Centre sanctions Rs. 96 crore special assistance to Maoist-affected states

New Delhi, Apr 26 (ANI): Union Government has sanctioned Rs. 96 crore to the Maoist-affected states under the Special Assistance Scheme" this year.

Home Ministry, said of the Rs. 96 crore, Rs.30 crore has been released as first instalment.

According to Union Home Ministry, an amount of Rs.9561.26 lakhs has been sanctioned in 2009-10 to the Maoist affected states including West Bengal.

An amount of Rs.1059.17 lakh has been sanctioned to West Bengal's West Midnapore District.

Rs.340 lakh was released by the Home Ministry in last fiscal.

In 2008-09, the Union Government started a new scheme for Special Infrastructure in Left Wing Extremism affected States with an outlay of Rs.500 crore during eleventh plan.

The scheme is aimed at filing critical infrastructure gaps not covered under normal schemes of the Central Government.

An amount of Rs.9999.92 lakh has been released to the States of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa during 2008-09. (ANI)