As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the State Governments. However, the Government of India (GoI) has been supplementing the efforts of States affected by left wing extremism. To address the issue of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) holistically, a National Policy and Action Plan to address  Left  Wing  Extremism (LWE) was  approved  in 2015. It  envisages    a   multi-pronged     strategy     involving   security    related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities etc. While on security front, the Central Government assists the LWE affected State Government by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, provision of funds through schemes like Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc; on development side, the Central Government has taken various measures including construction of roads, installation of mobile towers, improving network of banks, post offices, health and education facilities in the LWE areas.

Under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme funds are provided to LWE affected states for capacity building of the States through provisions of ex-gratia to the family of civilian/security forces killed in LWE violence, training and operational needs of security forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, community policing, compensation to security force personnel/civilians for property damage by left wing extremists, etc. Under the scheme, funds are not released district-wise but state-wise. Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra are covered under the scheme. Rs.1485 crore have been released to the LWE affected states in last 05 years. This includes Rs.14.05 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs.91.63 crore for Maharashtra.

Under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds are provided to States for the following purposes:

1. Strengthening of their Special Forces (SFs) Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) for LWE operations only.
2. Strengthening/construction of Fortified Police Stations.
3. Strengthening of district police.

Under the scheme, funds are not released district-wise but state- wise. Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori districts of Madhya Pradesh and Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra are covered under the scheme. A total of Rs.324.90 crore have been released to the LWE affected states since 2018-19.  This include Rs.0.71 crore for Madhya Pradesh and Rs.12.85 crore for Maharashtra.

To give further impetus for development in the most LWE affected districts, funds are provided to the States under ‘Special Central Assistance (SCA)’ to fill the  critical  gaps  in  public  infrastructure  and services.  Rs.3120.74 crore  has been released to the States since 2018-19. The details of funds (in Rs.crore) released to the districts of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra are as under:

 

 

On development front, apart from flagship schemes of Government of India (GoI) has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving Telecom connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion:

• For expansion of road network, 13234 km roads have been constructed. Of which 250 km of roads in Madhya Pradesh and 869 km in Maharashtra have been constructed.
• To improve telecom connectivity, 2343 mobile towers are installed in phase-I of the Mobile Tower Project. Of which 22 in Madhya Pradesh     and     65     in     Maharashtra     have     been     installed.
• Under phase-II of the Mobile Tower Project, 2542 Mobile Towers are under installation. Of these, 23 are for Madhya Pradesh and 125 are for Maharashtra.  In additional to this, 05 more towers have been approved for Madhya Pradesh in May, 2023.
• For financial inclusion of the local populace in these areas 927 Bank Branches (Maharashtra 81), 944 ATMs (Maharashtra 42) and 27513 Banking Correspondents (Maharashtra 699) in 30 Most LWE Affected Districts since April-2015.
• 4903 new Post Offices in 90 districts have been opened during last 08 years. Of these 511 are opened in Madhya Pradesh and 829 are opened in Maharashtra.
• For skill development 43 ITIs (Madhya Pradesh- 01) and 38 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) (Madhya Pradesh- 02) have been made functional in LWE affected districts.
• For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 125 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) have been made functional in 90 LWE affected districts, of which 11 are in Madhya Pradesh and 09 are in Maharashtra.

 

Steadfast implementation of this policy has resulted in consistent decline in LWE violence across the nation. The  number  of  LWE related violent incidents have come down by 76% in 2022 in comparison of high of 2010. The number of resultant deaths (Security Forces + Civilians) have also reduced by 90% from all time high of 1005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022. Details of LWE violence in LWE affected States during the last five years (year-wise) are as under: -

 

 

* Incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists

** Incidents Initiated by Security Forces

From 2022, the data is maintained separately for number of incidents perpetrated by Left Wing Extremists & Incidents initiated by Security Forces.

   The geographical spread of LWE violence has also been constricted and the districts reporting violence also reduced from 96 (2010) to 45 (2022).

    This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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RK/AY/SM/AKS/RR/3180

(Release ID: 1946687)