New Delhi: Expressing concern over Maoists` presence in his state, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday said that illegal coal trading in border areas of a number of northeastern states is fast becoming a major source of funding for terror outfits.
Gogoi, speaking at a conference of Chief Ministers on internal security, cautioned that Maoists` presence in Assam has the potential to grow into a major threat in the state where militancy related incidents have come down drastically last year.
The Chief Minister attributed change in Bangladesh`s policy of not allowing sanctuary to militants from the region and better coordination between central and state security forces for the drop in militant violence.
However, he said funds coming from illegal coal trading have found their way to militant outfits and favoured better policing in the region to contain militancy.
"The illegal coal trade originating in bordering area of neighbouring states transits through Assam and is fast becoming a major source of funding for different militant outfits," he said, adding Dimapur in Nagaland is particular emerging as a centre for illegal arms trade and shelter for criminals and militants.
Identifying various challenges of internal security in Assam, he said inflow of fake currency into the state was a matter of concern which needes to be tackled with better border policing.
"The fake currency is being pushed into the country through the Indo-Bangladesh and Indo-Nepal borders. Hence, special focus is kept on districts along these international borders," he said, adding 514 cases relating to fake currency have been registered in the state in the last six years.
Gogoi said most of these fake notes are of a "very high quality" which cannot be detected by the common man and sometimes even by the banks.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the problem of proliferation of dubious Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) which have "misappropriated huge sums of money raised from the public.
PTI
