Ministry of Home Affairs Development Update for LWE Affected Districts
The Ministry of Home Affairs provided a detailed development update on Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts through a written parliamentary reply by Minister of State Shri Nityanand Rai. The development initiatives are part of the 'National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE' approved in 2015, which employs a multi-pronged strategy involving security measures, development interventions, and ensuring rights of local communities.
Under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme initiated in 2017, approximately ₹4,282.96 crores have been released to states for filling critical gaps in public infrastructure in the most LWE-affected districts. Several LWE-specific development initiatives have shown significant progress: 15,189 km of roads have been constructed under two specific schemes (Road Requirement Plan and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas), 9,497 telecom towers have been commissioned to improve connectivity, and 47 Industrial Training Institutes along with 49 Skill Development Centres have been opened for skill development.
In the education sector, 179 Eklavya Model Residential Schools have been made functional to provide quality education in tribal areas. For financial inclusion, the Department of Posts has opened 6,025 post offices with banking services in LWE-affected districts, complemented by 1,804 bank branches and 1,321 ATMs opened in the most affected districts.
The government reported that as a result of resolute policy implementation, the entire country has been liberated from LWE, with sustained security and development efforts creating a favorable environment for comprehensive socio-economic transformation of regions that were affected by LWE for decades.