CCS to set up panel to scan Naxal menace

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters that broadly, the general approach was not only to deal with the law enforcement machinery, that is policing, but also to consider aspects relating to comprehensive development of the affected areas, especially the tribal areas.

Mukherjee said the CCS, which met for 75 minutes, reviewed the various aspects of Naxalism and Left-wing extremism, and the approach to be adopted by the Centre at the CMs’ conference. No other issue came up at the meeting, he added.

Sources said that while the Centre is keen on providing paramilitary forces to curb the violence, the states, in their representations, have been asking for more money to augment their local police. However, no decision on providing more money to the states was taken, they added.

The states’ views, explained at the meeting, was that paramilitary forces being from outside the state were unaware of the local problem while the state police was familiar with the terrain as well as the local issues.

Andhra Pradesh government, which has lifted the ban on the People’s War Group, recently initiated talks with the outfit to find a solution to the long-standing problem. Besides AP, the states affected by Naxalism include Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.

Except External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, who is out of the country, the meeting was attended by Mukherjee, Patil as well as Finance Minister P. Chidambaram.