Left Wing violence reduced by 77 per cent from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021: MHA

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New Delhi: The incidents of Left Wing violence reduced by 77 per cent from all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021, said Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai while giving a written reply to the query of Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh on the Left Wing Extremism in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The MoS for Home said, "The steadfast implementation of the `national policy and action plan to address Left Wing Extremism (LWE) 2015 has resulted in a consistent decline in LWE violence," adding "The incidents of LWE violence have reduced by 77 per cent from an all-time high of 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021. Similarly, the resultant deaths (civilians and security forces) have reduced by 85 per cent from an all-time high of 1,005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021."

Rai said that the geographical spread of the violence has also reduced as only 46 districts reported LWE-related violence in 2021 as compared to 96 districts in 2010, adding that the decline in the geographical spread is also reflected in a reduced number of districts covered under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme. The number of SRE districts was also reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018 and further to 70 in July 2021, the minister added. 

According to him, the number of districts contributing approximately 90 per cent of the LWE violence, categorised as `Most LWE Affected Districts`, came down to 30 from 35 in 2018 and further to 25 in 2021.

Rai further stated that as per the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of `Police and Public Order` are with the state governments. However, to address the LWE menace holistically, a National Policy and Action Plan were launched in 2015. It envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security-related measures, development interventions, ensuring the rights and entitlements of local communities.

On the security front, the MoS also said, the government of India supports the LWE-affected state governments by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, helicopters, training, funds for the modernisation of State police forces, arms and equipment, sharing of intelligence and construction of Fortified Police Stations.

SRE Scheme and Special Infrastructure Scheme to fight LWE menace 

The Union minister said, "The Central government also provides funds for capacity building of the LWE affected States under various schemes like Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme and Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) to fight the LWE menace effectively." 

Under the SIS, Rai said, projects worth Rs 991.04 crore have been approved during 2017-21 for upgradation and strengthening of Special Forces (SFs) and Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs) and for construction of 250 Fortified Police Stations in LWE affected areas. Under the SRE Scheme, Rs 2,299 crore has been released to states from 2014-15. 

On the development front, he said, the Centre has taken several specific initiatives in LWE-affected states giving special thrust to the expansion of road network, improving Telecommunication connectivity, skill development and financial inclusion.  More than 11,230 km of roads have already been constructed in LWE-affected areas under specific schemes like Road Requirement Plan-1 (RRP-I) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE-affected areas (RCPLWEA).

According to Rai, a total of 2,343 mobile towers were installed under Phase 1 and a work order has been issued for 2,542 towers under Phase-I of the Mobile Connectivity Project for LWE Affected areas. The minister further said that Rs 3,085.74 crore has been released to the most LWE-affected districts under the scheme `Special Central Assistance (SCA)` to fill the critical gaps in public infrastructure and services.

"Special focus has been given on Skill Development and Entrepreneurship of the youth in these areas. 47 Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and 68 Skill Development Centres (SDC) have been approved under Skill Development Scheme in 47 districts affected by LWE," Rai said, adding "For financial inclusion of the local populace in these areas, 1,258 Bank Branches were opened, 1348 ATMs were installed and 22,202 Banking Correspondents have been made functional in 30 Most LWE affected districts in the last seven years. Further, 4,903 new Post Offices have also been opened in 90 LWE-affected districts in the last seven years." 

Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day over GST, inflation

The Rajya Sabha on Wednesday was adjourned for the day as the Opposition continued to create a ruckus on increased GST on food items and rising inflation issues. The Upper House will resume again at 11 am on Thursday. Earlier in the morning, opposition parties disrupted the proceedings following which the Upper House was adjourned till 2pm.

Shortly after the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Mallikarjun Kharge began addressing the issue amid chaos, Upper House Chairman Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the House till 2 pm. The Upper House was adjourned without any business as the Opposition raised issues for an immediate discussion.

Both the Houses of Parliament are witnessing repeated adjournments following the ruckus by the Opposition leaders since the commencement of the Monsoon session on July 18. On the repeated adjournments of both the Houses of the Parliament by the Opposition, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Wednesday took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying that Wayanad MP who has been politically unproductive is now hell-bent on ensuring to bring down the productivity of Lok Sabha.

Irani specifically attacked Rahul Gandhi, saying, "A gentleman who has made his political collogue to ensure that productive debate does not take place in Parliament had a chequered Parliamentary history. As the Amethi MP, he never posed any questions in Parliament once he abandoned Amethi and went to Wayanad his attendance in the Winter Session of Parliament in 2019 was merely 40 per cent."

The BJP MP remark came ahead of the third day`s proceedings in the Monsoon Session, the BJP hit out at the Opposition, accusing it of "disrespecting Parliament, bringing down its productivity".

On Tuesday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar tabled a bill in the Rajya Sabha to amend the Weapons of Mass Destruction and their Delivery Systems (Prohibition of Unlawful Activities) Act of 2005 to provide against the financing of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems so as to fulfil India`s international obligations.

(With ANI Inputs)