POTA may go, so states get Homework on Naxals

But the YSR Reddy government today formally invited the PWG for talks, saying a conciliation committee would be constituted to work out modalities of the dialogue process after receiving the response from the extremists.

The buzz in North Block is that even the ban under the State Security Act may be lifted. The last peace dialogue between the AP government and PWG in February-March 2002 proved futile and the Naxalites used the ‘‘ceasefire’’ period for regrouping and rearming themselves.

While the Centre has no plans to directly enter into a dialogue with Left wing extremists, it is all for helping the affected states if they want to engage the Naxalites.

It’s learnt that North Block apprised the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on the urgent need to address the Naxalite problem. It has decided to deploy 23 dedicated battalions of the CRPF for a period of three-five years in 55 affected Naxalite districts. States have been asked to finalise action plans in consultation with the CRPF by June 15.

The government has plans to mount anti-Naxalite operations from this July. North Block has also moved a note to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) for exempting Naxalite affected states from footing the bill for deployment of para-military forces.

Top security advisors to the government are concerned about the spiralling trends of the on-going violence. The trends suggest the following:

• PWG and MCC have formed central military commissions respectively for coordinating and guiding military actions of its cadre with upgradation of fabrication and firing mechanism of the explosive devices

• The prime motive of the Naxalite expansion plans is to carve out a ‘‘compact revolutionary zone’’ in connivance with Nepalese Maoists, spreading from Nepal through Bihar and the Dandakaranya region of Tamil Nadu

• A conglomerate of 14 Naxalite groups has been formed under the aegis of ‘‘Revolutionary Internationalist Movement’’ for better coordination and there are signs of a PWG linkage with the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

While the government wants to tackle the militant cadre with force, it has drawn up serious plans to pace up the development activities in the affected regions.

At the insistence of North Block, the Planning Commission has included all the 55 Naxalite affected districts under Backwards District Initiative that allows additional funds of Rs 15 crore per year to each district for development works. The total amount in this scheme is Rs 2475 crore.

The Ministry of Rural development has also placed another Rs 37.50 crore per year for development of rural roads in the Naxalite affected districts under Gram Sadak Yojana. Besides, public grievances system is being looked at with an aim to encourage creation of local assistance groups at grass root level.