Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states to meet in August

New Delhi, July 7 (ANI): Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has said that a meeting of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states will be held next month to discuss their menace.

The Maoist problem will be discussed in detail during the meeting and plans to tackle the threat posed by the Naxals to internal security will also be fine-tuned, Chidambaram said in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

The Home Minister also asked the Chief Ministers of the affected states to renew their appeal to the Naxal leaders to lay down arms and come to the negotiating table.

The appeal came at the suggestion of SP leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who claimed that he had successfully resolved the problem in some districts in Uttar Pradesh through talks.

The chief ministers will be briefed about the plans drawn up to tackle the Naxal menace, Chidambaram said admitting that the problem has become intense and grave in the last two months.

Chidambaram said there was no concrete evidence about Naxals getting funds from foreign countries.

The Naxals are able to collect money from within the country using illegal means like looting banks and armouries, and also from tribals who support them, he said.

Chidambaram said the Centre has allocated Rs 1250 crore to the states for modernisation of the police forces. (ANI)