Left Wing Extremism is on the wane in Andhra Pradesh, says Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy

Andhra Pradesh's LWE activities have been restricted to a few pockets in the Agency areas. The cadre strength has decreased from 150 to 50 in 2019-2023. Govt. initiatives such as RoFR pattas, forest land ownership, Ekalavya schools, communication towers, primary/residential/ashram schools, Amma Vodi, village health clinics, and bank branches have helped in curbing the LWE activities. A multi-pronged approach of security, development, and policy has yielded positive results. Centre and State need to collaborate for continuous efforts to prevent further spread of LWE, says Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has affirmed that the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is on the wane in Andhra Pradesh and that the Maoist activities are confined to only a few pockets in the Agency areas.

In his address during the review meeting on LWE chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah organised in New Delhi on October 6 (Friday), Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the government could restrict the Maoist activities to a few pockets in Alluri Sitharama Raju and Parvathipuram Manyam districts. Earlier, their presence was spread over five districts, he said.

The LWE cadre strength had also come down to 50 in 2023 from 150 in 2019. The government had effectively addressed the issues of poverty, illiteracy, inadequate healthcare and unemployment, which were the root cause of the LWE, the Chief Minister said.

This apart, distribution of RoFR pattas and bestowing ownership of 3.23 lakh acres of forest lands to 1.54 lakh eligible tribal farmers helped in containing the Maoist activities, he said.

The tribal people were counselled to cultivate commercial crops. The government was completing laying of roads to an extent of 1,087 km in the LWE areas under the Road Connectivity Project for Left Wing Extremism Affected Areas (RCPLWEA) scheme, he said.

Out of the 28 Ekalavya schools sanctioned by the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry for the State, 24 were established, ensuring access to quality education for tribal children, he said, adding that the government had also initiated efforts to establish 944 communication towers in the LWE-affected areas for enhancing the connectivity and ensuring a robust communication network. These measures helped in curbing the LWE activities.

Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that the government was also running 1,953 primary schools, 81 residential schools, 378 ashram schools and 179 pre and post-matric hostels to help the students in tribal areas, besides extending the benefits of Amma Vodi and other welfare schemes through the dedicated volunteer system and village secretariats.