Image showing security personnel during a combing operation against Naxals.
For representational purposes.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Ranchi: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Friday wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding that the Centre waive Rs 13,300 crore due in lieu of deployment of CRPF for carrying out anti-Naxal operations in the state.
If the state is forced to pay such a huge amount, it will adversely impact development schemes in Jharkhand, Soren said.
“It is the joint responsibility of the state and central governments to root out extremism... I urge the central government to completely waive the pending dues of Rs 13,299.69 crore to be paid by the state government in lieu of the deputation of Central Reserve Police Force for conducting anti-Naxal operations in the state of Jharkhand,” Soren wrote in the letter.
More than 400 police personnel were killed in anti-Naxal operations in the state as Jharkhand remains an extremist-hit state since its creation, he said.
“I expect cooperation and a positive attitude from the Centre in waiving the dues under cooperative federalism,” Soren said.
The CM cited multiple challenges the state faced in running development schemes due to paucity of funds.
“After the Covid-19 pandemic, the state government is engaged in economic revival, dealing with disasters and successful implementation of other public welfare schemes. Due to its limited resources, the financial burden on the state has increased a lot. In such a situation, payment of pending amount against the deputation of CRPF will put a huge financial burden on the state government, which will consequently affect the development schemes,” the letter mentions.
Soren said Jharkhand has been an extremist-affected state since its formation in 2000.
In the Naxal eradication campaign, the state government has been conducting operations with the help of its available resources and the CRPF, he said.
As a result of this, there has been a significant reduction in extremist activities in the state, Soren said.
The chief minister requested the Centre to take necessary action in order to waive the retention fee related to the deputation of central paramilitary forces in the Naxal eradication campaign under the principle of Cooperative Federalism.
The Jharkhand Police earlier in the day said a massive manhunt is underway to nab 55 Naxalites, including top CPI (Maoist) commanders, carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 8.45 crore on their heads.
It said security forces launched an extensive operation to weed out Naxalites from the state, and during the past six months, 197 Maoists have been arrested, while 10 of them surrendered and 17 were killed.