* However, only 606 proposals for aid have got the approval of State Government so far
Staff Reporter
In
Gadchiroli district, despite a reign of terror unleashed by the Left
Wing Extremists, more and more number of villages have said ‘no’ to
Naxalites/Maoists. As many as 710 villages have adopted a resolution
saying ‘no’ to entry of Naxalites/Maoists. However, the State Government
could approve promised financial assistance in only 606 cases.
In the year 2003, State Government launched a novel scheme ‘Gaonbandi
Yojana’. Under the scheme, villages passing a resolution saying ‘no’ to
entry of the outlaws were eligible to get financial assistance from
State Government. The idea was to reward the Gram Panchayats/villages
for showing trust in Government and refusing to support
Naxalites/Maoists. In the very first year, 112 villages participated in
the scheme. The next year, the number increase and more 115 villages
said ‘no’ to outlaws. However, the very next year, the number came down
to only seven as the Government did not release funds and the Maoists
started issuing threats.
In 2003 itself, citizens of 30 villages in Korchi tehsil came together
and banned entry to Naxalites through passage of a resolution. Various
provisions were included in the resolution. These included no entry to
Naxalites, no support to outlaws, villagers would not go to meetings
called by Naxalites, no boy/girl to be a victim of Naxalites who took
them to work in dalams, extending help to Government machinery to start
developmental works, joint resistance to violent activities of Naxalites
etc. The Government rewarded these and other villages (total 112 passed
the resolution in 2003) with Rs 2 lakh each for developmental works.
Later on, in 2007, Tribal Development Department increased the financial
aid to be provided to villages declaring ‘Gaonbandi’ to
Naxalites/Maoists to Rs 3 lakh each. Official data reveals that a total
of 710 villages in Gadchiroli district passed ‘Gaonbandi’ resolution
till 2012. In Gondia district, 44 villages passed the resolution.
The norms have been revised gradually. As per the norms, villages with a
population size up to 100 get Rs 3 lakh once the ‘Gaonbandi’ proposal
is received at the Government level. Later, an aid of Rs 1 lakh is given
per 100 population. As soon as a proposal is received, the respective
District Collector releases 10 per cent of the assured financial aid
immediately. The District-level Co-ordination Committee gets development
fund money as advance.
However, as per official data with Anti-Naxalite Operation (ANO), of a
total 710 proposals of ‘Gaonbandi’, the district administration has sent
680 to the Government. So far, 606 of them have got approval from the
Government.
Year-wise number of villages adopting ‘Gaonbandi’ resolution
---------------------------------
Year No of villages
---------------------------------
2003 112
2004 115
2005 07
2006 116
2007 85
2008 65
2009 91
2010 10
2011 103
2012 06
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Total 710
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(Published in The Hitavada CityLine on January 29, 2014)
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