NATIONAL POLICY TO COMBAT LEFT WING EXTREMISM
NATIONAL POLICY TO COMBAT LEFT WING EXTREMISM
As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the State Governments. However, the Government of India (GoI) has been supplementing the efforts of States affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). To address the LWE problem holistically, a “National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE” was approved in 2015. It envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities etc. While on security front, the GoI assists the LWE affected State Government by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc; on development side, apart from flagship schemes, Government of India (GoI) has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecommunication connectivity, skilling and financial inclusion.
During last 05 years between 2018-19 to 2022-23 Rs. 4931 crore have been released for capacity building of the LWE affected states under the Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) schemes. Further, Rs. 765 crore have been given to Central Agencies for operating helicopters and addressing critical infrastructure in security camps in LWE affected areas, under Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE Management (ACALWEM) Scheme.
On development front, apart from flagship schemes of Government of India (GoI) several specific initiatives have been taken in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving Telecomm connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion. Some of the measures are as under:
The resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. The LWE related violence incidents and resultant deaths (Civilians + Security Forces) have come down from high of 2010 by 73% and 86% respectively in 2023.
The number of Police Stations reporting LWE related violence has been reduced significantly from 465 Police Stations of 96 districts in 2010 to 171 Police Stations across 42 districts in 2023. Decline in geographical spread is also reflected in the reduced number of districts covered under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. Number of SRE districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021.
This was stated by the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.