Bhubaneswar Oct 24 (Odisha.in) In order to combat and control the menace in the Maoists affected districts; Orissa government has prepared a pilot project to be launched in two most vulnerable districts in the outset.
“We are going to place the draft pilot scheme before the Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil Wednesday for approval and seek adequate central funding for its Immediate implementation”, informed Tarun Kanti Mishra, Principal Secretary, home department.
The Union Minister Patil has convened a high-level meeting at New Delhi Wednesday to review the present situation in the Maoist infested areas , the steps taken by the Orissa government and how to implement the proposed Pilot project to tackle the menace.
The state Home Secretary Mishra and the DGP, Amarananda Patnaik are Scheduled to attend the high level meeting specially convened for Orissa .
Concerned over the growing Maoist violence, the Union Government had envisaged a Pilot project with special focus on special schemes in socio-economic sector to be launched experimentally in two most affected districts of each Maoist prone states and asked the concerned states to prepare the projects to suit their local conditions.
“We have prepared the draft Pilot Project to combat the Naxal menace keeping in view of local requirement for implementation on experimental basis”, Mishra told Odisha.in.
The main thrust of the pilot scheme include provision of enhanced security and launching of special schemes relating to socio-economic development particularly in Health care, Education, road and other infrastructure development, Mishra said.
Stating that much stress has been given on Road connectivity as the naxal affected areas are inacceable, Mishra said,” we would urged the Union Home Minister to take Necessary steps to relax the guidelines of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to enable the state to undertake the activities”
In Orissa sixteen of the total 30 districts are Naxal affected and nine districts Mayurbhanj, Koraput, Malkangiri, Sambalpur, Keonjhar, Gajapati, Rayagada,Baragarah and Ganjam .are the most vulnerable.
According to reliable sources, the proposed Pilot projects to combat the Maoists On experimental basis is likely to be launched in Malkangiri and Rayagada districts.
Apart from implementing a progressive Resettlement and Rehabilitation policy to address the issue of displacement due to industrialization, Orissa government has formulated a Comprehensive “surrender and Rehabilitation scheme” to encourage the youth d rifting towards Naxalism to such violence and join the mainstream and rehabilitee them suitably, the Principal Secretary said.
On naxal violence profile, Mishra said that Orissa witnessed less violence compared to the neighbouring states like Andra Pradesh and Chhatisgarah. Only 36 incidents involving 25 deaths including 18 naxal activists occurred during the year 2006.
Odisha.in