Lack of governance/administration breeds naxalism

Bangalore, Sep 20: The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) holding its two day sitting here on Urban Governance today lamented that lack of governance and administration had led to spread of naxalism across the country.

Commission Chairman M Veerappa Moily talking to newsmen here said out of 600 districts, naxalites were currently active in 160 to 200 districts and sought a concerted action to curb naxalism in the next two to three years through a concerted and sincere effort.

''If extremism in Punjab could be wiped off, why not naxalism'' he asked stating that a multi-pronged attack was the need of the hour.

The situation should be dealt as a ''war like situation'' he said adding that the rule of law should be firm. At the same time programmes meant for social and economic uplift of people should be implemented vigorously so that naxalite activities face a natural death, he added.

He said the Second ARC which was currently engaged in Public order and conflict resolution would come out with the report on the issue in November.

ARC which had already come out with reports in June and July on Right to Information Act and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act respectively had completed its exercise on Criss management and Disaster Planning and the report, which was under print, would be submitted to the government by this month end or early October.

Mr Moily said by September next year the ARC would submit as many as 17 reports encompassing on various issues referred in the terms of reference. He said that the reports have extensively dealt with implementation of various recommendations and had urged the prime minister to put them on fast track for implementation.

He said Corruption and ethics in Governance was another report on which the Commission had already started the work. He referred to the two day meeting at the Natioanl Judicial Academy in Bhopal and said the Commission would come out with suggestions to make Lok Pal an effective institution to curb corruption.

It would be followed by one on Civil Services. He said the Country should come out of the colonial hegemony on civil services and it should be open to experts in other fields, who can be appointed on a contract basis as Secretaries to the Union Government. Even Britain had made radical changes in the civil service, he added.

UNI