Guwahati, Feb. 25: The Centre has spent Rs 15.55 crore during the 2013-14 fiscal on the upkeep of Northeast militants who had either surrendered or entered into a ceasefire with the government.

Union minister of state for home affairs Kiren Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha today that the amount had been released to the northeastern states in the last financial year towards payment of stipends/remunerations to the cadres of the militant outfits who have either surrendered or had signed suspension of operations (SoO) agreements with the government.

Rijiju, who was responding to a question from Congress Rajya Sabha MP from Assam, Santiuse Kujur, said the central government has been implementing a scheme for surrender-cum-rehabilitation of militants of the northeastern region since 1998.

"Under the scheme, a one-time grant of Rs 1.5 lakh, monthly stipends or remunerations of Rs 3,500 per cadre and incentives for depositing weapons, among others, are given to the surrendered rebels as part of the rehabilitation package," he said.

"In case of Manipur, a one-time grant of Rs 2.5 lakh, monthly stipend or #remuneration of Rs 4,000 per cadre are given to the surrenderees under a special surrender-cum-rehabilitation scheme formulated in 2012," Rijiju said.

He said that 19 designated camps have been set up in Assam to shelter members of nine militant groups, including Ulfa (pro-talks), the NDFB's Progressive and Ranjan Daimary factions and five Adivasi militant outfits which are currently in ceasefire with the government. The Adivasi militant groups which are in ceasefire are All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA), Birsa Commando Force (BCF), Adivasi Cobra Military of Assam (ACMA), Adivasi People's Army (APA) and Santhal Tiger Force (STF).

Rijiju further told the Rajya Sabha that in Manipur, 12 designated camps have been set up to lodge cadres of two ceasefire-bound militant outfits - Kuki National Organisation (KNO) and United Progressive Front (UPF). Similarly, there are 15 designated camps in Nagaland where cadres of three NSCN factions - Isak-Muivah, Khaplang and Khole-Kitovi - are taking shelter. Replying to another question from Kujur on illegal immigration from Bangladesh, Rijiju said there are reports that some Bangladeshi nationals have managed to enter the country illegally despite several checks and control measures along the international border.

Rijiju's reply has revealed that the government has not yet been able to stop illegal immigration of Bangladeshi nationals into the country.

"Since illegal entry of such Bangladeshi nationals into the country is clandestine and surreptitious, it is not possible to have accurate data of such illegal Bangladesh nationals," the Union minister said.

On steps taken by the government for identification and deportation of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, he said that the powers for identification and deportation of illegally staying foreign nationals, including Bangladeshis, have been delegated to the state governments and Union Territories under Section 3 (2) (c) of the Foreigners Act, 1947.

"The government has set up 36 foreigners tribunals in Assam for detection and deportation of illegal immigrants. Apart from that, an additional 64 foreigners' tribunals have been sanctioned in June, 2013 by the Centre for setting up in Assam," Rijiju said.