Kolkata: The West Bengal government today
requested the Centre to include Maoist-hit Bankura and Purulia
districts in Special Development Fund (SDF) announced by the
Planning Commission.
Home Secretary Samar Ghosh told reporters after a
high-level meeting that the proposal would be officially
placed before the Centre during Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh`s meeting with the chief ministers of seven
Maoist-affected states on July 14.
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee,
however, would not be attending the meeting. He would be
represented by his cabinet colleague Health Minister Surjya
Kanta Mishra.
Ghosh said steps had been taken for implementing the
special package, announced on May 17, for development in
the Maoist-affected areas.
The state government required additional fund for the
purpose for which budgetary allocation had already been made,
he said, adding that some vacancies would also be filled up in
these areas.
Meanwhile, DGP Bhupinder Singh said despite the state
government`s appeal to the Maoists to surrender arms and
accept rehabilitation package, the state government was yet to
get any response.
Security Related Expenditure (SRP) through special
assistance had already been extended to 83 districts in seven
Maoist-affected states, of which 35 districts were worst hit.
"West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia are among the 83
districts, of which only West Midnapore included in the list
of 35 worst-affected districts," he said.
PTI
