New Delhi: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar today highlighted "contradictions" in the Narendra Modi government’s anti-Maoist policy, accusing it of stopping key security and development schemes in the rebel zones.
He questioned the utility of convening security review meetings with the chief ministers of the Maoist-hit states – like the one held in Delhi today – when the Centre was not releasing funds to fight the rebels.
Union home minister Rajnath Singh chaired today’s meeting. Of the 35 districts the Centre has identified as the worst affected by Maoist insurgency, six – Gaya, Aurangabad, Nawada, Jamui, Banka and Muzaffarpur – are in Bihar.
Nitish said the UPA government had introduced several security and development schemes in Maoist-hit states, such as the Special Infrastructure Scheme, Integrated Action Plan and Security Related Expenditure.
"These schemes produced good results. Since last year the SIS and IAP schemes have been discontinued," Nitish said, according to a Bihar government release. He slammed the Centre for reducing the Plan component funds for police modernisation.
Nitish said the Centre was confining itself to a mere reviewer’s role and putting the entire onus of the Maoist fight on the states.
"Mere discussions with states will not suffice; the Centre will also need to take concrete steps. Financial grants will need to be continued for the schemes initiated earlier and their size and scope will need to be broadened."
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