Chidambaram speaks to Collectors of Naxal-hit districts

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) In the wake of abduction of thecollector of Maoist-hit Malkangiri, Home Minister PChidambaram today interacted with collectors of nearly 60Naxal-affected districts and asked them to contact him if theyface any problem in executing development plans.

During his one-and-half hour interactions with thecollectors through video conferencing, the Home Minister tookstock of the implementation of Integrated Action Plan (IAP),which was specially designed by the Centre for the Maoist-hitdistricts.

Sources said Chidambaram asked the collectors to carryout as much development projects as possible and spend thefirst instalment of Rs 25 crore given to each district withincurrent fiscal.

The Home Minister told the collectors that spending ofthe funds should be reflected on the ground and the projectscould be anything like construction of roads, bridges, schoolbuildings, community halls or Aanganwadi works but the fundshould not spill over to the next financial year as the secondinstalment of the plan would come then.

Chidambaram told the collectors to involve themselves inworks of the IAP for their speedy and diligent implementationand asked them to contact him directly if they face any kindof problem, sources said.

The Home Minister''s appeal is significant as it came twodays after the kidnapping of the collector of Orissa''sMalkangiri district R V Krishna and believed to be aimed atgiving confidence to the collectors working in hostileenvironment.

Krishna was also supposed to participate in the meetingwith the Home Minister through video conferencing asMalkangiri has also been included under the IAP.

In November 2010, the government approved the IntegratedAction Plan for its implementation in 60 districts, with theaim of giving a fillip to development schemes in tribal andbackward regions, mostly affected by Naxal violence.

The IAP has been given as an additional centralassistance scheme on 100 per cent grant basis. It is aimed atquick resolution of problems concerning healthcare, drinkingwater, education and roads.

In 2010-11 alone, each of the 60 districts was given ablock grant of Rs 25 crore, with the total coming to awhopping Rs 1500 crore. In 2011-12, the grant will go up to Rs30 crore each.