Backward areas need special attention: PM

New Delhi, Jul 25: Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh called for "holistic development" in backward areas to fight Left-wing extremism and admitted that government-sponsored schemes have not worked well in bridging the alienation of the tribals.

Addressing the annual meeting of the National Development Council on Saturday, Jul 24, PM said, "the problems of marginalised sections of our country, many of whom live in areas which are affected by Left-wing extremism, call out for special attention."

"Our development schemes have not worked well in these backward and impoverished parts of our country, particularly the areas inhabited by the tribal population," he said, in a shift from the government"s policy of tackling the Left-wing insurgency as a law and order problem.

He also called for "a concerted effort to bridge the development deficit in these backward areas."

"The Planning Commission is working on integrated plan of development of selected backward districts which would help strengthen the development element in the fight against extremism keeping in mind the suggestion made here," he said.

However, PM didn"t refer to Maoist insurgency as the biggest internal security challenge of the country as he had been repeatedly saying so, but called for "a concerted effort to bridge the development deficit" to tackle the alienation of the impoverished people.

OneIndia News