Union Home Minister Amit Shah with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma

The agreement was signed by a 29-member delegation of the ULFA's pro-talks delegation, including 16 ULFA members and 13 from civil society

Pro-talks faction of insurgent group The United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA)' ULFA on Friday signed peace accord with the Centre, Assam govt in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, marking a significant step in the insurgency problem of the northeast.

A 29-member delegation of the ULFA's pro-talks delegation, including 16 ULFA members and 13 from civil society, signed the agreement. The agreement, signed in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, came after 12 years of unconditional negotiations between the ULFA faction led by Arabinda Rajkhowa and the government, officials said, as quoted by PTI.

Following the agreement, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "This is a new start of a period of peace for the whole Northeast especially Assam. I want to assure ULFA representatives that the faith you have kept in Govt of India, from the side of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a program will be made in a time-bound manner to fulfil everything, without you asking for it. Under MHA, a committee will be formed, which will work with the Assam govt to fulfil this agreement."

After the ULFA pro-talks side signed the agreement with the Centre and the Assam administration, the proscribed ULFA-Independent became the only important insurgent group in the state, making the agreement a significant pact.

The pro-talks group has pushed for political and constitutional changes to safeguard the identity, resources, and land rights of the indigenous people of Assam.

The Union government in April sent it a draft agreement. An earlier round of talks between the two sides was held in Delhi in August.

The separatist ULFA was formed in April 1979 in the aftermath of an agitation against undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan). It split into two groups in February 2011 with the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction giving up violence and agreeing to unconditional talks with the government. Paresh Baruah, who leads the other rebranded ULFA-Independent faction, is against the talks.