Rajnath to chair review meeting of Naxal-affected states today

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will today chair a review meeting of ten Left Wing Extremism affected States in New Delhi following recent Maoist violence in Chhattisgarh.

Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and West Bengal will attend the meeting.

An official release said a holistic review of the situation will be undertaken covering security and development issues, particularly infrastructure building.

The meet will also focus on devising new strategies to ensure rapid development in Left Wing Extremism-affected areas.

A Home Ministry official said yesterday that the conclave is expected to discuss ways to revamp intelligence gathering mechanism, take a close look at ongoing operations against Naxalites, identify problem areas and devise ways to minimise casualties among the security forces.

District Magistrates and Superintendents of police of 35 worst-hit districts, besides heads of paramilitary forces and intelligence agencies will take part in the deliberations.