New Delhi, Mar 31: The Centre has decided to reduce disturbed areas under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades.

This was announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday through a series of tweets.

“In a significant step, Government of India under the decisive leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to reduce disturbed areas under Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in the states of Nagaland, Assam and Manipur after decades,” Shah tweeted.

Reduction in areas under AFSPA was a result of the improved security situation and fast-tracked development due to the consistent efforts and several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in North East by PM Narendra Modi government, the Home Minister said in another tweet.

“Thanks to PM Narendra Modi Ji’s unwavering commitment, our North-Eastern region, which was neglected for decades, is now witnessing a new era of peace, prosperity and unprecedented development. I congratulate the people of North East on this momentous occasion”, he further tweeted.

Expressing happiness of the Centre’s decision Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Assam was declared a disturbed area in 1990. Since then AFSPA was in force continuously. So far 62 times govt of Assam has extended AFSPA since 1990. Today, PM Modi has taken a bold decision to withdraw AFSPA from the area wherever it is not required.

After 2014, AFSPA was first withdrawn from Mizoram, then it was also withdrawn from Meghalaya. Last year it was withdrawn from Arunachal Pradesh except for two polling stations. Today, the time has come for Assam, Nagaland and Manipur to withdraw AFSPA, he added.