New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs is likely to reduce the budget under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme of five Maoist-affected States Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand and West Bengal as these States were not able to provide a major portion of their utilisation certificate for 2022-23 to the Centre.
Sources said that under the SRE scheme, funds are released state wise. “As per scheme guidelines, the states are incurring the expenditure and submitting the claims to the Ministry of Home Affairs. Based on the claims and guidelines and other relevant rules, reimbursement is made to the states,” sources said.
Following directives from Home Minister Amit Shah, officials concerned in the Home Ministry will have a review meeting of the SRE funds with these five States. The meeting will take place on Wednesday via video conferencing. Significantly, during a just concluded review meeting of Left Wing Effected (LWE) States in Delhi, Home Minister Amit Shah has reiterated his call to wipe out Naxalism from the country in next two years.
To address the LWE menace holistically, a National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE was approved in 2015. It envisages a multi-pronged strategy involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities. On security front, Central government assists the LWE affected State governments by providing Central Armed Police Forces battalions, training, funds for modernisation of State police forces, equipment & arms, sharing of intelligence and the construction of Fortified Police Stations.
Also read: Maoists abduct Bastar Fighters' jawan in Chhattisgarh; family appeals for release
During the last five years Rs 4,931 crore have been released for capacity building of the LWE affected states under the Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS), Security Related Expenditure (SRE) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) schemes. Furthermore, Rs 764 crore have been given to Central Agencies for use of helicopters and addressing critical infrastructure in security camps in LWE affected areas, under the Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE Management (ACALWEM) Scheme.
The SRE scheme for LWE affected areas, provides for capacity building of the States through provisions of ex-gratia to the family of civilians, security force personnel killed in LWE violence, training and operational needs of security forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, community policing, compensation for property damage by left wing extremists.
Regular reviews are undertaken for monitoring progress under the SRE scheme, sources said. The government said that the impact of initiatives, including the SRE scheme, taken by the MHA to address LWE menace has resulted in consistent decline in LWE violence and reduction in its geographical spread.
The government data said that the LWE violence incidents and resultant deaths have reduced by 77 per cent and 90 per cent respectively in 2022 compared to 2010. Improved scenario is also reflected in the number of districts reporting LWE violence, which has come down from 96 in 2010 to 45 in 2022. The Home Ministry has released Rs 8,445.48 lakhs to Jharkhand in 2021-22 which came down to Rs 6,094.67 lakhs in 2022-23. Similarly, West Bengal also registered a cut from its SRE funds in 2022-23 to Rs 206.69 lakhs from Rs 368.57 lakhs in 2021-22.
However, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Jharkhand and West Bengal registered an increase in its fund under SRE in the last financial year in comparison to 2021-22. From Rs 1,170.71 lakhs in 2021-22, Bihar received Rs 1,415.98 lakhs in 2022-23, Andhra Pradesh received Rs 1,039.49 lakhs in 2021-22 and Rs 1,422.68 lakhs in 2022-23, Kerala Rs 73.02 lakhs in 2021-22 to Rs 150.69 lakhs in 2022-23. Significantly, the geographical spread of LWE violence has also been constricted and the districts reporting violence also reduced from 96 (2010) to 45 (2022).
