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MHA, Panchayati Raj Ministry plan to jointly strengthen local self-governance in Naxal-hit areas
MHA, Panchayati Raj Ministry plan to jointly strengthen local self-governance in Naxal-hit areas
New Delhi, The Union ministries of Home Affairs and Panchayati Raj are undertaking joint planning to strengthen local self-governance in Left Wing Extremism -affected areas, the Lok Sabha was informed on Tuesday.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said, "To further strengthen local self-governance in LWE-affected areas, the Ministry of Home Affairs is carrying out a joint planning with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj."
Responding to a question on whether the government had conducted any independent evaluation of the implementation of individual and community rights under the Forest Rights Act and the Panchayats Act , Rai said the Ministry of Home Affairs had carried out a survey in seven LWE-affected districts of Chhattisgarh through an independent agency.
"The survey has collated details of education levels, health indicators, and the availability of basic services such as primary schools, anganwadi centres, and secondary health facilities," he said, adding that the exercise was helping the Centre and the state government in "bridging the developmental gaps and ensuring livelihood."
The minister said the government's broader approach to tackling LWE envisages not only security measures but also development interventions and ensuring the rights and entitlements of local communities.
Under these efforts, "21,29,753 title deeds have been distributed to beneficiaries", including "20,24,975 individual titles and 1,04,778 community titles", he said.
Rai noted that these measures reflect the government's commitment towards "strengthening community rights and enhancing participatory governance" in areas affected by Left Wing Extremism, in line with the National Policy and Action Plan approved in 2015.
The minister also informed that the number of LWE-affected districts has reduced from 126 in 2018 to only eight in December 2025, with only three districts now remaining the most LWE-affected.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
