PM asks plan panel to develop special package for naxal-hit areas

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked the Planning Commission to work out a special package for Naxal-infested regions and the plan panel feels such regions should be freed from excessive state regulations.

"Prime Minister's Office has said that we need to work on left wing extremism (hit) districts... This is happening for the first time... we are looking at entire development strategy," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told PTI.

The Home Ministry in 2008 had identified 33 left wing extremism-hit districts spread over eight states -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh.

Elaborating on problems being faced by tribals with regard to exploitation of minor forest produce, especially bamboo and tendu leaves, Ahlwualia said, "It should not be subjected to regulation by the Forest Departments (of states)... which actually make them feel that they lost this right of livelihood".

The Commission, he added, was looking at the possibility of implementing the PESA (Panchayats Extension to Schedule Areas) Act, 1996, to give rights to tribals to use minor forest produce.

Although the Planning Commission had earlier set up a committee to look into the problem, "it has now been taken up in its totality," Ahluwalia said.

The Prime Minister had said, "Naxalism has emerged as the biggest single internal security challenge. This I have been stating for the last three years...

"This is a problem which has acquired a magnitude that cooperation between the centre and the states is absolutely necessary and that the Central government must help the states in every possible way."