**Summary:**
The Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement on August 12, 2025, detailing the Government of India's (GoI) efforts to curb Naxalism, also known as Left Wing Extremism (LWE). The GoI recognizes LWE as a significant internal security challenge and is addressing it through a multi-pronged approach outlined in the National Policy and Action Plan approved in 2015. This strategy involves security measures, development interventions, and ensuring the rights and entitlements of local communities.
On the security front, the GoI supports LWE-affected states by providing Central Armed Police Forces, sanctioning India Reserve Battalions, offering helicopter support, strengthening camp infrastructure, providing training and funds for modernization of state police forces, sharing intelligence, and constructing Fortified Police Stations (FPS). Since 2014-15, Rs. 3364.32 crore has been released to LWE-affected states under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme for capacity building, operational expenses, training, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, and ex-gratia payments. Works worth Rs. 1740 crore have been sanctioned under the Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) for strengthening State Special Forces, State Intelligence Branches (SIBs), District Police, and constructing FPS. 621 FPS have been constructed in LWE-affected states, with 543 built since 2014.
Development initiatives in LWE-affected areas focus on expanding road networks, improving telecommunication connectivity, education, skill development, and financial inclusion. Specifically, 14,928 km of roads have been constructed under the Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEA). 8,640 telecom towers have been commissioned, 46 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 49 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have been opened, 179 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) are functional, and the Department of Posts has opened 5899 Post Offices with banking services. Additionally, 1007 bank branches and 937 ATMs have been opened in the most LWE-affected districts. Under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme, Rs. 3,769.44 crore has been released since 2017 to address critical infrastructure gaps.
The implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan 2015 has resulted in a decline in violence and geographical spread of LWE. Incidents of violence and deaths of civilians and security forces have decreased by 81% and 85% respectively since 2010 (as of 2024). The number of LWE-affected districts has also decreased from 126 in 2013 to 18 in April 2025.
Developmental achievements in LWE affected states since 2014:
* Andhra Pradesh: 1184 KM Roads Constructed, 1507 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 22 EMRS Functional, 1 ITI Functional. 320 Bank Branches opened, 30 ATMs opened, 257 Post Offices.
* Bihar: 1868 KM Roads Constructed, 363 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 3 EMRS Functional, 8 ITI Functional. 264 Bank Branches opened, 171 ATMs opened, 38 Post Offices.
* Chhattisgarh: 3535 KM Roads Constructed, 1420 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 36 EMRS Functional, 9 ITI Functional. 14 Bank Branches opened, 1382 ATMs opened, 297 Post Offices.
* Jharkhand: 2600 KM Roads Constructed, 1589 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 73 EMRS Functional, 16 ITI Functional. 20 Bank Branches opened, 1240 ATMs opened, 349 Post Offices.
* Kerala: 83 KM Roads Constructed, 1 Mobile Towers Commissioned.
* Madhya Pradesh: 244 KM Roads Constructed, 162 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 8 EMRS Functional, 1 ITI Functional. 2 Bank Branches opened, 568 ATMs opened.
* Maharashtra: 720 KM Roads Constructed, 600 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 7 EMRS Functional, 2 ITI Functional. 845 Bank Branches opened, 82 ATMs opened, 25 Post Offices.
* Odisha: 792 KM Roads Constructed, 2421 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 59 EMRS Functional, 6 ITI Functional. 10 Bank Branches opened, 541 ATMs opened, 66 Post Offices.
* Telangana: 566 KM Roads Constructed, 319 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 11 EMRS Functional, 2 ITI Functional. 514 Bank Branches opened, 150 ATMs opened, 131 Post Offices.
* Uttar Pradesh: 503 KM Roads Constructed, 78 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 1 EMRS Functional, 1 ITI Functional. 224 Bank Branches opened.
* West Bengal: 98 KM Roads Constructed, 1 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 1 ITI Functional.
In total, 12012 KM Roads Constructed, 8640 Mobile Towers Commissioned, 220 EMRS Functional, 45 ITI Functional, 49 SDC functional. 5899 Post Offices opened, 1115 Bank Branches opened, 937 ATMs opened.
This information was provided by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha. Release ID: 2155637.
Key Entities Referenced
Left Wing Extremism: Refers to the Maoist insurgency affecting parts of India.
Ministry of Home Affairs: The Indian government ministry responsible for internal security.
National Policy and Action Plan 2015: A comprehensive strategy by the Government of India to address Left Wing Extremism, encompassing security measures, development interventions, and ensuring rights of local communities.
Central Armed Police Forces: The umbrella term for internal security forces in India under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
India Reserve Battalions: Battalions of State police forces in India, sanctioned by the Central Government to assist in maintaining law and order.
Security Related Expenditure: A scheme providing funds to LWE affected states for operational expenditure, training, rehabilitation, and ex-gratia payments.
Road Requirement Plan: One of the two LWE specific schemes for expansion of road network in LWE affected areas.
Eklavya Model Residential Schools: Schools established by the Government of India to provide quality education to tribal children, particularly in LWE affected areas.
Ministry of Home Affairs
CURBING NAXALISM
Posted On: 12 AUG 2025 5:23PM by PIB Delhi
The Left Wing Extremists perpetrate violence and kill innocent civilians and Security Forces as they believe
in violence as the means to capture State power. In past few decades, this has resulted in spiraling cycle of
violence in some parts of the country.
The poor and marginalized sections of the society especially the tribals have borne the brunt of this
violence as majority of civilians killed by Left Wing Extremists are tribals, often branded as ‘Police
Informers’ before being brutally tortured and killed. Ironically, it is the same tribals and the
economically underprivileged sections, whose cause the Maoists claim to espouse have been the
biggest victims of the so called ‘protected peoples war’ of the Left Wing Extremists against the
Indian State. The LWE affected areas are marred by dual challenges of a vicious circle of
backwardness and the security concerns arising out of LWE influence. Poverty, low levels of
literacy, poor health standards, lack of infrastructure and connectivity are all manifestations of LWE
violence.
1. As per Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, subjects of Police and Public Order are with the
State Governments. However, the Government of India (GoI) has been supplementing the efforts of
States affected by Left Wing Extremism (LWE). To address the LWE menace holistically, a “National
Policy and Action Plan to address LWE” was approved in 2015. It envisages a multi-pronged strategy
involving security related measures, development interventions, ensuring rights and
entitlements of local communities etc.
1. On security front, the GoI assists the LWE affected State Government by providing Central Armed
Police Forces battalions and sanctioning of India Reserve Battalions, helicopter support, strengthening
of camp infrastructure, training, funds for modernization of State police forces, equipment & arms,
sharing of intelligence, construction of Fortified Police Stations etc.
- Since 2014-15,
For capacity building of states, Rs.3364.32 crore have been released to LWE affected states, for
operational expenditure of forces, expenditure incurred on training State Police Forces, rehabilitation of
surrendered LWE cadre, ex-gratia to families of civilians killed in LWE violence/martyred security
force personnel etc. under Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. Works of Rs. 1740 crore have
been sanctioned to LWE affected states for strengthening of State’s Special Forces, State
Intelligence
Branches (SIBs), District Police and construction of Fortified Police Stations (FPS) under Special
Infrastructure Scheme (SIS).
- 621 Fortified Police Stations have been constructed in LWE affected states, of which 543 have been
constructed since 2014.
1. The efforts of the States for equipping and modernizing their police forces have been supplemented
under the scheme of “Assistance to States & UTs for Modernization of Police”. Under the scheme,
central assistance is provided to the State Governments for weapons, equipment for Information
Technology, Communication, Training, construction of Police stations, mobility and construction of
police housing and other police infrastructure etc.1. On development front, apart from the flagship schemes of Government of India (GoI), several LWE
affected areas specific initiatives have been taken with special thrust on expansion of road network,
improving telecommunication connectivity, education, skill development and financial inclusion. A few
of these are enumerated below:
For expansion of road network, 14,928 km have been constructed under 02 LWE specific schemes
(cid:108)
namely Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas
(RCPLWEA).For improving telecom connectivity in LWE affected areas 8,640 towers have been
commissioned.For Skill Development, 46 Industrial Training Institute (ITI) and 49 Skill Development
Centres (SDC) have been opened.For quality education in tribal areas 179 Eklavya Model Residential
Schools (EMRS) have been made functional.For financial inclusion, Department of Posts has opened
5899 Post Offices with banking services in LWE affected districts. 1007 Bank Branches & 937 ATMs
have been opened in Most LWE affected districts.For further impetus to development, funds are provided
for filling critical gaps in public infrastructure in Most LWE affected Districts under Special Central
Assistance (SCA) scheme. Till now, Rs. 3,769.44 crore have been released since the inception of Scheme
in 2017. State-wise developmental achievements in LWE affected areas since 2014 are attached as
Annexure.
1. The resolute implementation of the National Policy and Action Plan 2015 has resulted in consistent
decline in violence and constriction of geographical spread. LWE which has been a serious challenge to
the internal security of the nation has been significantly curbed in the recent times and has been
constricted to only a few pockets. The LWE related violence incidents and resultant deaths of civilians
& Security Forces, have come down from high of 2010 by 81% and 85% respectively in 2024. There
has also been a sharp decline in LWE affected districts from 126 in 2013 to 18 districts in April 2025.
*****
ANNEXURE
DEVELOPMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN LWE AFFECTED STATES SINCE 2014
B A N K I N G
TOUCH POINTS
POS IN MOST LWE
R O A D MOBILE
EMRSS I T I S D C T A F F E C T E D
STA CONSTR TOWERS
SANCT FUNCTI FUNCTI OFF DISTRICTS
TE UCTED ( COMMIS
IONED ONAL ONAL ICE B a n k
IN KM) SIONED BANK
S CORR
BRAN ATMs
ESPON
CHES
DENTS
AP 1184 1507 22 01 - 320 - 30 257
BH 1868 363 03 08 - 264 171 38 7874
CG 3535 1420 36 09 14 1382 297 268 5044
JH 2600 1589 73 16 20 1240 349 352 21357
KER - 83 01 - - - - - -
MP 244 162 08 01 02 568 - - -
MH 720 600 07 02 - 845 82 25 704
OD 792 2421 59 06 10 541 66 93 1481
TEL 566 319 11 - 02 514 150 131 1133
UP 503 78 - 01 01 224 - - -WB - 98 - 01 - 01 - - -
T O T
12012 8640 220 45 49 5899 1115 937 37,850
AL
This was stated by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs Shri Nityanand Rai in a
written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.
***
RK/VV/RR/HS/PS/PR
(Release ID: 2155637)