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Context:
The Centre has doubled the allocation of funds under the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) for financial year 2024-25.
Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA)
- The Government approved this scheme in 2016 for further improving road connectivity in Left Wing Extremist affected States.
- The RCPLWEA is a separate vertical under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
- Under the scheme 12162 km of roads and 705 bridges are sanctioned.
- Ministry of Rural Development is the nodal Ministry for this project.
- The roads included under the scheme have been identified by the Ministry of Home Affairs in consultation with the State Governments and the security agencies.
- It is aimed at providing all-weather road connectivity with culverts and cross-drainage structures in 44 worst-affected Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) districts and adjoining districts in nine states - Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh.
- Under the scheme, the Centre and states share the expenditure in 60:40 ratio — same as under PMGSY.
Recent allocation
LWE-affected states like Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand will receive Rs 200 crore each, followed by Andhra Pradesh with Rs 150 crore, while Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh will get Rs 140 crore each.
The Role Of Infrastructure In Counter-Insurgency
- Access to Basic Services: The RCPLWEA plays a critical role in addressing the root causes of extremism by providing remote regions with access to basic services and economic opportunities, thus reducing the appeal of extremist ideologies.
- Enhance government outreach: Improved road connectivity facilitates government outreach, enhances access to education and healthcare, and enables economic activities such as agriculture and trade to flourish.
- Quick mobilization of security forces: At the same time, these roads serve as crucial lifelines for security forces operating in hostile environments, allowing for quicker mobilization and better coordination of counter-insurgency operations.
Other important initiatives for LWE affected states
Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme:
- Under the Scheme, the Central Government reimburses security related expenditure for LWE affected districts.
- The reimbursement includes the expenditure relating to training and operational needs of security forces, ex-gratia payments to the family of civilians/security forces killed/injured in LWE violence, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadres, community policing, village defence committees and publicity materials.
Special Central Assistance (SCA) for most LWE affected districts:
The main objective of the Scheme is to fill the critical gaps in Public Infrastructure and Services in most LWE affected districts, which are of emergent nature.
Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS):
- This Scheme is being implemented as a sub-scheme of the Umbrella Scheme ‘Modernization of Police Forces’.
- Under the scheme funds are provided to States for strengthening the infrastructure related to Security.
Scheme of Fortified Police stations:
606 Fortified Police Stations have been constructed in LWE affected areas.
Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE management Scheme:
Under the Scheme, assistance is provided to Central Agencies (CAPFs/IAF etc.) for strengthening of infrastructure and hiring charges for Helicopters.
Civic Action Programme (CAP):
This Scheme is being implemented to bridge the gaps between Security Forces and local people through personal interaction and bring the human face of SFs before the local population.
Media Plan:
- The Maoists have been misguiding and luring the innocent tribals/ local population in LWE affected areas by their So-called poor-friendly revolution through petty incentives or by following their coercive strategy.
- Their false propaganda is targeted against the security forces and the democratic setup.
- Therefore, the Government is implementing this Scheme in LWE affected areas.
- Under the scheme activities like Tribal Youth Exchange programmes organized by NYKS, radio jingles, documentaries, pamphlets etc. are being conducted.
Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-I) for LWE affected areas:
- This Scheme is being implemented by Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for improving road connectivity in 34 LWE affected districts of 8 Statese. Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
- This scheme envisaged construction of 5,362 km roads lengths in LWE affected States, of which 5165km roads have been completed.
Telecom Connectivity:
3 telecom projects, namely, Mobile Connectivity Project Phase-I & Phase-II, Provision of 4G mobile services in uncovered villages of Aspirational Districts and Saturation of 4G mobile services, are being implemented in LWE affected areas to improve telecom connectivity.
Aspirational District:
The Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with the monitoring of Aspirational districts programme in 35 LWE affected districts.
Pradhan Mantri Janjati Adivasi Nyaya Maha Abhiyan (PM-JANMAN)
This campaign is an effort aimed at saturating Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups families with individual entitlements and habitations with basic facilities, by making these tribal communities aware about their entitlements.
Operation Samadhan-Prahar:
- Started in 2017, SAMADHAN is the acronym for S- smart leadership, A-aggressive strategy, M-motivation and training, A-actionable intelligence, D-dashboard based key result area (KRAs), H-harnessing technology, A-action plan for each theatre and N-no access to financing.
- This strategy has been proclaimed as the method to eliminate the Maoist movement in the country.
Must read articles
PRADHAN MANTRI GRAM SADAK YOJANA: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/pradhan-mantri-gram-sadak-yojna
LEFT WING EXTREMISM: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/left-wing-extremism-1
PERSPECTIVE: LEFT WING EXTREMISM: https://iasgyan.in/ig-uploads/pdf/RSTV_41.pdf
Source:
https://rural.gov.in/en/pm-janman
https://swarajyamag.com/infrastructure/how-centres-infrastructure-spending-aims-to-eradicate-left-wing-extremism-by-2026
https://indianexpress.com/article/india/days-after-amit-shah-sets-year-2026-as-extremism-free-target-centre-doubles-funding-for-road-connectivity-in-lwe-areas-9569780/
https://www.mha.gov.in/en/divisionofmha/left-wing-extremism-division
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PRACTICE QUESTION
Q.What do you understand by Left Wing Extremism (LWE)? Discuss the major factors behind the occurrence of LWE and the governmental action to root out the menace. 250 words
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