High alert in Maharashtra after Dantewada Naxal attack: CM

Nagpur, Mar 1 (UNI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh today said a high alert was sounded in the state following yesterday's incident in Chhattishgarh's Dantewada in which 50 villagers were killed in a powerful landmine explosion and many others taken hostages.

Talking to newspersons, Mr Deshmukh, who arrived here today to attend the marriage of Union Non-conventional Energy Sources Minister Vilas Muttamwar's daughter, said authorities have been instructed to take all steps to thwart any attempt of the extremists.

Mr Deshmukh said the extremists were more active in the districts of Gondia, Bhandara, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli.

He said, ''Our jawans have been protecting the lives of tribals living in forests while the Naxals are trying to stall rural developmental works like road construction. Our jawans have been killed while fighting the Naxals.'' To a query on suicide by farmers, the Chief Minister said the Government has decided to extend financial help to the families of farmers who had committed suicide between 2001 and 2006. A total of 300 such families are in Vidarbha, he said.

He said Rs 727 crore, out of the special package of Rs 777 crore announced during the Winter Session of the State Legislature in 2004 for development of Vidarbha, have already been spent on developmental works and the rest would be released before March end this year.

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