NEW DELHI: The number of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) or the Naxal related violent incidents have come down significantly by 77% since its all-time high number in 2010 and the number of resultant deaths has also reduced by 90 % from an all-time high of 1005 in 2010 to 98 in 2022, the government said in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, responding to a question raised by a member, said that the geographical spread of violence has significantly reduced and only 176 police stations of 45 districts reported Naxal violence in 2022 as compared to a high of 465 police stations of 96 districts in 2010.
The decline in the geographical spread is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme. The number of SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021.
Rai said that to address the Naxal issue holistically, the government of India approved the ‘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 a consistent decline in Naxal violence across the nation, he said.
There has also been considerable improvement in the security situation in Jharkhand, he said, adding that the existing security vacuum in the state has been almost filled. Places like Burha Pahar, the area of Tri Junction of West Singhbhum, Saraikela-Kharsawan and Khunti and Parasnath Hills have been freed from Maoist presence through the 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,” the minister said.
Rai informed that the central government provides assistance for capacity building of LWE-affected states through various schemes of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and schemes/ initiatives of another line Ministries.
Special emphasis is laid on the expansion of the road network, improving telecommunications, educational empowerment and financial inclusion in Naxal -affected areas. MHA works in close coordination with all the Ministries of GoI to ensure the optimum implementation of these schemes in LWE-affected areas.
Review meetings are taken by the Union Home Minister regularly to review the Naxal scenario, Rai said, adding “Meetings and visits by other senior officers are being undertaken to ensure expeditious completion and monitoring of the works under various schemes."