NEW DELHI: With the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh asking the Centre and states to work together to deal with the "very grave threat" posed by Maoists, the CMs during the conference on internal security here on Wednesday vowed to use "all their might" to counter the Maoist insurgents through a "uniform approach" under a national policy.
Consensus to adopt a national policy to deal with Naxalism is considered a major shift from the existing system, where every Maoist-affected state has its own way to deal with the problem.
The states also agreed to adopt Andhra Pradesh-model of policing to deal with the Red Ultras. Besides having a strong special force (Greyhounds), the state had over the years worked diligently to strengthen police stations in Naxal-affected districts.
The Centre agreed to provide adequate fund to the states for improving the basic police infrastructure and fill the critical security gaps of over one lakh square kilometers in the affected states through recruitment, training and deployment.
Setting the tone for the June 10 all-party meeting over the Maoist issue which is being convened in the backdrop of the last month's Chhattisgarh killings to build a broader national consensus on the strategy to tackle the Naxalite challenge, the leaders also adopted a resolution during the conference showing complete unity in dealing with the Maoist menace.
Deliberations on strategy to deal with the problem also saw CMs of seven Naxal-affected states agreed to have a policy where the states can directly procure forest resources like tendu leaf through a minimum support price (MSP) mechanism so that such economic activity does not fall into the Maoists' hands.
"At present, these lucrative forest produce are being procured by private contractors who have to part their earnings with Maoists out of fear. Once states start procuring these products, it will help in blocking the 'finance' of Red Ultras," said an official.
Addressing the CMs, the PM also showed urgency to develop a mechanism where both the Centre and states can work together. Admitting that the Chhattisgarh Naxal attack was a "setback" to the success story achieved by the government in tackling the Maoists, he said the time has come to view the challenges of terrorism, communal violence and left wing extremism in a holistic manner, rising above narrow, political and ideological divides.
"I think each one of us needs to be completely objective in our approach to these issues, acting in national interest rising above narrow political and ideological divides. I would appeal to all political parties and all sections of society to work together to find effective ways and means of meeting these grave challenges," Singh said.
Most of the chief ministers and lieutenant governors of Union Territories attended the Conference. West Bengal CM Mamata Bannerjee and Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa were among the notable absentees.
There was a separate session for seven Naxal-affected states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra — to discuss the Maoists issue in the conference.
Interestingly, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi too earlier during his speech pitched for including his state in all deliberations concerning Naxalism taking in view the urban plan of the CPI (Maoists) which include Golden Corridor of the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad industrial belt as one of its main targets.........................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wNi8wNiNBcjAwODAz&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
Consensus to adopt a national policy to deal with Naxalism is considered a major shift from the existing system, where every Maoist-affected state has its own way to deal with the problem.
The states also agreed to adopt Andhra Pradesh-model of policing to deal with the Red Ultras. Besides having a strong special force (Greyhounds), the state had over the years worked diligently to strengthen police stations in Naxal-affected districts.
The Centre agreed to provide adequate fund to the states for improving the basic police infrastructure and fill the critical security gaps of over one lakh square kilometers in the affected states through recruitment, training and deployment.
Setting the tone for the June 10 all-party meeting over the Maoist issue which is being convened in the backdrop of the last month's Chhattisgarh killings to build a broader national consensus on the strategy to tackle the Naxalite challenge, the leaders also adopted a resolution during the conference showing complete unity in dealing with the Maoist menace.
Deliberations on strategy to deal with the problem also saw CMs of seven Naxal-affected states agreed to have a policy where the states can directly procure forest resources like tendu leaf through a minimum support price (MSP) mechanism so that such economic activity does not fall into the Maoists' hands.
"At present, these lucrative forest produce are being procured by private contractors who have to part their earnings with Maoists out of fear. Once states start procuring these products, it will help in blocking the 'finance' of Red Ultras," said an official.
Addressing the CMs, the PM also showed urgency to develop a mechanism where both the Centre and states can work together. Admitting that the Chhattisgarh Naxal attack was a "setback" to the success story achieved by the government in tackling the Maoists, he said the time has come to view the challenges of terrorism, communal violence and left wing extremism in a holistic manner, rising above narrow, political and ideological divides.
"I think each one of us needs to be completely objective in our approach to these issues, acting in national interest rising above narrow political and ideological divides. I would appeal to all political parties and all sections of society to work together to find effective ways and means of meeting these grave challenges," Singh said.
Most of the chief ministers and lieutenant governors of Union Territories attended the Conference. West Bengal CM Mamata Bannerjee and Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa were among the notable absentees.
There was a separate session for seven Naxal-affected states — Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra — to discuss the Maoists issue in the conference.
Interestingly, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi too earlier during his speech pitched for including his state in all deliberations concerning Naxalism taking in view the urban plan of the CPI (Maoists) which include Golden Corridor of the Pune-Mumbai-Ahmedabad industrial belt as one of its main targets.........................................http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=VE9JS00vMjAxMy8wNi8wNiNBcjAwODAz&Mode=Gif&Locale=english-skin-custom
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