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West Bengal offers olive branch to Maoists
The West Bengal [Images] government has announced a surrender-cum-rehabilitation package for Left-wing extremists, which would come into immediate effect in the state.
DGP Bhupinder Singh, announcing the package on Wednesday, said an official notification in this regard had been issued.
The package, which was briefly mentioned on June 17 by state Chief Secretary Ardhendu Sen, was notified with full details accepting the guidelines forwarded by the Union Home ministry.
Giving details of the package, Singh said that LWEs or Maoists willing to surrender would be offered Rs 2,000 each per month for a period of three years.
They would also be given vocational training in a trade of their choice.
Simultaneously, the state government would make a fixed deposit of Rs 1.5 lakh for each of the surrendered for a period of three years.
If any surrendered extremist showed good conduct, he would be handed over the maturity amount after three years.
They can also take loans for doing business before the maturity of the fixed deposit by keeping the accumulated amount as security, the DGP said.
As per the package, Rs 25,000 would be given for surrender of a machine gun, Rs 15,000 for an AK-47 and Rs 10,000 for a satellite-phone, Rs 3,000 each for a revolver and a landmine and Rs 1,000 for explosives per kg, Singh said.
The DGP said that the extremists could give themselves up before a DM, an SP or some other senior officials in the Maoist-affected districts.
The ADG and IG-level officials would monitor the rehabilitation package, Singh said.
The package also offers certain benefits for Maoist sympathisers if they surrender. If any sympathiser commits any heinous crime, he will have to go through judicial procedure, while a small crime will be reviewed for consideration.
The cases of those who are in police custody with minor charges would be considered for release on bail if they wished to return to mainstream, the DGP said.
But the released would be kept under watch and they would be properly rehabilitated if good behaviour were maintained.
The package offers would be circulated in all Maoist- affected areas in Alchiki and Bengali languages, Singh said.
The DGP claimed that locals had been increasingly turning away from the Left-wing extremists in the affected areas like Binpur and Radhanagar in West Midnapore district.
He emphasised that security forces would remain alert in the Maoist-affected districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia irrespective of the surrender package.
Measures for socio-economic development of the Maoist- affected areas had already been initiated by the government, the DGP added.
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