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Centre doles out sops for Naxal-hit districts
In a bid to tackle the Naxal menace in 60 most affected districts, the Centre has decided to start major initiatives there .
New Delhi: In a bid to tackle the Naxal
menace in 60 most affected districts, the Centre has decided
to start major initiatives there which includes IAY housing
for people whose homes have been destroyed and construction of
concrete roads.
The Rural Development Ministry has also planned to start a PPP initiative with private companies for value addition in non-timber forest produce in six districts of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as a pilot project. Talking to reporters, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the decisions have been taken for the same and this will go to the Ratification Committee on Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts headed by a Planning Commission member, which has been delegated all the powers by Cabinet.
"We are actually going to them for four major decisions. First is Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. We are going to allow concrete roads to be built in the highly affected blocks in the 60 districts. Normally, we build black top roads. But on security point of view, cement concrete roads will be done," Ramesh said. He said 90 per cent of amount for the construction of the roads will be borne by the Centre and 10 per cent will be borne by the state. At present, the ratio stands at 50-50.
The government also decided to make all sections of people whose houses were destroyed in Naxal violence eligible for housing under the Indira Awas Yojana in these districts.
"Suppose you are a victim of Naxal violence, your house is burnt, irrespective of BPL or APL you will be eligible for IAY houses," Ramesh said.
"For disabled, widows and old age beneficiaries, the district administration will construct the IAY houses. Right now, what happens is, we give the money, yet these people are unable to construct houses," the Minister added.
All the 60 IAP districts would be covered under the National Rural Livelihood Mission by March 31, 2013, he said.
"We will start a programme for placement linked jobs for 3,00,000 unemployed youths in these 60 districts over the next five years. These youths will be trained and provided jobs," Ramesh said.
PTI
The Rural Development Ministry has also planned to start a PPP initiative with private companies for value addition in non-timber forest produce in six districts of Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as a pilot project. Talking to reporters, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh said the decisions have been taken for the same and this will go to the Ratification Committee on Integrated Action Plan (IAP) districts headed by a Planning Commission member, which has been delegated all the powers by Cabinet.
"We are actually going to them for four major decisions. First is Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. We are going to allow concrete roads to be built in the highly affected blocks in the 60 districts. Normally, we build black top roads. But on security point of view, cement concrete roads will be done," Ramesh said. He said 90 per cent of amount for the construction of the roads will be borne by the Centre and 10 per cent will be borne by the state. At present, the ratio stands at 50-50.
The government also decided to make all sections of people whose houses were destroyed in Naxal violence eligible for housing under the Indira Awas Yojana in these districts.
"Suppose you are a victim of Naxal violence, your house is burnt, irrespective of BPL or APL you will be eligible for IAY houses," Ramesh said.
"For disabled, widows and old age beneficiaries, the district administration will construct the IAY houses. Right now, what happens is, we give the money, yet these people are unable to construct houses," the Minister added.
All the 60 IAP districts would be covered under the National Rural Livelihood Mission by March 31, 2013, he said.
"We will start a programme for placement linked jobs for 3,00,000 unemployed youths in these 60 districts over the next five years. These youths will be trained and provided jobs," Ramesh said.
PTI