In a series of responses to questions by Members in the winter session of the Parliament, the Ministry of Home Affairs provided an overview of the policy, details of the schemes implemented and the security outcomes achieved, summarised as given below.
Policy
As per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of ‘Police and Public Order’ are with the State Governments. However, to address the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) menace holistically, Government of India (GoI) launched National Policy and Action Plan in 2015 to address LWE. 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 and sharp decline in LWE violence and vast improvement in the security scenario. Among the major contributors towards improvement in security situation have been filling up of the security vacuum in LWE affected areas by setting up of new camps by security forces, building of roads in core areas of LWE influence, provision for critical infrastructure, building Fortified Police Stations (FPS), augmenting capacity of state police forces etc.
While on security front, the Central Government assists the LWE affected State Governments by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, provision of funds through schemes like Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc; on development side, the Central Government has taken various measures including construction of roads, installation of mobile towers, improving network of banks, post offices, health and education facilities in the LWE areas.
Details of Schemes
Under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme funds are provided to LWE affected states for capacity building of the States through provisions of ex-gratia to the family of civilian/security forces killed in LWE violence, training and operational needs of security forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, community policing, compensation to security force personnel/civilians for property damage by left wing extremists, etc. Under the scheme, Rs. 1648.23 crore have been released to the LWE affected states since 2018-19. This includes Rs. 587.96 crore for Chhattisgarh.
Strengthening of Special Forces (SFs), Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) and District police: Under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), works of Rs. 969.80 crore have been sanctioned for Strengthening of the Special Forces (SFs)/ Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) and District Police, since 2017-18 for LWE affected states, which include works for Rs. 276.20 crore for Chhattisgarh.
Fortified Police Stations (FPS): 704 FPSs, including 148 for Chhattisgarh, have been sanctioned for LWE affected states. Of these, 603 FPSs, including 120 in Chhattisgarh have been constructed. Of the constructed 603 FPSs, 537 FPSs have been constructed after May-2014.
To give further impetus for development in the most LWE affected districts, funds are provided to the States under ‘Special Central Assistance (SCA)’ to fill the critical gaps in public infrastructure and services. Rs. 3249.78 crore has been released to the LWE affected states since 2018-19. This include Rs. 921.20 crore released to the state of Chhattisgarh.
On development front, apart from flagship schemes of Government of India (GoI), several specific initiatives have been taken in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving Telecomm connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion:
- For expansion of road network, 17461 km (5081 km for Chhattisgarh) roads have been sanctioned in LWE affected States. Of these 12100 km (3094 km for Chhattisgarh) have been sanctioned since May-2014. Of the sanctioned roads, 13399 km (3761 km for Chhattisgarh) roads been constructed. Of which 10475 km (3070 km for Chhattisgarh) have been constructed since May-2014.
- To improve telecom connectivity, 2343 mobile towers have been installed in phase-I of the Mobile Tower Project. Of which 525 have been installed in Chhattisgarh.
Under phase-II of the Mobile Tower Project, work order for installation of 2542 Mobile Towers has been issued. This includes 971 Mobile Towers for Chhattisgarh. Of these, 298 have been commissioned in Chhattisgarh.
- For financial inclusion of the local populace in these areas 955 Bank Branches (Chhattisgarh 283), 839 ATMs (Chhattisgarh 234) and 30401 Banking Correspondents (Chhattisgarh 5891) in 30 Most LWE Affected Districts since April-2015. 4903 new Post Offices in 90 districts have been opened during last 08 years. Of these 1131 are opened in Chhattisgarh.
- For skill development 48 ITIs (Chhattisgarh - 09) and 49 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) (Chhattisgarh - 14) have been made functional in LWE affected districts.
- For quality education in tribal blocks of LWE affected districts 130 Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) have been made functional in LWE affected areas, of which 45 are in Chhattisgarh.
Security Outcomes Achieved
Steadfast implementation of this policy has resulted in consistent decline in LWE violence across the nation as per Ministry of Home Affairs report to the Parliament. The number of LWE related violent incidents have come down by 76% 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. The geographical spread of LWE violence has also been constricted and the districts reporting violence also reduced from 96 (2010) to 45 (2022). There has been a substantial decrease of 36% of LWE related violence incidents in 2022 in comparison of the figures on 2018. The number of resultant deaths of Security Force and Civilian in this violence is decreased by 59%. In Chhattisgarh the LWE related violence incidents decreased by 22% while the number of resultant deaths decreased by 60%.
Geographical spread of violence has also reduced significantly. 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 fact that of the total 45 districts reporting LWE violence in 2022, only 10 districts reported 72% of the total violence. Similarly, of the 176 Police Stations reporting LWE violence, 30 Police Stations reported 50% of the total violence.