Unified command set up to tackle Maoist menace in Maharashtra

To tackle the growing Maoist menace in Maharashtra, the state home department has set up a unified command under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, which includes officials from the state police and intelligence, comprising central intelligence, and defence.

To tackle the growing Maoist menace in Maharashtra, the state home department has set up a unified command under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, which includes officials from the state police and intelligence, comprising central intelligence, and defence.

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The command will also have officials from department such as forest, finance, public works and planning.

The command is expected to study existing policies and strategies put in place by other states to tackle the Maoist problem and co-ordinate with the Centre and neighbouring states, where the security issue is severe.

“Under the command, a co-ordination committee, also led by Fadnavis, will be set up that will meet once in two months. It will deliberate on how best to keep an eye on and track the growth of the extremist left ideology and activities in the state and co-ordinate with the Centre’s security apparatus as well as that of other states,” said a government resolution issued on June 3.

The committee will also take stock of several schemes, programmes and equipment required to tackle Maoists. With the state’s porous borders with Chattisgarh, the Maoist presence and network in the eastern part of the state in districts of Gadchiroli, Chandrapur and Gondia have been on the rise.

In the past few years, it has been seen that Maoists have been striking regularly at state forces as well as civilians.

Government sources said the decision to set up the command comes following a nudge from the Union home ministry.

Five years ago, the Centre, under the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had asked states worst-affected by Maoist violence to set up a unified command that could keep effective tabs on Maoist activities.

At the time, West Bengal, Odissa, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand had set up such unified commands.