Chhattisgarh

• 16 Aug 2024

Chhattisgarh CM Announces New Security Camps

Why in News?

Recently, Chhattisgarh chief minister announced that the state government is working to open new security camps in the remote areas of Bastar to bring an end to the Leftwing extremism in the region.

Key Points

• 32 new security camps were opened in Bastar's Maoist-infested areas in the last eight months, and 29 more such facilities would be established soon.
  • The state government has constituted the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in the line of National Investigation Agency (NIA) for effective and speedy investigation and prosecution action in the Naxal-related incidents.
  • The state government has also launched a new scheme ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village) to combat Maoism in the state.

Niyad Nellanar Scheme

• Niyad Nellanar, meaning “aapka achcha gaon” or “your good village” is the local Dandami dialect (spoken in south Bastar).
• Under this scheme, amenities and benefits will be provided in villages located within 5 kilometers of security camps in Bastar region.
  • 14 new security camps have been set up in Bastar. These camps will also help to facilitate the implementation of the new scheme. Around 25 basic amenities will be provided in such villages under Niyad Nellanar.
• Families in these villages will receive free gas cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme, four free rice, gram-salt, jaggery, and sugar, ration cards, irrigation pumps, free electricity, community halls, Anganwadi, and certificates of forest rights.
• In addition to all-weather roads, a sub health center, elementary school, sports field, bank, ATM, mobile tower, helipad, etc., will be constructed.

National Investigation Agency (NIA)

• The NIA is a federal agency of the Indian government responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes related to Terrorism, Insurgency, and other national security matters.
  • Federal agencies in a country typically have jurisdiction over matters that affect the country as a whole, rather than just individual states or provinces.
• It was established in 2009 following the Mumbai terrorist attacks in 2008, under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, 2008, operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
  • The National Investigation Agency (Amendment) Act, 2019 was passed in July 2019, amending the NIA Act, 2008.
• The NIA has the power to take over investigations of terrorism-related cases from state police forces and other agencies. It also has the authority to investigate cases across state boundaries without obtaining prior permission from state governments.