Hyderabad, July 18: Faced with continued naxalite violence, Andhra Pradesh government is all set to extend the ban on extremist outfit People's War Group (PWG) for yet another year and is unwilling to take any fresh initiative to resume the dialogue process, official sources said today. The ban, which has been in force since 1992 barring an year-long reprieve in mid-1990s, is to expire on July 22 and the TDP government will extend it by another year, the sources told a news agency here.

A meeting of the state cabinet, slated for July 21, is expected to approve the proposal for extending the ban as there was 'no sign of PWG giving up its violent path and joining the social mainstream'. The government is also hardening its stand on the issue of holding talks with ultras in view of the past experience. The dialogue process, initiated in May last year, had collapsed after PWG pulled out of talks citing continued 'fake police encounters'.

The imminent extension of the ban comes against the backdrop of PWG's steady loss of cadre, largescale surrenders, eroding support base and, more significantly, the growing instances of villagers staging revolt against its activities.

Emboldened by reports of public revolt against extremist outfit, the state government had announced attractive incentives for villages which muster courage and repel naxalite attacks. Bureau Report