Amit Shah to review inter-state coordination to tackle Naxals
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2024-08-21 18:13 GMT
New Delhi: Union home minister Amit Shah will convene a high-level meeting in Raipur, Chhattisgarh on Saturday to review inter-state coordination among regions affected by Naxal insurgency. The meeting, scheduled to begin on August 24, will focus on evaluating efforts against Naxalism and progress on infrastructure projects in the Red Corridor, which spans nine states troubled by Left-Wing Extremism (LWE).
Shah will arrive in Raipur on the night of August 23 and start a series of meetings the following day. He will engage with chief secretaries and police directors from Naxal-affected states, including Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal. Newly appointed Union home secretary Govind Mohan, director of the Intelligence Bureau Tapan Deka, and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) director general Anish Dayal Singh are also expected to attend.
The meeting will assess both security measures and the advancement of development projects in areas impacted by Naxalism. During his three-day visit, Shah will also tour the Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya Ashram in Raipur, review the Narcotics Control Bureau's operations, and participate in a meeting related to the Ministry of Cooperation.
Earlier, Shah highlighted significant progress in countering Naxalism under the BJP-led Central government, noting that approximately 125 Naxals were killed, over 352 arrested, and about 175 surrendered within five months of the BJP's assumption of power. Notably, on April 16, security forces killed 29 Naxals, including senior cadres, in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district — the highest number of fatalities in a single encounter in the state’s history.
According to the Union home ministry's data, incidents of Left-Wing Extremism have decreased from 14,862 between 2004 and 2014 to 7,128 from 2014 to 2023. The number of security force deaths has dropped by 72 per cent, from 1,750 to 485, while civilian deaths have fallen by 68 per cent, from 4,285 to 1,383.
In terms of development, over 5,000 post offices have been established in Maoist-affected districts over the past five years. Additionally, 1,298 bank branches and 1,348 ATMs have been set up in the most-affected areas. The government has also constructed 4,885 mobile towers and 9,356 km of roads, investing Rs 2,690 crore and Rs 10,718 crore, respectively. To engage local youth, 121 Eklavya residential schools, 43 ITIs, and 38 skill-development centres have been established in Naxal-hit regions.