Taking stock of the intensity of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) in the junction of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, and the borders of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana in the 26th Southern Zonal Council (SZC) meeting held here on Saturday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh agreed to augment the Central forces in the States fighting the Maoists.
He acknowledged that a concerted effort by the States would help in tackling the problem effectively.
Briefing media persons on the deliberations, Naini Jayaseelan, Secretary of the Inter-state Council Secretariat of Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), said the Home Minister has also responded positively to the proposal by LWE-affected States to reimburse the (security-related) expenditure incurred by them on fighting the Maoists.
Instructions were likely to be issued to the officials of MoHA to secure approval from the departments concerned, to ease the burden on the States. “MoHA is seized of the matter (LWE) and all issues related to LWE will be deliberated by the Cabinet Committee on Security”, Ms. Jayaseelan added.
I.Y.R. Krishna Rao, Chief Secretary, government of A.P, said participants in the council meeting emphasised the need for States to forge a better understanding of the problem to thwart the Maoists’ plan to further their agenda. The next meeting of SZC to be held at Thiruvananthapuram would take a fresh look at the issue.
