore have been allocated for the DoNER Ministry against the revised estimate of Rs 4,479.2 crore in the last fiscal. Under the DoNER Ministry, an amount of Rs 2,500 crore has been earmarked for the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, Rs 2,300 crore for the Prime Minister's Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE) and Rs 825 crore for the schemes of the North East Council. According to the budget, Rs 200 crore have been given as a special package for Karbi Anglong, Rs 156 crore as a special package for the Bodoland Territorial Council (BTC), Rs 70 crore each as a special package for the Adivasi groups and Dimasa people of Assam.