Union Minister Jairam Ramesh today rode pillion on a two-wheeler to go around villages in Naxal-hit Jhumra Hills area of Jharkand.
After his visit, the Rural Development Minister said the Centre would soon announce the Jhumra Action Plan (JAP) to develop the villages of three contiguous districts in the area. The villages covered by Ramesh were all under-developed.
"JAP to the tune of Rs 250 crore to Rs 300 crore will soon start in the villages falling under Bokaro, Hazaribagh and Ramgarh districts sharing borders with Jhumra forests under the plan," Ramesh told reporters here.
He said road, education and health centres would be taken up under the plan.
The minister said he had asked Deputy Commissioners of the districts to submit to him reports about ways of implementing JAP.
A senior police officer told Ramesh that development works in the naxal-affected villages could be taken up with police protection.
"Naxalism will go away once development reaches the villages," Ramesh said.
The minister had already announced Saranda Action Plan (West Singhbhum district) and Saryu Action Plan (Latehar) and work was underway there.
