Ministry of Home Affairs
azadi ka amrit mahotsav

PRIVATE SECTOR INVESTMENT IN LWE-AFFECTED AREAS

Posted On: 25 MAR 2025 1:42PM by PIB Delhi

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 (LWE). To address the LWE problem holistically, a “National Policy and Action Plan to address 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. On security front, the GoI assists the LWE affected State Government by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc;

  • The Policy envisages rapid infrastructural development in LWE-affected areas to boost economic development. In the endeavour, Government of India (GoI) has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected areas, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecommunication connectivity, education, skill development and financial inclusion. A few of these are enumerated below:
  • For expansion of road network, 17,589 Km have been sanctioned under 02 LWE specific schemes namely Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEA). Of these, 14,618 Km have been constructed.
  • For improving telecom connectivity in LWE affected areas, 10,505 mobile towers have been planned, of which 7,768 towers have been commissioned.
  • For Skill Development, 48 Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and 61 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have been approved. Of these, 46 ITI and 49 SDCs are functional.
  • For quality education in tribal areas 255 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are sanctioned, of which 178 EMRS are functional.
  • For Financial Inclusion, Department of Posts has opened 5731 Post Offices with banking services in LWE affected districts. 1007 Bank Branches & 937 ATMs have been opened and 37,850 Banking Correspondents (BCs) have been made operational in Most LWE affected districts.
  • For further impetus to development, under Special Central Assistance (SCA), funds are provided for filling critical gaps in public infrastructure in Most LWE affected Districts. Till now, Rs 3,563 Crore have been released since the inception of Scheme in 2017.
  • Apart from the specific schemes for LWE affected areas, Ministry of Home Affairs works in close coordination with other Ministries for optimum implementation of various flagship schemes of GoI in LWE affected areas.
  • For engaging with the local community, several measures are taken. A few are enumerated below: 
  • Distribution of title deeds to Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers, under Forest Rights Act 2006. Till now 21,15,936 title deeds have been distributed (20,15,337 – Individual and 1,00,599 – Community).
  • To wean away the local population from the influence of the Left Wing Extremists, Civic Action Programme, is being conducted by, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) deployed in LWE affected areas, undertaking various civic activities for welfare of the local people like organising Medical Camps, Skill Development. Rs. 196.23 crore has been released to CAPFs since 2014-15.
  • Tribal Youth Exchange Programs (TYEPs) are being organized for outreaching to the tribal youth of LWE affected districts. Through TYEP tribal youth are exposed to development activities and technological/ industrial advancement in other parts of the country and to enable them to develop emotional linkage with the people in other parts of the country and to make them aspirational. The program also aims to counter the false propaganda of left-wing extremists. 32500 youth have participated in these programmes since 2014-15.
  • To encourage Left Wing Extremists to join the mainstream, States have their own Surrender cum Rehabilitation policies. GoI also support the States in the endeavour through ‘Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation’ Policy and reimburses the expenditure incurred by the LWE affected States on rehabilitation of surrendered cadre. The rehabilitation package inter-alia, includes an immediate grant of Rs. 5 lakhs for higher ranked LWE cadres and Rs.2.5 lakhs for other LWE cadres. In addition, incentives for surrender of weapons/ ammunition are also provided under the Scheme. In addition, provision also exists for imparting training in trade/ vocation of their liking with monthly stipend of Rs. 10000/- for three years.
  • The resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. The LWE related violence incidents and resultant deaths of civilians & Security Forces, have come down from high of 2010 by 81% and 85% respectively in 2024. The number of LWE affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021 and further to 38 in April-2024.
  • Improved law & order and security situation, accompanied by investment in infrastructure has created an enabling environment for enhanced economic development including increase in Public/Private investment.

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

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