Lok Sabha Question No. 197 (STARRED), answered on 2023-03-14
Subject: Naxal affected Districts
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: Pashupati Nath Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. *197

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 14 TH  MARCH, 2023/ PHALGUNA 23, 1944 (SAKA)

NAXAL AFFECTED DISTRICTS

†*197.     SHRI PASHUPATI NATH SINGH:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) the current number of naxal affected districts in the country particularly in Jharkhand;

(b) whether the Government proposes to take any concrete steps to free the said districts and if so, the details thereof;

(c) if not, whether any steps are likely to be taken by the Government in future for the said purpose;

(d)  the  present  status  of  the  schemes  run  by  the  Government  in  naxal affected areas; and

(e)  whether  the  Government  inspects  the  said  areas  by  constituting special team?

ANSWER

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

(a) to (e):    A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  IN  REPLY  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  197  FOR 14/03/2023 REGARDING 'NAXAL AFFECTED DISTRICTS'

(a) to (c): To address the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) menace holistically, Government  of  India  (GoI)  approved  'National  Policy  and  Action  Plan  to address  LWE'  in  2015.  The  Policy  envisages  a  multi-pronged  strategy involving  security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities, etc. Steadfast implementation  of  this  policy  has  resulted  in  consistent  decline  in  LWE violence across the nation.

The number of LWE related violent incidents have come down by 77% in  2022  in  comparison  of  high  of  2010.  The  number  of  resultant  deaths (Security Forces + Civilians) have also reduced by 90 % from all time high of 1005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022.

Geographical spread  of  violence  has  significantly  reduced  and  only 176  Police  Stations  of  45  districts  reported  LWE  violence  in  2022  as compared to high of 465 Police Stations of 96 districts in 2010. Decline in geographical spread  is  also  reflected  in  the  reduced  number  of  districts covered under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme. Number of SRE districts  reduced  from  126  to  90  in  April  2018  and  further  to  70  in  July 2021.

There has also been considerable improvement in security situation in Jharkhand. Existing security vacuum in the state has been almost filled. Places  like Burha  Pahar,  area  of  Tri Junction  of West  Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Khunti and Parasnath Hills have been freed from Maoist presence through establishment of camps and sustained operations by security forces. The number of violent incidents in Jharkhand reduced by 82% from a  high of 742 incidents  in  2009  to  132 incidents  in  2022.  The  numbers  of  SRE  districts  in  Jharkhand  have  also reduced from 19 in 2018 to 16 in 2021. Details of SRE districts are given in Annexure-I.

(d) & (e): GoI  provides  assistance  for  capacity  building  of  LWE  affected States  through  various  schemes  of  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA)  and schemes/  initiatives  of  other  line  Ministries.  Special  emphasis  is  laid  on expansion  of  road  network,  improving  telecommunications,  educational empowerment and financial inclusion in LWE affected areas.  MHA works in  close  coordination  with  all  the  Ministries  of  GoI  to  ensure  optimum implementation of these schemes in LWE affected areas.

Review meetings are taken by the Union Home Minister regularly to review  LWE  scenario.  Meetings  and  visits  by  other  senior  officers  are being undertaken to ensure expeditious completion and monitoring of the works under various schemes. Details of schemes are given in Annexure II.

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## LSSQ. No. 197 for 14.03.2023 Annexure-I

## LIST OF DISTRICTS COVERED UNDER THE SRE SCHEME FOR LWE AFFECTED STATES

| S. No.   | State          |   Number of Districts | Name of Districts                                                                                                                                                   |
|----------|----------------|-----------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh |                     5 | Alluri Sitharama Raju, East Godavari, Parvathipuram Manyam, Srikakulam, Visakhapatnam                                                                               |
| 2        | Bihar          |                    10 | Aurangabad, Banka, Gaya, Jamui, Kaimur, Lakhisarai, Munger, Nawada, Rohtas, West Champaran                                                                          |
| 3        | Chhattisgarh   |                    14 | Balrampur, Bastar, Bijapur, Dantewada, Dhamtari, Gariyaband, Kanker, Kondagaon, Mahasamund, Narayanpur, Rajnandgaon, Sukma, Kabirdham, Mungeli                      |
| 4        | Jharkhand      |                    16 | Bokaro, Chatra, Dhanbad, Dumka, East Singhbhum, Garhwa, Giridih, Gumla, Hazaribagh, Khunti, Latehar, Lohardaga, Palamu, Ranchi, Saraikela-Kharaswan, West Singhbhum |
| 5        | Kerala         |                     3 | Malappuram, Palakkad, Wayanad                                                                                                                                       |
| 6        | Madhya Pradesh |                     3 | Balaghat, Mandla, Dindori                                                                                                                                           |
| 7        | Maharashtra    |                     2 | Gadchiroli, Gondia                                                                                                                                                  |
| 8        | Odisha         |                    10 | Bargarh, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabrangpur, Nuapada, Rayagada, Sundargarh                                                             |
| 9        | Telangana      |                     6 | Adilabad, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Jayashankar- Bhupalpally, Komaram-Bheem, Mancherial, Mulugu                                                                         |
| 10       | West Bengal    |                     1 | Jhargram                                                                                                                                                            |
|          | Total          |                    70 |                                                                                                                                                                     |

## ANNEXURE-II

## SCHEMES / INITIATIVES FOR LWE AFFECTED AREAS MHA

1. Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme . Under the SRE Scheme, expenditure  on  operational  requirements  of  security  forces,  rehabilitation  of  surrendered LWE cadres, community policing and ex-gratia etc is carried out. Rs 1,446 Crore has been provided to the State Governments since 2018-19 under this scheme.
2. Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) . Under this scheme,  projects/works worth Rs 371 Crore have been approved for upgradation and strengthening of Special Forces /Special Intelligence Branches along with construction of 250 Fortified Police Stations in LWE affected areas with a cost of Rs 620 Crore. The scheme has now been extended upto 31 March 2026 with an additional outlay of Rs 1160 Crore for new works. Rs 175 Crore has been released to states since 2018-19.
3. Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme for the Most LWE Affected Districts . This scheme is used to fill critical gaps in public infrastructure and services in most affected districts/ districts of concern. Under this scheme, Rs 3,054 Crore has been released to the States since 2018-19.
4. Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE Management (ACALWEMS) . Under this scheme,  assistance  is  provided  for  basic  structure  of  camps  and  for  provisioning  of helicopters  for  counter  LWE  operations.  Rs  760 Crore  has  been  provided  to  Central Agencies through this scheme since 2018-19.
5. Media  Plan .  Under  this  scheme,  funds  are  provided  for  Tribal  Youth  Exchange Programs  (TYEP),  radio  programs,  LWE  related  documentaries  etc  and  for  spreading awareness  about  government  initiatives/  schemes.  The  scheme  has  been  extended  upto 2025-26  with  an  enhancement  in  annual  outlay  from  Rs.  7.5  Crore  to  Rs.  10  Crore  per annum. Rs 31.93 Crore has been released under the scheme since 2018-19.
6. Civic Action Program (CAP) in LWE Affected areas. Under the scheme, funds are released to the Central Armed Police Forces deployed in LWE affected areas for conducting various  civic  activities  for  welfare  of  local  people.  This  scheme  has  been  extended  upto 2025-26 with an outlay of Rs. 20.00 Crore per annum. Rs 85.22 Crore have been released since  2018-19 under the scheme.

## Schemes/ Initiatives of Other Line Ministries

7. Road  Requirement  Plan-I  (RRP-I) .This  scheme  is  being  implemented  through Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) since February, 2009 for improving road connectivity in LWE affected areas. 5,361 km roads were sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs.8,585 Crore.  5,082 km roads (95%) have been constructed.

## ANNEXURE-II

8. Road Connectivity Project For LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEAs) . This scheme is being  implemented  through  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  (MoRD) since  2016-17  with  an outlay  of  Rs  12,114  Crore.  12,110  km  roads  (1342  roads  and  705  bridges)  have  been sanctioned, out of which 7,140 km roads (570 roads and 251 bridges) have been completed.
9. Mobile Connectivity Project in LWE Affected Districts .  2343 mobile towers have been  installed  with  an  expenditure  of  Rs  4081  Crore.  Union  Cabinet  has  approved  the upgradation  of  these  2G  sites  to  4G  in  April  2022  and  work  for  upgradation  has  been awarded in November 2022. Installation of another 4072 mobile towers has been approved involving  an  expenditure  of  Rs  7,330  Crore.  Post  survey,  work  order  has  been  issued  for 2542 mobile towers.
10. Skill  Development  Scheme  in  47  LWE  Affected  Districts .  The  scheme  is  being implemented  through  Ministry  of  Skill  Development  and  Entrepreneurship  (MoSDE)  since 2011  for  establishment  of  01  Industrial  Training  Institute  (ITI)  in  47  districts  and  02  Skill Development Centers (SDCs) in 34 districts, with an estimated cost of Rs. 407.85 Crore. 43 ITIs and 38 SDCs are presently functional.
11. Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) and Jawahar Nava Vidyalava (JNV) . 11 KVs and 06 JNVs were sanctioned to ensure that all erstwhile most LWE affected districts had coverage of KV and JNV.

12. Eklavya  Model  Residential  School  (EMRS) .  This  scheme  is  being  implemented through  Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  (MoTA).  245  EMRSs  have  been  sanctioned  in  90  LWE affected districts with 121 functional. Out of these, 159 have been sanctioned and 65 made functional since May 2019.

13. Financial  Inclusion .  4903  Post  Offices  have  been  opened  in  LWE  affected  areas since 2015. Out of these, 3114 have been opened in 2021-22. 1258 bank branches, 1348 ATMs  and  22,202  banking  correspondents  have  also  been  made  functional  in  last  eight years.

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