Understandably, in a bid to ensure greater involvement of the State Government in the anti-naxal operations, the Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a missive to the State Chief Secretary to introspect both operational as well as the implementation of the Centrally-funded schemes for the upgrade and modernisation of the Police Forces.
The letter issued by the office of Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami also alleged that the Superintendents of Police (SPs) were not playing a pro-active role in the anti-Naxal operations. The MHA has also expressed concern over the non-utilisation of funds released to carry out anti-Naxal operations in the State.
Talking about the issues mentioned in the letter, Chief Secretary RS Sharma said, "It is generic in nature which has been issued to almost all lWE affected States depicting their shortcomings and expectations by the MHA."
We also believe that the SPs should play a pro-active role and lead the security forces during the anti-Naxal operations and directions related to it are passed by the Government from time to time, he added. "The Centre keeps on reviewing the ongoing operations and projects in the States and passes directions related to it," Sharma added.
According to the letter, the absence of pro-active intent and action on the part of the District Superintendent of Police is a cause for concern for the Centre. Moreover, Jharkhand does not have a credible and institutionalised regime for the surrender and rehabilitation for the lWE cadres resulting to which, only 15 Maoists have surrendered during the entire year, which is a small number, stated the letter.
It has also been pointed out that the State has failed to follow most of the parameters in the guidelines issued by the Centre which has to be adhered to in order to be eligible for funds under the scheme for the upgrade of Special Forces — 'Jharkhand Jaguar' in the lWE affected States like Jharkhand. It said that the force does not fulfil the basic requirements such as an independent Inspector General as its head. The letter also condemns the State for not even being able to get the money, meant for the upgrade of the forces, released to the executing agency.
However, the senior officials in the Police department believe that it has become a common feeling among the people sitting at the Centre that what is to be done is not being done in the State. This letter should also been seen in the same perspective, they said.
The letter added that the State has not been able to start work in the 29 police stations out of a total of 75 identified under the scheme of Fortified Police Station Scheme, while the project is about to be completed in the other lWE affected States. Similarly, out of a total of 753 km construction work, only 274 km has been completed under the Road Requirement Plan for the lWE affected States.
The statistics available with the MHA reveals that Jharkhand still continues to be the worst-hit lWE affected State with a total number of 383 violent incidents in 2013, killing 150 people, including 30 security personnel, while only 12 Maoists were killed.