As part of its multi-pronged strategy to tackle the Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the Centre has sanctioned additional funds of ₹14.25 crore to the district in the current fiscal (2020-21) under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) for the LWE-affected districts.
Critical gaps
According to sources, the additional funds would be spent on filling the critical gaps in public infrastructure and services in the LWE-affected pockets of the district, which shares a long border with Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar division, considered a stronghold of the banned CPI (Maoist).
Of the total funds of ₹71.67 crore sanctioned to the district under the SCA for 2020-21, nearly ₹68.18 crore amount has already been spent on various development works including roads, education, health, agriculture, irrigation and other infrastructure facilities in the LWE-affected areas of the district so far in the present fiscal, sources added.
The district administration has laid focus on effective utilisation of the remaining funds for the need-based infrastructure development works in the Agency areas in adherence to the stipulated norms before March 31, 2021.