Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the first phase of revamped Lachit Barphukan Police Academy in Dergaon on March 15. The first phase construction was completed at a cost of ₹167 cr.
The Academy will be revamped in three phases involving a budget of ₹1050 cr. The Union Home Minister also laid the foundation stone for the police academy housing project of ₹425 cr and unveiled a new logo of the Academy.
Shah touched down in the State on March 14 wherein he was welcomed with a gamosa, a hengdang (sword) & a picture of the Ahom General Bir Lachit Barphukan. Besides the Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of State Pabitra Margherita, Cabinet ministers of the Assam Government & other dignitaries were present.
In his speech, Shah expressed his gratitude to the Government of Assam for naming the Police Academy after the Ahom General Bir Lachit Barphukan.
“I got to read about the great personality of Lachit Barphukan at the age of 7. But his name was not found in textbooks. The saga of bravery of Lachit Barphukan was once kept limited to Assam, but due to the efforts of the Modi Government, his biography has been translated into 23 languages and is available in libraries across the country. Not just this, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma is also trying to include a chapter of Lachit Barphukan in the history textbooks of eight States of the country. These works are being done so that people get to know about this brave son of Assam.”
He expressed confidence that with the completion of the third phase of the academy, it will be ranked first among all police academies across the country.
“The seed planted in the form of the Lachit Barphukan Police Academy would one day grow into a banyan tree and will serve the cause of policing in the entire country. It will be an apex police academy not only for Assam but for the entire North East, like Kashi is today among the pilgrimage sites; the site will be a new beginning for peace in the region.” He said that earlier Assam Police personnel used to visit other States for training but in the last eight years 2,000 police personnel of Goa and Manipur have been trained in this Academy.”
He reiterated that Assam is moving towards peace, progress and development and that multiple peace agreements have been signed with insurgent groups under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi,
He said that over 10,000 militants have laid down the weapons & returned to the mainstream in Assam. “A State once known for agitations, insurgency & gunfights is now ushering in modern industries, including the ₹27,000 cr semiconductors unit,” he asserted enthusiastically.
He also mentioned the success of Advantage Assam 2.0 summit and MoUs signed during the investors’ meet. “The Modi Government is bringing infrastructure projects worth ₹3 lakh crore for the development of Assam. These projects will create a large number of employment opportunities for the youths of the State. The Modi Government has not only made efforts to bring peace to Assam but has successfully established it,” he said.
He also spoke of how the conviction ratio of the State has increased from 5% to 25%. The Union Minister remarked, “Earlier, police force was only seen as fighting against terrorists, but today, the police are focused on protecting the rights of citizens.”
In his speech, he informed the gathering that Assam has now received a devolution grant and grant-in-aid worth ₹4.49 lakh cr in the last 10 years under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership. He pointed out that this was ₹1.27 lakh cr under the previous Governments. “Modi Government has not only made efforts to bring peace to Assam but has successfully established it.”
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the gathering said, “Since the past few years, the law-and-order system has improved tremendously in Assam. After renaming the Dergaon Police Academy to Lachit Barphukan Police Academy, we have constructed a state-of-the-art building and a police museum at the cost of ₹167 cr.
“For the people of Golaghat and the Assam Police, we will build a stadium similar to Guwahati’s Sarusajai Stadium on the academy premises and also establish a CBSE school, a nursing academy, and a skill training centre which will benefit both the public & the police,” the Chief Minister announced in his speech.
The Chief Minister also apprised the gathering that in the year 2020, around 1,21,609 criminal cases were registered in Assam, which came down to 50,215 in 2024. He also compared several other facts related to policing signifying the improved law and order situation in Assam.
Meanwhile, Union Minister and former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal thanked the Chief Minister for the Police Academy and expressed his gratitude to the Union Home Minister for his presence, “In today’s competitive world, we have to increase our strength through science and technology. Lachit Barphukan Police Academy equipped with modern infrastructure will realize the smart police vision and attract the entire nation,” he said.
Recalling the words of Lachit Barphukan, the Union Minister said, “In the coming days, the people of Assam will get a golden opportunity to express their self-respect through this event.”
The Union Minister also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister for their contributions to Assam and the North East, while praising the leadership of the Assam Chief Minister. “Today’s Assam is advancing rapidly in terms of development, thanks to the Chief Minister’s leadership. The new decision-making process has empowered youths, instilling confidence and ensuring social justice and economic development for all,” he said.
Shah chairs meeting on new criminal laws
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trengthening the judicial system of the region, Union Home Minister chaired a meeting on the status of implementation of three New Criminal Laws in North Eastern States in Guwahati and released a book titled ‘New Criminal Laws: Standard Operating Procedures and Rules’ prepared by the CID, Assam.
Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, after attending the meeting on the day, posted on social media, “BNS, BNSS and BNA is a watershed reform ushered by the government led by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji. Today’s deliberation will go a long way to help Assam implement these laws in letter and spirit. We are committed to build a criminal justice system that rests upon impartiality, efficiency and efficacy.”
The Union Minister directed the police forces to monitor the progress and focus more on securing the rights of the citizens by stating that North-Eastern States need to put in more efforts towards the implementation of the new criminal laws.
