Jharkhand: Development work in Maoist area may benefit Congress

NEW DELHI: The dense sal forests of Saranda in Jharkhand hold some good news for the beleaguered Congress party. The Saranda Action Plan, the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s development-based response to Maoist rebels’ influence in the Saranda forests, has had “significant positive impact” in parts of the 855 square kilometre area of sal forests, which had been under Maoist control for more than a decade till 2011, according to an IIM, Ranchi study.

The Saranda Action Plan, put in place from January 2012, was conceived as a “change maker”. The attempt was to build the local population’s confidence in the state machinery, which was practically non-existent in the area, and to improve mobility, education and livelihood options to stem the influence of Maoist rebels or Naxals.

To achieve this end, the effort was to implement government’s developmental schemes ranging from provision of solar lamps to constructing rural roads to providing basic healthcare and education to revamping the public distribution system.

The study by IIM, Ranchi is a detailed review of the various facets of the Saranda Action Plan. The project has had the benefit of personal supervision by rural development minister Jairam Ramesh, who described the plan as a “challenge” and a demonstration of how “development and security can and should go hand-in-hand”. He was of the view that it is “a crucial project and a possible blue print for other states”.

The core area of Saranda forests, where the plan is being implemented, is home to 56 villages and six panchayats with a population of about 36,500. The IIM study, led by Moushumi Padhi, finds that projects have helped raise the aspirations of the people, compared to the situation prior to 2011, there is less fear and greater sense of security, as well as greater awareness of the measures being taken by the government.

As a result, there has been a decline in the migration out of the area. However, there are segments, which because of their remoteness, have not received the full benefit and impact of all the government schemes.

“The task cut out for the government now is to manage expectations of the people. The schemes have been successful in checking migration of the youth of the region and there is a heightened preference to stay back in the village, given the infrastructure and livelihoods opportunity,” according to the IIM assessment. Of the 10 integrated development centres that were proposed, one has been set up at Digha.

The study finds that the centre has the potential of developing and impacting the lives of the people at a much larger scale. “With the implementation of the schemes and the integrated development centre, the aspirations of the people have increased… has been an awareness of the steps the government is taking for the development of the region, which has set off a desire for more,” the study reports.

For the Congress, which has been working at recouping its tribal vote share, the “positive sentiment” comes as good news. The party hopes to convert this into electoral gains in Jharkhand with its high tribal population as well as in high tribal population areas in adjoining states.