Chhattisgarh CM discusses tackling of Naxal problem

RAIPUR: A month after the brutal attack on Congress leaders, Chhattisgarh government today held a meeting of the unified command to discuss anti-Naxal operations, besides strategies to ensure safety of people living in the affected areas.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Raman Singh asked the authorities to speed up implementation of various welfare programmes being run for the betterment of people living in Naxal-hit regions, an official said.

"He (Raman) also asked to develop different strategies to provide security to people," he added.

Senior state government officials also attended the meeting along with representatives of security forces.

Singh said the government is focusing on development and expansion of health and education facilities in tribal-dominated South Chhattisgarh, besides intensifying the anti-malnutrition drive there, the official said.

Need for better coordination among different government bodies and security agencies for the effective implementation of welfare schemes was also stressed upon.

Elaborating several government schemes, the Chief Minister informed that livelihood colleges were established in Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma regions of Bastar to provide skill development training to tribal youths.

Proper use of funds received under IAP (Integrated Action Plan) and BRGF (Backward Region Grant Fund) to catalyse the development in Bastar zone was also briefly discussed.

Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar, Principal Secretary, Home NK Aswal, DGP Ramniwas, Special DG (CRPF) Aruna Bahuguna and top officials of Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) also attended the meeting.