Centre grants Rs. 192 crore for development in naxal affected areas

NEW DELHI - Union Home Secretary G K Pillai said on Friday that the Centre has released Rs. 192 crore under various projects to areas disturbed by the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) during last fiscal.

Presenting the April month report card of the Home Ministry, Pillai said the naxal-affected states of Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Bihar were granted approval for the recruitment of 6,666 special police officers (SPO).

During the fiscal 2009-10 Home Minister P Chidambaram visited naxal affected areas for 12 times.

Earlier in the day, addressing the meeting of MPs of 33 worst LWE affected districts, Chidambaram called for better utilization of funds, provided by the Centre for development these districts

Citing statistics, Chidambaram said as on April 25 utilization of funds released for these districts under major development schemes varied from scheme to scheme.

The utilization was 46.23 per cent under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, 62.83 per cent under the National Rural Health Mission, 72.92 per cent under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana, 85.81 per cent under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, 80.35 per cent under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 86.37 percent under Drinking Water Supply, 86.70 per cent under Integated Child Development Services , 71.52 per cent under Indira Awas Yojana, 5.86 per cent for Ashram Schools and 66.01 per cent under the Forest Rights Act.

Chidambaram said there was a need to improve the financial and physical performance of major developmental schemes in the worst-affect districts.(ANI)