The Union finance minister’s reference in his Budget proposals to an Integrated Action Plan (IAP) for 60 selected tribal and backward districts to address the appeal of left-wing extremism is a very recent one, and the latest prong of the government plan in this regard.
The scheme was launched by the Centre in December last year with a Rs 25 crore grant per block and Rs 30 crore per district. The idea was to place the allocation at the disposal of a district-level committee, which in consultation with local MPs, will have the flexibility to spend the amount on locally needed schemes.
A home ministry official, who did not want to be named, told Business Standard the IAP was in addition to funds released by the Union home ministry to states under schemes such as the Modernisation of State Police Forces, Security Related Expenditure and Special Infrastructure Scheme.
Under the first, of the total central allocation of Rs 450 crore for 2010-11, about Rs 300 crore had been released to Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Orissa by December 6. There is also a component under which Rs 2 crore per district is allocated yearly to 83 selected districts in the affected states for police stations and outposts. Under this, the Centre had issued Rs 110 crore, excluding for Andhra Pradesh, for 2010-11.
Further, the ministry provided Rs 37 crore for the India Reserve Battallions, which concentrate on strengthening the security apparatus and enable the states to provide gainful employment to youth in the affected areas. The ministry had also released money for establishing counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism training centres in the affected states. Apart from funding a surrender and rehabilitation policy — rehabilitation is to include a stipend of Rs 2,000 for three years, vocational training, immediate grant of Rs 1.5 lakh and incentives for surrender of weapons.
Said the home ministry official: “The Centre and states have launched a joint exercise through financial, administrative and security measures. It focuses on development and calibrated police action. These are essential, especially when Bihar, Chattisgarh and West Bengal witnessed a perceptible increase in such violence in 2010. Andhra Pradesh registered only marginal violence. Though Jharkhand and Maharashtra witnessed a decline, both states were a cause of concern, with upsurge in the activities of CPI (Maoist). Similarly, with a decline in violence in Orissa, killings in the state increased and CPI (Maoist) continued to exercise significant hegemony in its strongholds.”
