Central fund of Rs 2100 cr for rural road constructions in Naxal-hit districts

In order to prevent the menace of the extremists in Maoist-hit 14 districts of Jharkhand, the Union rural development ministry has recently agreed to release around Rs 2,180 crore to Jharkhand government for construction of around 6,547 kilometer roads in 1,200 villages, most of which are covered by forests and inaccessible to the security forces.

Jharkhand deputy chief minister Sudesh Kumar Mahato along with senior state government officials met Union rural development minister Jairam Ramesh on Monday in New Delhi on the proposal of the state government for construction of connecting roads for around 1,840 villages which deprived of all-season roads under integrated action plan.

 

According to official source the funds to be released by the Centre will also help in construction of around 130 kilometers in Saranda forest in West Singhbhum district.

It may be mentioned thatUnion rural development minister Jairam Ramesh during his recent visits to Jharkhand capital had also taken stock of Saranda forests from the senior officials of the state.The dense forests in Saranda covering sal trees spread over an area of 85,500 hectares consisting 700 hilss in Seraikela-Kharswan district had been the hideouts and training centre of the CPI (Maoist), Kisan Krantikari Committee and Nari Mukti Sangh.Saranda forests had been under the control of Maoists since the constitution of Jharkhand as a separate state in November, 2000, bifurcating Bihar.