Jairam Ramesh has new strategy to combat Maoists

Bankura, Jan 25 (ANI): Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who is on three day visit to Naxal affected Districts of West Bengal, has said that it is important to combat Maoists in a different way than what has been done so far.

"It is not just a matter of arms and guns. It is a psychological war, and here both political procedures and development have significance. If we don't take the political procedures forward, till there is political mobilisation of political parties in these districts, and till we don't bring in heavy changes in rural development, we can never hope to win this war against the Maoists," Ramesh told media here.

Ramesh also said that it is important the tribal majority states of the country are facing problems, which are being taken advantage of by the Maoists.

"Most tribal majority areas like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar are facing turbulence today. The Maoist groups are taking advantage of this factor. So we should give primary importance to the welfare of the tribals in our strategy for development," said Ramesh.

Ramesh also said that the district of Bankura has 22 administrative blocks, out of which four are being affected by Maoists.

He further said that the government has a special integrated plan for the Maoist affected areas of the state whereby funds can be given in for developmental purposes.

"Three districts in West Bengal have been declared as Maoist affected areas. First it was West Midnapore, and now Bankura and Purulia have also been added. After this, a special integrated action plan in association with the federal government would be brought up under which Rs. 300 millions will be given to each district to spend on infrastructure such as roads, drinking water, Aanganwadi centres, farming supports, etc," said Ramesh.

Maoists have of late significantly increased their presence in tribal and rural regions in Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa, as well as the central state of Chhattisgarh.

Despite strong initiatives taken by the Centre, the Maoist insurgency has gripped nearly one-third of the country, spreading into the interiors of 20 states of the country. (ANI)