UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday appealed to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh Governments to resolve their boundary dispute at the earliest in order to fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast.

Shah said this here while chairing a meeting of Chief Ministers of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh — Himanta Biswa Sarma and Pema Khandu — to resolve the boundary issues of the two States.

The Home Minister assured both the Chief Ministers of maximum possible assistance from the Central Government in this regard. Shah urged both the Chief Ministers to resolve the boundary dispute at the earliest in order to fulfil the vision of the Prime Minister of a peaceful and prosperous Northeast, sources said.

As many as 12 panels were formed by the Governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, following discussions between the two Chief Ministers on July 15. The two States, as per the declaration, decided to restrict the number of ‘disputed villages’ to 86, instead of the previous 123, and agreed to make attempts to resolve all issues by September 15. Assam and Arunachal Pradesh share an 804.1-km-long border.

Arunachal Pradesh, which was made a Union Territory in 1972, had complained that several forested tracts in the plains that traditionally belonged to hill tribal chiefs and communities were unilaterally transferred to Assam.

After Arunachal Pradesh achieved statehood in 1987, a tripartite committee was appointed which recommended that certain territories be transferred from Assam to Arunachal. Assam contested this claim and the matter is in the Supreme Court.