IMG deliberates on progress, development in naxal affected areas

New Delhi, Dec 11 (UNI) The Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) on Naxalism today deliberated on the implementation of various developmental schemes in naxal affected districts of the country to tackle the challenge of Maoist violence.

The two-hour long meeting chaired by Mr Vinay Kumar, Additional Secretary (Naxal Management) in the Home Ministry, deliberated on the progress made to implement the decisions taken for the development of 33 Maoist violence affected districts of the country.

The meeting was attended by officials of various ministries and departments associated with developmental schemes to take a holistic view of the Maoist violence, which the government considered not a mere law and order problem but a fallout of the lack of socio-economic development in various regions.

This is the fifth meeting of the IMG at which the development of 33 naxal violence affected districts would be given focused attention. It deliberated on providing employment to the people and bringing the misguided youth into the mainstream of national development.

The meeting also discussed the progress made on the decisions taken during an earlier meeting in September this year that Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta had held with Secretaries of various ministries involved in developmental activities on the socio-economic development of the naxal affected areas.

It would also focused on the utilisation of the central funds for the Backward Districts Initiative (BDI) programme to fill critical gaps in physical and social development in areas hit by Maoist violence. Funds for development in these areas are given under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF) scheme.

Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa are the worst affected by naxal violence. The Naxalites are also exploring new pastures in parts of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Uttarakhand. Recently during the Nandigram violence, the Left Parties in West Bengal charged Maoists with being behind it.

UNI