The Consultative Committee of Members of Parliament attached to the Ministry of Home Affairs met in New Delhi recently to discuss the menace of naxalites in the country.

The Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said that the Government has adopted a multi-pronged strategy in partnership with the states affected by left-wing extremism (LWE) through different interventions in the areas related to security, development, rights and entitlement and improvement in governance.

The Home Minister stated that the government has taken a number of steps to improve the capacity building of the State Police Forces through various schemes such as Security Related Expenditure (SRE), Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), the Fortified Police Station Scheme, Civic Action Programme, setting up of Counter Insurgency and Anti Terrorism Schools (CIAT) and raising India Reserve Battalions (IRBs).

He informed that the Planning Commission is implementing the integrated action plan (IAP) since 2010 for creation of public infrastructure and services in 82 districts of the country, the majority of which are affected with LWE problem.

He stated that the CPI (Maoist) still has the capacity to launch spectacular strikes in its stronghold areas, especially against soft targets. The security agencies have a lot of ground to cover in neutralising the armed capability of the CPI (Maoist). The role of the Central Armed Police Forces is of great importance in this regard since 90 battalions have been deployed for anti-naxal operations.