Bhubaneswar: To eradicate left-wing extremism in the state, the Odisha government has launched a revised Maoist surrender and rehabilitation policy by enhancing financial assistance, rewards for surrendered firearms and others.
Odisha’s Home Department, in a notification, said, “The objective of the surrender and rehabilitation policy is to contain and eradicate left-wing extremism in the state by weaning away the hardcore LWE cadres. The policy also aims at ensuring that Naxalites, who surrender, do not revert to extremism by providing them with gainful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities.”
According to a notification issued on Thursday, the surrendered cadres will be classified into two categories, category A and B. High-ranking cadres such as central committee secretaries, central military commission chiefs, politburo members, central committee members, state committee members or equivalent rank, special zonal committee members, and regional committee members come under category A.
Similarly, the lower rank cadres, including divisional committee secretaries, military platoon commanders, divisional committee members, area committee secretaries, and area committee members are part of category B.
As per the fresh notification, the revised scheme, financial assistance has been raised from the earlier ceiling of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for category A. An aid of Rs 2.5 lakh will be provided to category B cadres. Rewards for surrendered weapons have also been substantially increased, it said.
If the Maoist surrenders with weapons in working condition, live ammunition, and explosives, he/she will be entitled to the benefits of enhanced financial assistance. He/she will avail Rs 4.95 lakh assistance if surrender with light machine gun (LMG), AK-47 rifle (Rs 3.3 lakh from Rs 10,000 earlier), SLR/Insas rifle (Rs 1.65 lakh from earlier Rs 10,000), and .303 rifle (Rs 82,500 from earlier Rs 5,000).
Active surrendered Naxalites carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh or more will be given an additional lump sum amount of Rs 10 lakh. This amount will be deposited as a fixed deposit in any bank by the district SP in the name of the surrendered naxalite, and the interest amount received from it will be given to them, the revised policy said.
After a period of 3 years from the date of fixed deposit, this amount will be given in lump sum to the surrendered naxalite, subject to satisfactory behaviour and conduct of the surrendered naxal, to be decided by the Surrender and Rehabilitation Committee on the recommendation of the district SP, it added.
PTI
