Naxal affected states asked to gear up grassroot machinery

New Delhi, Apr 26 (UNI)The Centre today asked the Naxal-affected states to review their resettlement and rehabilitation policies on a priority basis and strengthen their grassroot machinery to implement the developmental agenda of the government in tribal and rural areas.

The 23rd meeting of the Co-ordination Centre here discussed in detail the gaps in meeting the developmental needs and aspirations of the people in rural and tribal areas and the steps to be taken to fill this gap.

Some states demanded that the norms relating to developmental activities, including rural electrification and construction of rural and tribal roads, be relaxed. They also demanded sanctioning of more para-military forces.

Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta, who chaired the six-hour-long meeting, urged the 11 Naxal-hit states to fill vacancies in the government at the bottom level of the district administration, especially in rural and tribal areas, through special recruitment drives, to ensure that the developmental agenda of the Government was not neglected due to absence of grassroot machinery.

He stressed the need to put special focus on implementation of Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 (PESA), NREGP and 'The Scheduled Tribes and other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act.

Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of the naxal-affected States took part in the deliberations.

Representatives from the Planning Commission and Central Ministries of Tribal Affairs, Panchayati Raj, Rural Development and Forests and Environment were also present to discuss the developmental strategy for these States.

The killing of about 50 Special Police Officers (SPOs) by the Maoists in a pre-dawn strike on a police camp two months ago at Rani Bondli in Chhattisgarh figured prominently at the meeting.

While asking the states to draw lessons from this incident, the Home Ministry asked them to strengthen their security structures and intelligence gathering machinery and raise India Reserve Battalions.

The need for police to adhere to the field-craft and Standard Operating Procedures was stressed.

The states were urged to keep a constant watch on the movement of naxal groups, their weaponry, training camps, hideouts, sources of weapons and funds, areas of current activity and areas in which they plan to spread violence and activity.

The worst-affected states like Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Bihar made detailed presentations on their action plans to tackle the Naxal menace and the steps taken and proposed to be taken by them.

Progress of steps taken to fill up vacancies in police, fortify police stations, improve delivery mechanisms, was intimated by the States.

During the first three months of 2007, 395 Naxal incidents took place as against 431 during the corresponding period last year. As many 209 people were killed in these incidents during the current year as against 212 in the corresponding period last year.

Chhattisgarh continues to be the epicentre of Naxal violence witnessing highest number of incidents and deaths.

UNI