New Delhi, Mar 31 (PTI) Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday welcomed the decision to reduce the disturbed areas imposed under the AFSPA in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur from April 1 and said the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought a new era of peace, progress and security to the Northeast.

In a major outreach to the Northeast, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced reduction of the disturbed areas imposed under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur from April 1, after decades.

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"My heartfelt thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. A very welcome decision. The leadership of Prime Minister Modi has brought a new era of peace, progress and security to the Northeast.

"Reduction in areas under AFSPA will further create a conducive environment for fast paced growth in the region," he said in a statement.

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The Union minister for Ports, Shipping, Waterways and Ayush said the Northeast is transforming into the growth engine of India.

"The people of this region have long sought peace and progress, which has been made possible today only due to the efforts of Prime Minister Modi," said Sonowal, a former chief minister of Assam.

The AFSPA has been in force for decades in the three Northeastern states to assist the armed forces operating there to tackle insurgency.

The AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations and arrest anyone without any prior warrant besides giving immunity from arrest and prosecution to the security forces if they shoot someone dead.

There have been protests and demands for the complete withdrawal of the law from the Northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir for its alleged "draconian" provisions.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)