Even though the State Government has been encouraging the CPI (Maoist) and other splinter group members to join the mainstream offering a rehabilitation package for them, host of those who followed the call are yet to be given their dues.
Data with the police suggests that most of the Naxals who surrendered during this financial year are still waiting for the benefits under ‘Operation Nai Disha’.
As many as 17 dreaded Naxals, mostly coming from lower cadres, have not been paid the compensation declared along with other facilities coming with the much acclaimed policy. It also came into light that ‘fund crunch’ is one of the reasons for pendency among others.
Dreaded Maoist leader Kundan Pahan, facing 128 cases including that of murder of senior police officers and carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, was paid the reward money, who surrendered in Ranchi before senior Police Officials in Ranchi on May 14 this year while those who surrendered before him are still waiting for it.
As per the data available with the official site of Jharkhand Police, a total of 152 Naxals have surrendered so far out of which 13 who surrendered in 2017 and five who surrendered before the police have not been paid their dues and benefits under Operation Nai Disha.
Dumka SP Mayur Patel Kanhaiya lal said the rehabilitation package of the surrendered Maoists of the district had already been forwarded which was pending with the State Government.
“Rehabilitation package for the surrendered Maoists have already been decided in a committee headed by DC, but they have not been paid as funds for the same has not been allotted from the State Government. As soon as the fund reaches to us, they will be paid their dues,” said the SP.
While his counterpart from lohardaga termed the figure not so alarming. “Out of the 18 surrendered Maoists from the district, 14 have been paid their dues while the process of paying their dues to the remaining four rebels is still in the process. Fund has already been given to us, they will be given their dues as soon as the process is completed,” said lohardaga SP Kartik S.
When asked for the reason, the top official of the State police termed it as technical delays. “Matter of giving reward money and other benefits to the surrendered Maoists is taken up individually and differs from case to case by a district level rehabilitation package committee headed by the Deputy Commissioners. After deciding the packages given to a surrendered Maoist, it makes a recommendation to the State Government which is given to them after a verification done by the Special Branch,” said IG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police Spokesperson Ashish Batra.
He, however, said that the processing takes some time, only after which the recommendation is made to the State Government.