Overview
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been implementing a comprehensive programme to curb LWE through both security and development measures. The cornerstone is the National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE. Under this policy, the Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme was launched in 2017.
Key Developments (2017‑2026)
- Financial outlay: ₹4,282.96 crores released to states since 2017.
- Road network: 15,189 km of roads built under the Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEA).
- Tele‑communication: 9,497 mobile towers commissioned.
- Skill development: 47 Industrial Training Institutes (ITI) and 49 Skill Development Centres (SDC) opened.
- Education: 179 EMRS made functional.
- Financial inclusion: 6,025 post offices with banking services, 1,804 bank branches and 1,321 ATMs set up in the most affected districts.
Important Facts
The initiatives target the “most LWE‑affected districts”, a classification based on insurgency intensity. The combined effort of security operations and development has been described by Shri Nityanand Rai, Minister of State (MHA), as having “liberated the entire country from LWE”. While the claim is political, the data shows substantial infrastructure investment and service delivery in previously neglected regions.
Exam Relevance
Understanding this programme is vital for GS 2 (internal security, governance) and GS 3 (development financing, infrastructure). Questions may ask about the role of central schemes in conflict‑affected areas, the impact of infrastructure on insurgency, or the evaluation of policy outcomes. The figures also illustrate how fiscal allocations are tracked and reported in parliamentary answers.
Way Forward
Future steps could include:
- Monitoring the quality and utilization of roads, schools and skill centres.
- Integrating digital services to improve governance in remote blocks.
- Periodic impact assessments to gauge reduction in LWE incidents.
- Ensuring community participation to sustain socio‑economic gains.
For aspirants, linking these development measures with the broader security strategy will help answer essay‑type questions on “development as a tool for internal security”.