Planning Commission report on extremism by August 15

New Delhi, Aug 2 (UNI) An Expert Group on developmental issues, set up by the Planning Commission to deal with the causes of discontent, unrest and extremism, would submit is report by August 15, the government today said.

In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal said the Expert Group was set up in May this year to look into the problem of extremism with a focus on developmental issues.

Mr Jaiswal said the government had been pursuing a multi-pronged approach to address the naxal problem on political, security and development fronts in a coordinated manner and in tandem with the affected states.

Replying to a specific query on the menace of naxalism in Chhattisgarh, he said that during the first six months of the current year, 360 incidents of naxal violence and 244 casualties -- 190 civilians and 54 security personnel -- were reported in the state. The figures were 198 incidents and 50 casualties during the same period last year.

He said the sharp increase in naxal violence in Chhattisgarh was mainly due to effective police action by the state government to dislodge naxalites from from their strongholds in Dantewada district and the continuing 'Salwa Judum'.

Quoting reports, he said over 50,000 Salwa Judum activists are still sheltered in the relief camps. ''The state government has been advised to take immediate steps to provide maximum security to the relief camps and create an atmosphere conducive for return of these local people to their native habitats,'' he said.

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