New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS): The security situation in the northeastern states continues to remain complex, with insurgency, extortion and agitations being the main disruptive elements, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said here Saturday.

"Persistent efforts on part of the government have resulted in considerable progress in the dialogue with insurgent and ethnic separatist groups," he said in his address at an annual conference of top police officials.

"Further, the susceptibility of lower Assam areas and Karbi Anglong region of the state to ethnic and communal tensions, the growing mistrust between tribals and non-tribals in Bodo areas, the Garo insurgency in Meghalaya, the increasing targeting of non-Manipuris in Manipur are also areas of considerable concern," he said.

The prime minister said these needed to be tackled with collective resolve and firm determination.

Touching upon the Naxal problem, the prime minister lauded the successful conduct of polls in the naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh.

He called for improving the quality of governance and the pace of development in those areas.

The prime minister also stressed on the need to sensitise the security forces deployed in any of the naxal-affected areas to the socio-cultural practices of the local people.

"As I have said on a number of occasions, there should be nothing which affects the role of innocent citizens in leading their normal lives, and our attack on naxals and other such bad elements, should not in any way affect or disturb the livelihood patterns of local people," he added.