The Centre, the Assam government and a faction of the separatist organisation United Liberation Front of Asom signed a tripartite peace accord in Delhi on Friday, taking a step towards ending decades-old insurgency in the northeastern state.

With the deal, the Arabinda Rajkhowa-led faction of the organisation has agreed to shun violence.

The United Liberation Front of Asom was banned in India in 1990 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967. Since 1979, the group has sought to create a sovereign nation of Assam for the indigenous Assamese people by means of an armed struggle.

The hardline faction of the organisation led by Paresh Baruah is not a party to the peace deal.

“We want to assure the ULFA leadership that their trust in the Centre to ensure the success of the peace process will be honoured,” Shah said to reporters on Friday.

The organisation said in a statement that the parties to the deal agreed that the Union and Assam governments will take up development projects in investment across the state in the next five years.

The sides also agreed that the issue of soil erosion will be treated as a national priority, land rights will be digitised, and agricultural land will be protected in addition to a committee having representatives from ULFA to monitor the implementation of the deal.

The peace deal is aimed at addressing issues such as illegal immigration, land rights for indigenous communities, and a financial package for Assam’s development, reported NDTV.

Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and several leaders of the separatist organisation faction who were in favour of the peace negotiations were present during the signing of the agreement.

The United Liberation Front of Asom’s pro-talks faction had been in talks with the Union government since 2011 when an agreement paving the way for violence to stop was signed between the separatist group, the Centre and the state government.

The Manipur-based militant group United National Liberation Front on November 29 had also signed a peace agreement with the Central government, agreeing to renounce violence.