Centre to prepare action plan to tackle Naxal menace

Centre to prepare action plan to tackle Naxal menace
AJAY SURI

NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 18: Under pressure from the states which are in the grip of a sudden surge of Naxalite violence, the Union Home Ministry is scrambling to come up with an action plan. Within 24 hours of L K Advani complimenting Andhra Pradesh police for the fine job they were doing, yet another wave of PWG attacks in Bihar and Andhra has unnerved officials in North Block.

Sources said that the Ministry's Policy Planning Group has just submitted its report on ``left-wing extremism'' to Home Secretary Kamal Pandey but has been asked to ``rework'' it to give it a more ``human face.'' In other words, it has been asked to include the social and economic aspects of the problem besides the emphasis on law-enforcement. North Block is also giving the finishing touches to an action plan it prepared for the areas affected by extremism. As part of this, Advani has already held consultations with the Surface Transport Ministry for speedy upgradation of National Highway No 16 from Nizamabad to Jagdalpur. This stretchgoes through AP, MP and Maharashtra.

The Ministry, following the recommendations of its ``co-ordination centre'' which was set up to look into Naxalite activity, has decided to come out with sweeping measures. Acting on one such recommendation suggesting reimbursement of security-related expenditures to the states, New Delhi has released Rs 10 crore to the AP Government and Rs 3.58 crore to MP.

However, the action plan acknowledges that the introduction of a ``direct communication network''under the Polnetat the level of districts and police stations is still in the planning stage. And will be operational only by next year.

According to a report prepared by the Ministry, ``the proposal to introduce direct dialling facilities in the affected police stations of bordering districts has been taken up with the Department of Telecommunications. The joint proposal in this regard has also been referred to the concerned states.''

Also being recommended is imminent upgradation in anti-Naxalite operations. Inthis regard, it is pointed out, the elite National Security Guards (NSG) has been asked to give ``all possible help'' to security agencies in Andhra and Maharashtra. Another Home Ministry's direction to states is to ``upgrade the quality of weapons and equipment on priority.''

The action plan takes into account the need for integrating development and security-related measures. It notes that AP and MP came out with one such plan amounting to Rs 1,299 crore and Rs 613 crore respectively. But these are waiting for the Planning Commission's approval.