GULBARGA: Gulbarga district has been given a raw deal in the selection of villages affected by naxalite menace for taking up development programmes, including the improvement of the basic amenities and creating employment opportunities to people, to wean them away from naxalite philosophy.

The programme provides additional funds to villages affected by naxalite menace in 11 districts of the State and is being implemented by the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department. Under the programme, the State Government has sanctioned Rs 5.2 crore — Rs. 10 lakh each to the 152 gram panchayats in these 11 districts — to take up the development works in 296 villages identified as naxalite affected.

According to Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister C.M. Udasi, the criteria adopted for the selection of these villages in 152 gram panchayats was nothing but the report submitted by the Home Department identifying the villages as "naxalite-affected."

The Government's decision to devise the special scheme for taking up development activities in these villages does not appear to have been based on the recommendations made by the high power committee headed by the former Additional Chief Secretary Chiranjeev Singh, who was asked to tour the naxalite-affected villages in Chikmagalur, Udupi, Dakshina Kannada districts and in the villages coming under the National Park area in the region.

Selection of villages

Although Mr. Udasi claimed that the selection of villages was based on the report submitted by the Home Department, details available with The Hindu show that the Home Department had informed the State Government that 76 villages in Chincholi, Sedam and Yadgir taluks, have borders with naxalite-infested areas of Andhra Pradesh.

The Government had taken into consideration only one village — Konchavaram in Chincholi taluk — for implementing the programme.

Although there are no reports of naxalite activities in the villages identified as naxal-affected in Gulbarga district, police admit that there were instances of covert activities and naxalites from Andhra Pradesh taking shelter in some of the villages.

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