472 Naxals surrendered this year, highest in 3 years: Government

NEW DELHI: A total 472 Naxals have surrendered to security forces in Maoist-affected states so far this year, highest in last three years.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today told Lok Sabha that of the 472 Maoists who surrendered till October 2014, 247 laid down arms in Chhattisgarh, 80 in Odisha, 76 in Andhra Pradesh, 30 in Maharashtra, 17 in Jharkhand and 15 in Telangana.

The total number of Naxals who surrendered in 2013 was 283, 445 in 2012 and 394 in 2011.

Rijiju said to bring left-wing extremists (LWEs) into the mainstream, the state governments have their own surrender and rehabilitation policies.

The central government reimburses the expenditure incurred by the state governments for rehabilitation of surrendered LWEs in terms of its own policy in this regard.

It has revised the guidelines for the scheme in the affected states with effect from April 1, 2013. The rehabilitation package in the revised policy includes an immediate grant of Rs 2.5 lakh for high-ranked LWE cadre and Rs 1.5 lakh for middle/lower-ranked cadres who surrender before the state government concerned.

The cadres are provided a monthly stipend of Rs 4,000 for a period of three years for vocational training, Rijiju said.