Thaindian News

New Delhi, June 30 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said police and intelligence gathering needed to be strengthened to fight Maoist guerrillas but development was the “master remedy” to root out the menace.

Speaking to a group of editors Wednesday, Manmohan Singh said the problem of Maoist violence was being tackled at “two ends” — police action and development initiatives.

“Development is the master remedy to win over people. If my children are in school, better health facilities are available, if forest rights of tribals are respected, implemented, it should win over people. In the short run, government’s writ must run,” the prime minister said.

The prime minister said the government was “strengthening the development work in the 60 Maoist-affected districts”.

He said “money is not a problem” with the government as large sums were kept at the disposal of the deputy commissioners, superintendents of police and district forest officer in each of those districts.

“We must strengthen the police and other intelligence. One emphasis is on intelligence so that they match them (Maoists) in actual combat. The other is on development.”

The prime minister said that the “main problem” in these districts was infrastructure.

“We need to protect the building of roads. There is a proposal to raise a reserved battalion to protect the building of development works in the Naxal-affected areas.

“If that goes through, I think we will provide greater security to contractors willing to build roads and other infrastructure in those areas. It is a vicious circle.”