DECLINE IN NAXALIST ACTIVITIES
To address the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) menace holistically, Government of India (GoI) approved ‘National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE’ in 2015. The Policy envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities, etc. The resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. Incidents of violence by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) which reached its highest level of 1936 in 2010 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 81 per cent. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 85 per cent during this period from 1005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024. During the last 06 years, incidents of violence by LWE which were 501 in 2019 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 25 per cent. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 26 per cent during this period from 202 deaths in 2019 to 150 in 2024. State wise details of LWE perpetrated violence in the last 06 years are as given under. State 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Andhra Pradesh 13 11 08 03 03 01 Bihar 48 17 20 11 04 02 Chhattisgarh 182 241 188 246 305 267 Jharkhand 166 154 100 96 129 69 Kerala 0 01 00 00 04 00 Madhya Pradesh 4 07 15 16 07 11 Maharashtra 48 13 15 16 19 10 Odisha 34 21 11 16 12 06 Telangana 6 05 04 09 03 08 West Bengal 0 00 00 00 00 00 TOTAL 501 470 361 413 485 374 The rise in violence in years 2022 and 2023 are on account of increased counter LWE operations as the Security Forces commenced entering in the core areas of CPI (Maoist). There has also been a sharp decline in the number of districts affected by LWE. The LWE affected districts have been reduced from 126 to 90 districts by April 2018, further to 70 by July 2021 and then to 38 by April 2024. While on security front, the Government of India (GoI) assists the LWE affected States for capacity building by providing Central Armed Police battalions, training and funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment and arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc. · Under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds are provided for strengthening of Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs), Special Forces, District Police and construction of Fortified Police Stations (FPSs). Under the SIS, Rs. 1741 crore have been sanctioned. 226 FPSs have been constructed under the Scheme in addition to 400 FPSs constructed earlier. On development side, apart from flagship schemes, GoI has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecommunication connectivity, skilling and financial inclusion. This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. **** RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS To address the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) menace holistically, Government of India (GoI) approved ‘National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE’ in 2015. The Policy envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities, etc. The resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in consistent decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. Incidents of violence by Left Wing Extremists (LWE) which reached its highest level of 1936 in 2010 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 81 per cent. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 85 per cent during this period from 1005 deaths in 2010 to 150 in 2024. During the last 06 years, incidents of violence by LWE which were 501 in 2019 have reduced to 374 in 2024 i.e. a reduction of 25 per cent. The total number of deaths (civilians + security forces) has also reduced by 26 per cent during this period from 202 deaths in 2019 to 150 in 2024. State wise details of LWE perpetrated violence in the last 06 years are as given under. State 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 Andhra Pradesh 13 11 08 03 03 01 Bihar 48 17 20 11 04 02 Chhattisgarh 182 241 188 246 305 267 Jharkhand 166 154 100 96 129 69 Kerala 0 01 00 00 04 00 Madhya Pradesh 4 07 15 16 07 11 Maharashtra 48 13 15 16 19 10 Odisha 34 21 11 16 12 06 Telangana 6 05 04 09 03 08 West Bengal 0 00 00 00 00 00 TOTAL 501 470 361 413 485 374 The rise in violence in years 2022 and 2023 are on account of increased counter LWE operations as the Security Forces commenced entering in the core areas of CPI (Maoist). There has also been a sharp decline in the number of districts affected by LWE. The LWE affected districts have been reduced from 126 to 90 districts by April 2018, further to 70 by July 2021 and then to 38 by April 2024. While on security front, the Government of India (GoI) assists the LWE affected States for capacity building by providing Central Armed Police battalions, training and funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment and arms, sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc. · Under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), funds are provided for strengthening of Special Intelligence Branches (SIBs), Special Forces, District Police and construction of Fortified Police Stations (FPSs). Under the SIS, Rs. 1741 crore have been sanctioned. 226 FPSs have been constructed under the Scheme in addition to 400 FPSs constructed earlier. On development side, apart from flagship schemes, GoI has taken several specific initiatives in LWE affected States, with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecommunication connectivity, skilling and financial inclusion. This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha. **** RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS