HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, May 29: Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday agreed to expedite the ongoing boundary demarcation process and work towards a lasting solution to the decades-old inter-state border dispute between the two neighbouring states.
The decision was taken during a meeting held at Lok Sewa Bhawan in Guwahati, where a Meghalaya delegation led by Sangma called on Sarma and discussed a range of inter-state issues.
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Describing the meeting as productive, Sarma said the two leaders made progress on several long-standing issues and reaffirmed their commitment to resolving the boundary dispute through continued dialogue and cooperation.
“It was an honour to welcome the enterprising Chief Minister of Meghalaya and my dear brother Conrad Sangma to Lok Sewa Bhawan today. We had an excellent discussion and have made some good progress on long-standing legacy issues. On the boundary demarcation process, we agreed to expedite the ongoing process and bring a lasting solution to this matter,” Sarma said in a post on X.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the discussions focused on key inter-state matters, including the Assam-Meghalaya boundary issue, with both sides reiterating their commitment to mutual respect, friendship and constructive engagement.
The two Chief Ministers also discussed enhancing cooperation in infrastructure development, connectivity, trade and other regional growth initiatives.
Sarma said Assam and Meghalaya are working together in the spirit of “Ek Bharat, Shreshth Bharat” and exploring synergies that would accelerate the development of the Northeast, often referred to by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “Ashtalakshmi” region.
Assam and Meghalaya share an 884.9-km-long border and have a longstanding dispute in 12 sectors along the boundary.
In March 2022, the two states signed a historic agreement in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah to resolve disputes in six of the 12 contested areas.
Under the first-phase settlement, Assam received 18.46 sq km and Meghalaya 18.33 sq km of the disputed 36.79 sq km area.
The remaining six sectors, considered more complex, are currently being addressed under the second phase of negotiations.
Meghalaya, which was carved out of Assam in 1972, has long contested certain provisions of the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, which Assam recognises as the basis of the inter-state boundary. The latest meeting is being viewed as a significant step towards resolving the remaining disputes while strengthening cooperation, peace and coordinated development between the two states. (With Inputs from PTI)
