Lok Sabha Question No. 5484 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-04-05
Subject: Development of LWE Affected Areas
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Gopal Jee Thakur, Ashok Kumar Yadav

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5484

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 05 TH  APRIL, 2022/CHAITRA 15,1944 (SAKA)

DEVELOPMENT OF LWE AFFECTED AREAS

5484.  SHRI GOPAL JEE THAKUR: SHRI ASHOK KUMAR YADAV:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  for  the  development  of  Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas including education, skill development and financial inclusion along with their results;
- (b) whether the Government is implementing specific security and development interventions in LWE affected areas; and
- (c) the amount spent on strengthening of special forces and special branches of  Intelligence  of  States  and  the  number  of  fortified  police  stations  which have been sanctioned?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI NITYANAND RAI)

(a  to  c):  As  per  Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India,  subjects  of 'Police  and  Public  Order'  are  with  the  State  Governments.  However,  to address the LWE menace holistically, a National Policy and Action Plan was launched in 2015 to address Left Wing Extremism (LWE). It envisages a multipronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities etc.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 5484 FOR 05.04.2022

On  the  development  front,  the  Central  Government  has  taken  various initiatives  with  special  thrust  on  expansion  of  road  network;  improving telecom connectivity; financial inclusion of local population; skill development and education facilities in the LWE areas.

More than 16200 km roads have been approved in LWE affected areas under specific  schemes  Road  Requirement  Plan-I  (RRP-1)  and  Road  Connectivity project  for  LWE  affected  areas  (RCPLWEA).  Out  of  these,  10600  km  roads have  already  been  constructed  with  an  expenditure  of  approximately  Rs. 13000 crore.

2343 mobile towers were installed under Phase-l and work order has been issued for 2542 towers under phase-II of Mobile Connectivity Project for LWE Affected  Areas.  Another  4312  mobile  towers  have  been  approved  in  LWE affected areas under the scheme for uncovered Aspirational Districts.

For  Skill  Development  of  the  youth  in  these  areas,  Industrial  Training Institutes  (ITIs)  in  47  districts  and  Skill  Development  Centres  (SDCs)  in  34 Districts have been approved with an estimated cost of Rs. 407 crore under "Skill Development Scheme in 47 Districts affected by LWE".

Of  the  234  Eklavya  Model  Residential  Schools  (EMRSs)  approved  for  LWE affected areas till date, 99 EMRS have been approved in the last 02 years. Further,  Kendriya  Vidyalas  (KVs)  and  Navodaya  Vidyalas  (JNVs)  have  been approved and made functional in all the most LWE affected districts.

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 5484 FOR 05.04.2022

For financial inclusion of the populace in LWE Affected areas, 4442 new Post Offices  have  been  opened  in  the  last  07  years.  1253  Bank  Branches,  1264 ATMs and 16808 Banking Correspondents have also been established in 30 most LWE Affected Districts in the last 07 years.

Further, to fill critical gaps in Public Infrastructure & Services in Most LWE Affected  Districts,  funds  are  provided  to  the  most  LWE  Affected  Districts under  Special  Central  Assistance  (SCA)  scheme.  Rs.  3085  crore  has  been released to the States under the scheme during the last 05 years.

On security front, the Central Government supports the LWE affected States by  providing  Central  Armed  Police  Forces  battalions,  training,  funds  for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction  of Fortified Police Stations etc.  The  Central Government  also  provides  funds  for  capacity  building  of  the  LWE  affected States,  under  various  scheme  like  Security  Related  Expenditure  (SRE)  and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS). Rs. 1623 crore has been released to the LWE affected States under the SRE scheme during the last 05 years. Under the  Special  Infrastructure  Scheme  (SIS),  projects  worth  Rs.  371  crores  for strengthening  Special  Forces  (SF)  and  Special  Intelligence  Branches  (SIB) and for 250 Fortified Police Stations (FPS) worth Rs. 620 crore in vulnerable LWE affected areas have been approved since 2017. Apart from this, in the previous   SIS/FPS   scheme,   the   Central   Government  released  more than

## L.S.US.Q.NO. 5484 FOR 05.04.2022

Rs.1180  crore  for  construction  of  400  FPS  and  upgradation  of  police infrastructure in the States.

Steadfast implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan to Address LWE has resulted in consistent decline of LWE violence and its geographical spread. Incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77% from all time high of 2258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. Similarly, resultant deaths (Civilians+ Security Forces) have reduced by 85% from all time high of 1005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021. The number of Districts reporting LWE violence have also reduced by 48% from 96 in 2010 to 46 in 2021.

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