Naxalism was once
called by the government as the biggest internal
security threat faced by the country. However, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Maoist influence has
been gradually shrinking. In figures released on Monday, the MHA, which recently redrew the red
corridor, brought down the number of districts affected
with Naxal violence from 106 to 90, spread across 11 states. The list
also includes the 30 worst-affected district — six down from the previous one.
In 2015, the NDA government had adopted the ‘National Policy
and Action Plan’, which aimed at addressing Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the country. In the last
couple of years though, Maoists have managed to carry out big strikes killing
scores of policemen. In Chhattisgarh, over two dozen policemen were killed in
separate incidents in 2017; at least nine CRPF personnel were killed in a
similar attack in Sukma last month.
Which states are included in the LWE-affected areas?
The report considers Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Bihar as states
that are severely affected by LWE. West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra
Pradesh (earlier a part of the severely affected category) are considered partially
affected. Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are classified as states that are
slightly affected.
According to the report, Maoists are making a foray into Kerala,
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and planning to link the Western and Eastern
Ghats through these states. They are not only planning to increase their
activities in these areas, but also carve out a base for themselves in the
tri-junction. The report also notes that the Maoists are attempting to make inroads into Assam
and Arunachal Pradesh, and their success in doing so can have
long-term strategic implications.
Is the recently drawn red corridor different from the
older one?
In 2015, the total number of LWE-affected districts was 106.
It rose to 126 in 2017 following bifurcation of states and districts, and the
expansion of Maoists activities. All
expenses incurred by the affected areas are covered under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme of the MHA,
which provides funds for transportation, communication, hiring of vehicles,
stipend for surrendered Maoists, and temporary infrastructure for security
forces.
Of the 106 districts,
36 accounted for 80 to 90% of the country-wide LWE violence, and were
categorized as “Worst Affected Districts”. In its recent review, the Home
Ministry noted that 44 of the 126 districts reported negligence violence, and
they were removed from the list. Eight new districts which witnessed Maoist
movements were added to the SRE list. Currently, 30 instead of 36 of the worst
affected districts account for 90% of the LWE violence.
So, which are the new districts where Maoists are making
inroads?
Eight new districts have been included by the MHA.
Kerala: Malappuram, Palakkad and Wayanad
Andhra Pradesh: West Godavari
Chhattisgarh: Kabirdham
Madhya Pradesh: Mandla
Odisha: Angul and Boudh
Andhra Pradesh: West Godavari
Chhattisgarh: Kabirdham
Madhya Pradesh: Mandla
Odisha: Angul and Boudh
Which are the districts that have now been excluded?
As many as 44 districts have been removed from the list.
Among them the majority belongs to the following states:
* Telangana: 19 districts
* Odisha: 6 districts
* Bihar: 6 districts
* West Bengal: 4 districts
* Chhattisgarh: 3 districts
* Jharkhand: 2 districts
* Maharashtra: 1 district
* Telangana: 19 districts
* Odisha: 6 districts
* Bihar: 6 districts
* West Bengal: 4 districts
* Chhattisgarh: 3 districts
* Jharkhand: 2 districts
* Maharashtra: 1 district
What were the criteria for removing the districts and
including new ones?
The primary criterion
was ‘incidents of violence’. The 44 districts, which have been excluded, did
not report any significant incidents of violence due to LWE in the last three
years.
Similarly, three new districts in Kerala were added
following reports of Naxal movement, and their overground activities. Incidents
of violence have seen a 20% decline with a 34% reduction in related deaths in
2017 as compared to 2013. The geographical spread of LWE violence also shrunk
from 76 districts in 2013 to 58 districts in 2017. The new districts will
receive the SRE fund from the Centre, which will monitor development and
security-related projects. Last year, the combined SRE expenditure in
LWE-affected districts was Rs 445 crore.
What is the multi-pronged strategy of the government?
The multi-pronged
strategy primarily includes development and security
aspects of affected districts. Projects related to development include infrastructure, roads, cellphone
connectivity, bridges and schools. As per MHA data, 2,329 mobile towers
were installed in Maoist-affected areas in the first phase of the project aimed
at improving cellphone connectivity, with the maximum number of towers being
installed in Jharkhand (816), followed by Chhattisgarh (519). In the second
phase, the government plans to install another 4,072 mobile towers.
Similarly, 4,544 kilometers of road have already been built
of the sanctioned 5,422 km. The second phase of constructing 5,411 km of road
will start soon, and is estimated to cost Rs 10,780 crores.
Earlier, 11 of the 36 worst affected areas had no Kendriya
Vidyalaya (KV), and only six Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNVs). Now, all the
36 districts have JNVs, and eight districts have functional KVs. Three new KVs
are also being built.
Eight bridges, which were built to enhance connectivity to
remote areas in LWE-affected states, were constructed at a cost of nearly Rs
1,000 crores.
***
THE 30 MOST AFFECTED LWE DISTRICTS NOW
Andhra Pradesh: Vishakhapatnam
Bihar: Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Lakhisarai
Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Sukma
Jharkhand: Bokaro, Chatra, Garhwa, Giridih, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Latehar, Lohardaga, Palamu, Ranchi, Simdega West, Singhbhum
Maharashtra: Gadchiroli
Odisha: Korapur, Malkangiri
Telangana: Bhadradri, Kothagudem
Bihar: Aurangabad, Gaya, Jamui, Lakhisarai
Chhattisgarh: Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Sukma
Jharkhand: Bokaro, Chatra, Garhwa, Giridih, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Latehar, Lohardaga, Palamu, Ranchi, Simdega West, Singhbhum
Maharashtra: Gadchiroli
Odisha: Korapur, Malkangiri
Telangana: Bhadradri, Kothagudem
Credit: The Indian Express Explained (http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/naxalism-maoist-attacks-home-minstry-modi-govt-national-policy-and-action-plan-5140028/)
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