Orissa to amend ‘ failed’ Maoist rehab policy
Since 2016, 68 of 171 surrendered Maoists have availed the govt packages
The Orissa government appears to have failed to match its words in regard to the rehabilitation of Maoists who are giving up arms, responding to repeated appeals by the state administration to join the mainstream.
According to sources in the state home department, only 68 of the 171 Maoists who surrendered between January 1, 2014, and February 1, 2016, have availed the government’s rehabilitation package. The remaining 83 people did not avail the benefits as they could not satisfy the minimum criteria laid down by the state government. The deprivation of the 83 surrendered Maoists from availing government benefits has come as a discouragement for other Red radicals who want to quit the Left Wing Extremism ( LWE) activities to lead a peaceful life.
The sources informed that in order to speed up the surrender process of the Maoists, the government is contemplating to amend the current rehabilitation norms so as to extend the benefits to larger number of persons that would further contribute to the waning of Maoists activities in the state.
The current Revised Surrender- cum- Rehabilitation Scheme ( RSRS) 2014 divides the Left Wing Extremists into three categories — Category 1, Category 2- A and Category 2- B.
High- ranking cadres like state committee members ( SCMs), regional committee members ( RCMs), central committee members ( CCMs) and politburo members come under Category 1.
Middle and low- ranking cadres such as area commanders, sub- zonal commanders and zonal commanders are placed under Category 2- A, while Dalam members involved in heinous crime come under Category 2- B.
The RSRS requires that a surrendered extremist, in ordered to be eligible to avail the benefits, must reveal the real names and identify of his/ her organisation, associate members, financiers and the source of procuring ammunition.
The rehabilitation package for a surrenderee coming under Category 1 includes payment up to ` 35,000 for surrendering with the arms in working condition, live ammunition and explosives, provision of ` 25,000 cash equivalent of 04 decimal homestead land.