* * * <http://jharkhand.org.in/>* ** ** ** ** **
* The Union Home Ministry has embarked on micro-level planning to usher in development in the naxal-hit areas. The Ministry has selected the worst affected Dantewada district in Chhattisgarh to act as a role model. ''It is for the first time that the Home Ministry has selected a particular district and wants to become a role model for other naxal affected states,'' a senior official said. He said that at a recent meeting of the Inter Ministerial Group (IMG) on naxal problem, it was felt that central schemes for development of roads and effective launching of flagship programmes, like rural job guarantee scheme and Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (education for all) in Dantewada might yield the desired results. The IMG headed by Vinay Kumar, Additional Secretary (Naxal Management), in the Home Ministry, focuses on developmental issues in the affected areas as the security establishment feels that the problem can be solved only through a holistic approach. The IMG meeting was attended by senior officials, from the departments of health, rural development, tribal affairs, forests, human resources development, and information and broadcasting. ''It has been decided to put development schemes of these departments on the fast track,'' the official said. It was also decided to have transit hostels in Dantewada district to provide security to officials. The IMG meeting also discussed the request from Chhattisgarh government for central assistance for upgrading of the National Highway passing through Dantewada district to expedite development activities. The state government has also sought central assistance for construction of an additional 'anganwadi centre' and houses under the Indira Awaas Yojana. Dantewada is one of the eight districts in four states - Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand, selected by the Home Ministry for integration of different welfare schemes for their effective implementation to counter the naxal menace. The districts are Aurangabad and Gaya in Bihar, Bijapur and Dantewada in Chhattisgarh, Chatra and Palamu in Jharkhand, and Malkagiri and Rayagad in Orissa. Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Orissa have witnessed more incidents of Left-wing extremism as per Home Ministry figures. The Centre has sent 33 battalions of paramilitary forces to the Naxal-affected states, including 13 to Chhattisgarh, which was the most affected. ** ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080040929&ch=2/10/2008%206:31:49%20PM * ** ** ** ** ** <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> *Jharkhand Online Network * . -- Jharkhand News [EMAIL PROTECTED] Jharkhand Online Network www.jharkhand.org.in/news
