In North East, there is no insurgency, but cottage industry extortions: Pillai

New Delhi, Apr. 9 (ANI): Union Home Secretary Gopal K.Pillai has said that by and large the north east of India is free of insurgency, but still a victim of what he called " cottage industry extortion".

Speaking in an interview to the Business Line, Pillai said that the state and central governments have introduced a number of confidence building measures that have effectively neutralized the threat posed by insurgents in the region.

"We have removed foreigner restrictions into Manipur and Nagaland to boost tourism and instill self-confidence," he said.

On Kashmir, he said that while the three interlocutors have submitted a political report and a confidence building report, it was the state government's responsibility to provide and deliver governance at the grassroots.

Without governance, he said, the problems that exist, will remain. (ANI)