Up to Rs 25 lakh offered to surrendered Naxals

New Delhi: To motivate Naxals to join the mainstream, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have decided to offer up to Rs 25 lakh for any top Maoist leader who comes forward to surrender and give up the path of violence.

The decision has been taken by the two state governments following a suggestion of the Home Ministry to announce lucrative cash offer for the Maoists who are keen to lay down arms and join the mainstream.

Andhra Pradesh will give Rs 25 lakh to any politburo or central committee member offering to quit the Naxal movement while Odisha will offer Rs 20 lakh to a few top leaders operating in the state.

The cash will be given even if the Maoists come forward without any arms, a government official said.

The Home Ministry has been pressing for a new uniform surrender policy for all states that include offering Rs 5 lakh to anyone laying down a light machine gun and Rs 3 lakh to those depositing an AK-47 rifle.

The issue was discussed threadbare at a meeting of chief secretaries and directors general of police of Naxal-affected states chaired by Home Minister P Chidambaram here last month.

Currently state governments follow different surrender policies and packages that include financial incentives varying from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for each arm surrendered, depending on its make.

The policy announced by the Home Ministry last year offers incentive of Rs 15,000 for each deposited AK 47/56/74 rifle, Rs 25,000 for each rocket propelled grenade/sniper rifle and Rs 3,000 for each pistol or revolver.

"There is a need to review the existing surrender policy with bigger financial incentives. States have been asked to enhance the money while Centre will also provide funds. We want an uniformity for all states," the official said.

The states and the Centre are also firming up their policy to counter the negative propaganda of the Naxals as they have been trying to garner support among the middle class by raising the issue of human rights.

There were concerns in the Central government that many states have not been able to complete many of the Centrally-sponsored schemes, especially road projects, despite provision of required funds by the Home Ministry.

The Home Ministry also indicated that it was keen on extending the Integrated Action Plan (IAP) being implemented in 78 worst Naxal-affected districts.

Naxal violence has been reported in areas falling under 270 police stations in 64 districts in eight states.

The level of violence in Left wing extremism-affected states is still unacceptably high with 447 civilians and 142 security personnel killed in 2011.

Under the IAP, the government sanctioned Rs 25 crore in 2010-11 and Rs 30 crore in 2011-12 to each of these districts through which 63,416 projects were set up and 26,593 projects completed, incurring an expenditure of Rs 1,391 crore till 2011. The funds for the project are placed at the disposal of a committee headed by the district collector to oversee its implementation.

Among the projects undertaken under IAP scheme, providing drinking water, sanitation and electricity facilities together account for nearly 30 per cent of the projects. Setting up of school infrastructure accounts 16 per cent and Anganwadi centres 13.5 per cent.