The Ministry of Home Affairs has initiated a move to raise two auxiliary police battalions with around 1,500 personnel in order to provide police training and impart job-oriented courses to surrendered militants in the North East, especially in Manipur and Assam.

In an exclusive interview with rediff at his New Delhi residence this week, former Union Home Secretary G K Pillai categorically stated, "Smaller states have the advantage of effective administration as well as speedy development."