GUWAHATI, Dec 21 � The Government of India has turned down the Assam Government�s proposal for declaring two districts of the State as affected by Left Wing extremism as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is of the view that the situation at this moment does not warrant such a declaration.
Highly placed sources in the MHA told The Assam Tribune that the Assam Government has sent a proposal to declare two districts � Tinsukia and Dibrugarh � as the districts affected by Left Wing extremism. Though according to information available, the Maoists have managed to make some inroads in the Sadiya area of Tinsukia district, the situation does not warrant declaration of the two districts as Left Wing extremism-affected.
Sources said that the Government of India has adopted a two pronged strategy to deal with the activists of the Maoist militant groups and in addition to launching operations against the rebels, steps have also been taken to ensure development of the affected and backward areas by pumping in additional funds.
MHA sources said that as per the new scheme of the Government, the districts declared as Left Wing extremism affected are provided special funds for development. The money is released directly to the concerned districts and a committee comprising the District Collector or Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and the Forest Officer of the district is responsible for taking up development schemes in the district as per the requirements.
Sources revealed that the MHA clears the proposals for declaration of districts as Left Wing extremism affected and forwards it to the Planning Commission for direct funding to the districts. So far, 87 districts of the country have been declared as Left Wing extremism affected and the districts are receiving the special funds from the Government of India.
The MHA looks into several criteria for declaring a district as Left Wing extremism affected and the level of violence is one of the main criteria. As the Maoist militants are yet to indulge in any major act of violence in Assam, the proposal of the State Government has been turned down. Moreover, Assam has been receiving reimbursement of the security related expenditure from the Centre for launching counter insurgency operations, sources added.
GUWAHATI, Dec 21 � The Government of India has turned down the Assam Government�s proposal for declaring two districts of the State as affected by Left Wing extremism as the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is of the view that the situation at this moment does not warrant such a declaration.
Highly placed sources in the MHA told The Assam Tribune that the Assam Government has sent a proposal to declare two districts � Tinsukia and Dibrugarh � as the districts affected by Left Wing extremism. Though according to information available, the Maoists have managed to make some inroads in the Sadiya area of Tinsukia district, the situation does not warrant declaration of the two districts as Left Wing extremism-affected.
Sources said that the Government of India has adopted a two pronged strategy to deal with the activists of the Maoist militant groups and in addition to launching operations against the rebels, steps have also been taken to ensure development of the affected and backward areas by pumping in additional funds.
MHA sources said that as per the new scheme of the Government, the districts declared as Left Wing extremism affected are provided special funds for development. The money is released directly to the concerned districts and a committee comprising the District Collector or Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police and the Forest Officer of the district is responsible for taking up development schemes in the district as per the requirements.
Sources revealed that the MHA clears the proposals for declaration of districts as Left Wing extremism affected and forwards it to the Planning Commission for direct funding to the districts. So far, 87 districts of the country have been declared as Left Wing extremism affected and the districts are receiving the special funds from the Government of India.
The MHA looks into several criteria for declaring a district as Left Wing extremism affected and the level of violence is one of the main criteria. As the Maoist militants are yet to indulge in any major act of violence in Assam, the proposal of the State Government has been turned down. Moreover, Assam has been receiving reimbursement of the security related expenditure from the Centre for launching counter insurgency operations, sources added.
