Cloud on Red zone scheme

NOTE: This report failed to analyse in a logical way. Kalahandi, Nuapada, Balangir, Sonepur and Nabarangpur were included in IAP as KBK district (as part of Koraput was already red area) which was clearly mentioned while announcing the program. Though Balangir is a BJD constituency and Kalahandi a congress, state Govt had demanded more funds for KBK which center denied and included in IAP and backward district program.

The Telegraph (Kolkata), Jan 21, 2011
NISHIT DHOLABHAI

New Delhi, Jan. 20: Twelve districts that face no apparent Maoist threat have recently been added to the list of those worst affected by the rebels, officials said.

They hinted that powerful politicians with influence in these 12 districts were eyeing a share of the development funds earmarked for the Red zones.

Of the 12 districts, at least eight fall within the Lok Sabha constituencies of Congress MPs. Seven of the districts are in Madhya Pradesh and were apparently included under pressure from an influential MP from the state. Four are in Orissa and one in Chhattisgarh.

The original list was of 48 districts. The home ministry had proposed they be brought under the “integrated action plan” the Planning Commission had prepared last year, earmarking Rs 25 crore for each district.

The 48 “worst-hit” districts had been selected from among 83 Maoist-hit districts (from nine states) that were part of the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. Only one Bengal district, West Midnapore, was on the list of 48 although Purulia and Bankura too are on the SRE list.

None of the 12 districts added later, whose inclusion has boosted the “worst-hit” list to 60, were on the SRE list.

Before the government finalised the project, the Planning Commission made presentations before several ministries. “During the presentation before the finance ministry, it was noticed that most of the districts were in the backyards of BJP MPs, so some Congress districts were added,” a source said.

Six of the seven Madhya Pradesh districts added — Shahdol, Anuppur, Umaria, Mandla, Dindori and Seoni — fall on the turfs of Congress MPs. Only Sidhi is represented by the BJP. In Orissa, Kalahandi and Nuapada come under a Congress MP while Bolangir and Sonepur are BJP areas. Chhattisgarh’s Kawardha is in a BJP constituency.