Focus on rural growth to check naxalism: Jairam

HYDERABAD: The unrest among people against largescale acquisition of land in areas where mining, power and irrigation projects were coming up is giving scope to modern face of naxalism, Union minister for rural development Jairam Ramesh has said. “In the long run, naxalism can be countered successfully through proper, transparent and accountable rural development programmes,” he added.“The modern face of naxalism is reflected in projects that flout environment and forest norms. These are serious issues that could acquire naxal overtones if not handled well,” the Union Minister told newsmen after a review meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts in Andhra Pradesh here on Saturday.Jairam Ramesh said that over 50 million people (of them two-thirds are tribals) were displaced due to land acquisition for different projects in the country over the past few years. He stated that the Central government was considering a proposal to enhance the number of LWE districts from 60 to 78.In addition to Khammam and Adilabad districts in Andhra Pradesh, the Centre has agreed to recognise the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East Godavari, Warangal and Karimnagar as the LWE districts for providing additional funds for developmental activities.Referring to Andhra Pradesh government’s Rs 2,200 crore infrastructure development plan in tri-junction areas, bordering states like Chhattisgarh and Orissa, he promised to take it up with the Union home ministry  for approval. Hailing the rural development initiatives in Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the situation was not as bad in the state as in other states as far as LWE was concerned.Jairam Ramesh has suggested that resolving the land related issues, adopting  a different approach by recruiting maximum number of local youth, investing more in  infrastructure facilities, providing housing and other incentives to government employees in the naxal-infested areas would reduce Maoist activities in those areas.“Land records, productivity and management are very significant. Secondly, we need a completely different approach to manpower planning and we also need to invest more in infrastructure like housing. The storage infrastructure in rural areas has to be expanded for agriculture produce and minor forest produce,” the minister said.Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, ministers K Lakshminaayana, D Manikya Varaprasad and P Balaraju, chief secretary SV Prasad and other senior officials attended the meeting.

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