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UPA planning development activities in red corridor
Government is set to fight Maoists with an all new weapon- development. From more residential schools to more mobile health units, the UPA is planning a slew of development activities in the red corridor along with its recent measures to beef up security offensive against the Maoists. Saubhadra Chatterji reports. What Centre’s plans to do
Government is set to fight Maoists with an all new weapon-development. From more residential schools to more mobile health units, the UPA is planning a slew of development activities in the red corridor along with its recent measures to beef up security offensive against the Maoists.
After a recent meeting of the centre's Review Panel on Left Wing Extremism (LWE), cabinet secretary Ajit Seth directed the health ministry to provide list of Maoist affected districts endemic to malaria and induct more roving health units there. The decision comes on the heels of security agencies' plans to send doctors from AIIMS, Raipur in Bastar region.
The human resource development and the tribal affairs ministries have been asked to assess the need of large residential schools that can accommodate up to 2000 students.
While the tribal ministry has sought more funds for girls' hostels, the government, however, is still struggling to find adequate number of trained teachers to work in the red corridor.
The centre also allowed exemptions under the Forest Conservation Act to lay transmission lines for power supply in 1776 villages after the power ministry flagged the problem of non-availability of forest clearances. Under the new guidelines, less than 5 hectares of forest land in all 82 Maoist-affected districts can be diverted for installing power lines.
To overcome the fund constraints in building roads, the Centre has also decided for convergence of road schemes with other government programmes in LWE districts. In the meeting, it was also decided to expedite plan to open post offices in 12898 villages.
These steps come along with the recent decision of the Centre to deploy more forces, vehicles and choppers to combat Left-wing extremism.
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