LWE Violence Reduced by 65% Since 2014: Nityanand Rai
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Synopsis
Over the past decade, LWE violence has drastically reduced by 65.7%, falling from 1,091 incidents in 2014 to 374 in 2024. Minister Nityanand Rai highlighted improvements in fatalities and the number of affected districts, alongside a holistic approach that includes security enhancements and development initiatives.
Key Takeaways
- 65.7% decline in LWE violence since 2014.
- Fatalities reduced by 52% between 2014 and 2024.
- LWE-affected districts decreased from 126 to 38.
- Comprehensive National Policy and Action Plan initiated.
- Significant investments in road and telecommunications.
New Delhi, March 18 (NationPress) Over the past decade, incidents of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) violence have seen a significant decline of 65.7%, with only 374 incidents reported in 2024 compared to 1,091 in 2014, as disclosed in Parliament on Tuesday.
Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated in a Lok Sabha response that fatalities—both civilian and from security forces—have also decreased by 52%, dropping from 310 deaths in 2014 to 150 deaths in 2024.
He highlighted a notable reduction in the number of districts affected by LWE, which declined from 126 to 90 districts by April 2018, further to 70 by July 2021, and ultimately to 38 by April 2024.
The Minister mentioned that to tackle the LWE issue in a comprehensive manner, a “National Policy and Action Plan” was sanctioned in 2015. This plan outlines a multi-faceted approach that incorporates security measures, developmental initiatives, and the protection of local community rights and entitlements.
On the security aspect, the Central government supports LWE-affected states through capacity-building by supplying Central Armed Police battalions, offering training and funds for modernizing state police forces, providing equipment and arms, facilitating intelligence sharing, and constructing fortified police stations.
Under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme, funds are allocated for operational and training needs of security forces, expenses related to the rehabilitation of surrendered LWE members, community policing, village defense committees, and public awareness campaigns.
From 2014-15 to 2024-25, a total of Rs 3,260.37 crore has been disbursed under this scheme, according to the Minister.
On the development front, aside from flagship initiatives, the Central government has implemented various targeted projects in LWE-affected states, focusing particularly on enhancing road networks, improving telecommunications, and promoting skill development and financial inclusion.
For road connectivity enhancement, 14,607 km of roads have been constructed, and to improve telecom connectivity in LWE-affected areas, 7,768 towers have been set up.
Regarding skill development, 46 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 49 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have commenced operations, he added.
To foster financial inclusion, the Department of Posts has established 5,731 Post Offices providing banking services in LWE-affected districts. Additionally, 1,007 bank branches and 937 ATMs have been launched, along with 37,850 Banking Correspondents (BCs) operational in most LWE-affected regions.
