Scheme for Naxal-hit areas extended

The government has decided to extend the Integrated Action Plan (IAP), a specially conceived development programme for worst Naxal-affected districts, for four more years with annual allocation of Rs 1,000 crore. According to the fresh proposal, each of the 82 IAP districts will be given Rs 5 crore annually while remaining Rs 590 crore will be distributed among the districts on the basis of their population and area. "Since it is a highly successful development programme, the government has decided to continue it for four more years," a government official said. The funds under the scheme are placed at the disposal of a committee headed by district collector and consisting of the superintendent of police and the forest officer.

The nine states under the plan are -- Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal. IAP is implemented under direct supervision of the Planning Commission in 82 selected tribal and backward districts for accelerated development. The aim of this initiative is to provide public infrastructure and services in Maoist-affected districts. Originally, a sum of Rs 25 crore and Rs 30 crore was released to 60 districts during the financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12 respectively.