Approval of 'Madhya Pradesh Naxalite Surrender, Rehabilitation Cum Relief Policy 2023'

• 23 Aug 2023

Why in News?

On August 22, 2023, the 'Madhya Pradesh Naxalite Surrender, Rehabilitation Cum Relief Policy 2023' has been approved by the Council of Ministers with an aim to provide gainful employment and entrepreneurial opportunities to the surrendered Naxalites in a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Key Points:

• Madhya Pradesh Naxalite Surrender, Rehabilitation cum Relief Policy has been prepared keeping in view the present security scenario arising in the state.
• The main objective of this policy is to include those who voluntarily surrender themselves to the mainstream by renouncing the path of violence.
• Madhya Pradesh in the Naxalite Surrender, Rehabilitation-cum-Relief Policy 2023, Naxalite/Naxalite and self-surrender have been defined clearly and comprehensively. Certain criteria have been set for the determination of a self-surrender.
• Provision has been made for a state-level inquiry committee to give benefits to self-surrenders. (The earlier policy does not have the concept of a state level inquiry committee to give benefits to surrenderers.)
• To facilitate the self-surrender process, the circle of competent authorities has been widened, such as voluntarily surrendering to any police officer, executive magistrate, officer not below the rank of assistant constable of the Central Armed Police Forces (where the Central Armed Police Forces are deployed). or surrender himself before an officer nominated by the State Government. (In the previous policy, the Superintendent of Police has been prescribed as the medium for surrender.)
• The process after the Naxalites surrender has been clearly mentioned.
• There is a clear classification of grace amount on surrender by self-surrender with weapons.
• If the self-surrender has surrendered with weapons (if the weapon is in working condition), then in such a situation there is a provision to classify the weapons in 07 categories and approve the ex-gratia amount from 20 thousand to 4 lakh 50 thousand rupees. (There is no clear description of ex-gratia on this subject in the earlier policy.)
• A clear provision has been made for a grant of Rs 1 lakh 50 thousand for the construction of a house for self-surrender. (In the earlier policy provision has been made to provide grant amount in Indira Awas Yojana.)
• A provision of Rs 50,000 incentive has been made for the self-surrender for marriage. (There was no such provision in the earlier policy.)
• A clear provision has been made to provide unconditional incentive or prize money of Rs 5 lakh to the self-surrender. (In the previous policy, there is a provision to give the announced reward amount on the basis of cooperation in the anti-Naxal campaign of self-surrenders.)
• A clear provision of Rs 20 lakh grant amount has been made for self-surrender for the purchase of immovable property/land. (The grant amount is not provisioned in the former policy, only provision has been made for allotment of land to the surrendered Naxalites who fall below the poverty line.)
• A provision of Rs 1 lakh 50 thousand has been made for the education of self-surrenders. (Grant amount is not provisioned in earlier policy, unclear provisions have been made in government schemes.)
• On the basis of the utility of the self-surrender, a provision has been made to provide a government job in the police department, if the secret soldier or with his help is successful in the anti-Naxal campaign. (In the former policy, there is a provision to consider him for appointment if he is eligible to be appointed in government service, otherwise there is a provision to give him appointment as home guard according to his eligibility.)
• There is a clear and extensive mention regarding the Naxalite victim's family and physical disability.
• The amount of ex-gratia has been increased in case of death of a person/security personnel in violence. There is a provision of Rs 15 lakh for the common citizen and Rs 20 lakh for the security personnel. (In the earlier policy, there is a provision to provide Rs 1 lakh to the common man and Rs 2 lakh to the security personnel.)
• There is a provision to provide ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh in case of physical disability of a person/security personnel in Naxal violence. (In the earlier policy, there is a provision to provide Rs 50,000 to the permanently disabled and Rs 10,000 to the seriously injured.)
• A clear provision has been made to take the dependents of the deceased in government service. (In the previous policy, if no member of the deceased is in government service and there is a provision to consider appointment on eligibility.)
• In case of damage to immovable property, a provision has been made for relief amount, such as Rs 1.50 thousand will be paid in case of complete house demolition and in case of partial damage, a maximum of Rs 50 thousand will be paid. (In the earlier policy, there is a provision of compensation of Rs. 5000 for kutcha houses and Rs. 15000 for pucca houses in case of damage.) The time-limit and process for the rehabilitation of Naxalites have been clearly mentioned.