Mains Daily Question
Oct. 26, 2023
Q.1) Development, although an essential pre-requisite but it alone may not be sufficient to deal with the problem of Left-Wing Extremism in India. Analyse. (10M/150W)
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Approach: Introduction: Briefly talk about LWE and its origin in India. Body: Heading 1: Development: An essential Precondition Heading 2: Tackling LWE holistically Conclusion: Can either end with a way forward listing the steps that India needs to take or why its is important for India to tackle this decades old menace |
Answer:
Left-wing Extremism or Naxalism is a form of armed insurgency against the state motivated by leftist ideologies. It remains the biggest internal security threat for India even after decades. The developmental deficit was considered as the root of all factors fueling the Insurgency, thus India embarked on a journey to bridge this gap.
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Factors contributing to LWE: (Can add mind map of this) ● Socio-economic Factors: Socioeconomic inequality along with the perceived neglect of marginalized and tribal communities living in LWE areas by the government fuels a sense of discontent among the population. ● Land and Resource Disputes: Disputes over land and natural resources, such as forests and minerals, are prevalent in many areas affected by left-wing extremism. These conflicts often arise due to perceived exploitation, displacement of local communities, and inadequate compensation for land acquisition. ● Historical Injustices: Historical injustices, such as caste discrimination, marginalization of indigenous communities, and socio-political exclusion, have fueled resentment among the people inhabiting LWE areas. ● Governance and Development Deficits: Inadequate governance, corruption, and a lack of effective service delivery exacerbate grievances and create a sense of alienation among communities. |
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Development: An essential Precondition: |
Development is considered as an essential pre-requisite to counter extremism. For this, government has taken various initiatives with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecom connectivity, financial inclusion of local population, skill development and education facilities in the LWE areas.
- Road Connectivity: More than 16,200 km of roads have been approved in LWE-affected areas under specific schemes, namely Road Requirement Plan-I (RRP-1) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE-affected areas (RCPLWEA).
- Network Connectivity: Thousands of mobile towers are being established under the Mobile Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas
- Financial Inclusion: For financial inclusion of the populace in LWE-affected areas, thousands of new Post Offices, bank branches, ATMs and Banking Correspondents have been established in 30 most LWE LWE-affected districts in the last 07 years.
- Skill Development Scheme: Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and Skill Development Centres (SDCs) been approved with an estimated cost of Rs. 407 crores under “Skill Development Scheme in 47 Districts affected by LWE”.
- Focus on Education: The government has sanctioned 245 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRSs) in the LWE affected districts.
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Tackling LWE holistically: |
Along with the implementation of development measures in the LWE areas, dealing with the problem of left-wing extremism in India requires a comprehensive and multi-dimensional approach which includes the following measures:
- Good governance: The government should work to ensure the effective delivery of public services in the LWE areas. This will also boost up the confidence of people regarding the government machinery.
- Poverty Alleviation: It is important to take measures for the eradication of poverty, high economic and income disparity and exploitation of the impoverished.
- Counter-terrorism operations: Enhance the capabilities and coordination among security forces to effectively combat left-wing extremist groups.
Apart from these measures, the government should engage with the local community, and seek international cooperation for intelligence gathering and capacity building to effectively deal with the problem of LWE in India. It is only through a holistic approach focusing on development and security-related interventions that the LWE problem can be successfully tackled.
