By IANS,
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday said there was “urgent need for the central and state forces to work with coordination” to meet the challenge of Maoist extremism.
Addressing a meeting of the chief ministers of seven Maoist-affected states at his official residence here, Singh said: “We cannot afford to let inter-personal issues come in the way of our strategy to tackle left wing extremism.
“We must be and appear to be united and one in our resolve in execution of our strategies,” he said.
Besides the chief ministers, the day-long meeting was also attended by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, Defence Minister A.K. Antony and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Singh said there was improvement in intelligence sharing, deployment of paramilitary forces, augmentation of state police force and provision of funds under central
scehmes.
“However, more needs to be done,” he said.
“Not only regarding the overall strategy but even on the regular operational issues there should be coordination between the centre and the states,” he said.
The prime minister said that since each state has a different set of problems, administrative arrangements, strengths and weaknesses, “there is also a need for a state specific approach”.
He said that the developmental issues in the Maoist-affected states would be discussed in greater detail in the National Development Council (NDC) meeting to be held here July 24.
Manmohan Singh said the tribal areas have “lagged behind the rest of the country so far. This state of affairs needs to be changed”.
“Any development of tribal areas must also ensure that the tribal population has a stake in it, even after it has been adequately compensated for displacement,” Manmohan Singh said.
“For far too long have our tribal brothers and sisters seen the administration in the form of a rapacious forest guard, a brutal policeman, a greedy patwari. It is time that we provided a better delivery of service and one which is sensitive.”
The prime minister said there was “need for properly manning all posts in areas affected by left wing extremism.
“Without adequate and reasonably efficient staff, it would be difficult to implement any strategy or programme for these areas,” he said.
“I also think that we need more young men and women from these areas in our security forces,” the prime minister added.