UPA Govt adopting integrated approach to deal with naxals: PM

New Delhi, June 1(ANI): Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said his government is adopting an integrated approach to deal with naxals and offering support to state governments on issues pertaining to left wing extremists (LWE).

"In dealing with the challenge of naxalism, we will pursue a policy that genuinely seeks to address developmental concerns at the grassroots, while firmly enforcing the writ of the state," said Dr Singh in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) II's annual report card presented here on Tuesday.

"We will fight against the scourge of communalism and political extremism. We will fight terrorism root and branch. We will ensure that this great, liberal and plural nation of ours is not weakened by hatred and bigotry," he added.

"The UPA government has adopted an integrated approach in dealing with left wing extremists in the area of security, development and public perception," the report said.

"An amount of Rs 668.61 crore has been released during 2009-10 under the schemes for Modernisation of Police Forces (Rs 578.61 crore), Security Related Expenditure (Rs 60 crore) and Special Infrastructure Scheme (Rs 30 crore) to left wing extremism affected states," the report added.

A sum of Rs 1230 crore has been released to all the states for modernisation of state police forces, the report said. The report further said construction of 210 kilometres of fencing, 310 kilometres of border roads and 400 kilometres of floodlighting was completed along the India-Bangladesh border during 2009-10.

"Construction of 50 border out-posts has also commenced," the report said.

Formation works along a length of 35.89 kilometres and surfacing works along a length of 11.2 kilometres were completed on 11 roads along the India-China border.

"Along the India-Pakistan border in the Gujarat sector, construction of 15 kilometres length of border roads was completed," the report said. (ANI)