New Delhi, Mar 16 (PTI) Security situation in the Northeastern states has improved substantially since 2014 and insurgency violence in the region is down by 74 per cent and civilian deaths decreased by 89 per cent, Union minister Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.

Rai said the government has zero tolerance policy against terrorism and it has initiated peace talks with insurgent groups of the Northeastern states which abjure violence, lay down arms and seek solutions for their problems peacefully within the framework of the Constitution.

He said in Rajya Sabha that as a result, a number of rebel groups have come forward for negotiations and have entered into Suspension of Operations and some of them have signed Memorandum of Settlements and dissolved themselves.

The minister said those who are not in talks are being dealt with by the central armed police forces, armed forces and the state police through counter insurgency operations.

'Due to the above strategy, the security situation in the Northeastern states has improved substantially since 2014,' he said in a written reply.

Compared to 2014, he said, the number of insurgency incidents in the Northeast decreased by 74 per cent, civilian deaths by 89 per cent and casualties of security forces by 60 per cent.

Rai said though law and order is a state subject, the central government is supplementing efforts of state governments of the region for maintaining law and order and curbing illegal and unlawful activities through various measures.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)