Projects flouting norms reflect modern face of naxalism: Jairam Ramesh

Underlining rural development as the key to tackle Left wing extremism, Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today said "a modern face of naxalism" is reflected in the projects that violate the environmental and forest norms.

"The modern face of naxalism is reflected in projects thatflout environment and forest norms....projects like POSCO, Vedanta, bauxite mining in Araku and (thermal project) in Sompeta. These are serious issues that could acquire naxal overtones if not handled well," the Union minister told a  ress conference after a review meeting on Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected districts in Andhra Pradesh here.

Ramesh said controlling naxalism through development should be the mantra and the "most pressing task" was to resolve land-related issues.

"In the long run, naxalism can be countered successfully through proper, transparent and accountable rural development programmes," he added.

"Land records, productivity and management are very significant. Secondly, we need a completely different approach to manpower planning and we also need to invest more in infrastructure like housing. The storage infrastructure in rural areas has to be expanded for agriculture produce and minor forest produce," the minister said.

Highlighting the "five characteristics" of naxal-infested districts, Ramesh said, "Most of them are tribal-dominated, most are forest-rich, most are mineral-rich and most are in tri-junction areas like Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh-AP, AP-Chhattisgarh-Odisha and they are remote, very distant from the state headquarters with no proper road connectivity and infrastructure problems".