Nabadeep Barman, alias Ankan Jyoti Singha, had joined Ulfa in 2002. He was at the outfit’s camp in Bhutan when the Royal Bhutan Army launched Operation All Clear in December 2003 but managed to escape.

The cadre of Ulfa’s once dreaded 709 battalion came overground in 2012 after the outfit’s faction, led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, entered into peace talks with the government, with a dream to start a new life, leaving behind his violent past.

On Thursday, he moved a step closer to realising his dream to lead a normal life and make a living by taking up pig farming when he received a loan sanction letter from chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal under the Swabalamban scheme, which offers self-employment to militants who lay down arms. Under this scheme, he had also received training in raising pigs at a centre of State Institute of Panchayat and Rural Development (SIPRD) in Nalbari district last year.

The 33-year-old pro-talks Ulfa cadre from Kokrajhar district was among hundreds of members of different militant groups who have abjured violence and returned to the mainstream and are building new lives by picking up different trades or vocations under this state government scheme.

A piggery in Assam A Telegraph picture

“They will become job creators and not job-seekers and their example will help change the mindset of our youths,” the chief minister said.

He said with militancy on the decline, the investment climate in the state has improved considerably.

Apart from Ulfa, cadres of NDFB (Progressive), Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF), Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA) and United Kukigram Defence Army (UKDA), among others, have also benefited from this scheme.

Through Swabalamban, which is implemented by the state home department with SIPRD as the nodal agency, surrendered militants and cadres of outfits currently in suspension of operations (SoO) agreement with the government are imparted with entrepreneurship and skill development training. After successful completion of the training, bank linkage are established to help them earn a sustainable livelihood.

Inspector-general of police (special branch) Hiren Chandra Nath said since this scheme was launched in March 24, 2017, 1,800 former militants were provided skill training in organic cultivation, poultry or pig farming, pisciculture and the like, and 506 of them were given a subsidised bank loans of Rs 1 lakh each by the State Bank of India with a subsidy of Rs 50,000 by the state government.