More infrastructure plans for Naxal areas

The government is planning to add 18 more districts to the list of 60 Maoist influenced districts already under the IAP. The plan gives a grant of Rs 25 to 30 crore to each districts and provides three professionals attached to each collector to see proper implementation of development schemes. The young professionals with IT, business or management background are to  be employed at a salary of Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 each.

The Centre will fund the scheme through the Council for Advancement of People’s Action and Rural Technology, which assists more than 12,000 voluntary organisations in implementing development activities across the country. Lack of banking or post office facilities in these extremely backward  tribal regions have impeded implementation of various development plans, sources said.

PM Manmohan Singh this week suggested that  police stations in Naxal hit areas could be used for opening banks and post offices. The IAP would focus on the construction of roads in the villages which could later become arteries for further development. Rural development minister Jairam Ramesh is understood to have sought the Prime Minister’s intervention for implementation of  Pradhan Mantir Gramin Sadak Yojayana (PMGSY) in the Maoist affected districts.