Military advisor to prepare anti-Naxal plan: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: A military advisor has been appointed to prepare an action plan for dealing with Maoists, home minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday even as he regretted that for many years the Naxal threat was "under-estimated."

Replying to questions in Rajya Sabha, he said a joint action plan was being drawn up with Naxal-affected states like Orissa and Chattishgarh. "Plans are being drawn up in close consultation with state governments ... we have also appointed a military advisor (for inputs on dealing with Left-wing extremism)," he said.

"Today they (Naxalites) pose a grave challenge ... We are preparing to taken on the challenge. Details cannot be disclosed now," he said.

The home minister said he was in close touch with chief ministers of the Naxal-affected states and would hold a meeting with them in August to discuss ways to counter Left-wing extremism. State-level plans are being drawn so that they can be integrated with the Centre's plan, he said.

"Regrettably for many years we did not properly assess the threat posed by Left-wing extremism. We under-estimated the challenge and in the meanwhile they (Naxalites) extended their influence," he said.