Causes for Extremism:
- Lack of governance:
- Poor strategic long term planning.
- Government has been giving more priority to Industrialization and less preference to development of tribal areas.
- Tribals have been denied their constitutional rights and justice.
- Socio-economic issues:
- With regards to socio economic issues education must be the prime intervention and this needs to be addressed with innovation.
- Most of these people who are entering into the movement of extremism are lacking primary education, basic amenities and infrastructure facilities.
- Policing:
- Weaker section of people does not have much faith in police.
- People have no faith that justice will be done to them against the powerful person in the society. Here lies one of the attractions of the Naxalite movement and extremist thoughts.
- Process of getting Justice:
- Frustrations have built among the society where disputes and conflicts are not settled in time.
- Developmental issues related to rise and spread of extremism: linked to lack of access to basic resources to sustain livelihood.
- Forest policy:
- In the name of development, habitat of principal adivasi communities were declared reserve forests & in accordance with Forest conservation Act 1980.
- No forest land can be diverted to non-forest use without permission.
- Rights of primitive forest dwellers were restricted resulting in losing access to land.
- Mass resentment leading to extremist activities.
- Displacement & rehabilitation:
- It can be physical, emotional or cultural.
- Tribal people are most prone to displacement because tribal areas are rich in mineral resources such as Orissa, Jharkhand.
- Labour, unemployment and wages:
- Growing source of dissatisfaction and anger among youth, both in urban and rural areas.
- Minimum wages for agriculture work are not implemented.
- Increased share of unorganized workers in unorganized sector.
- No effective coverage of labour welfare laws.
- Forest policy:
Measures needed:
- Effective implementation of legislation:
- PESA, MNREGA, Scheduled tribes and other traditional forest dwellers acts must be implemented effectively.
- Land Related Measures:
- Continuously implement the land ceiling laws for distribution amongst the most vulnerable section of the landless poor.
- The loopholes in the respective state ceiling laws must be corrected.
- Paying proper compensation to the farmers on Land Acquisitions.
- Land tribunals or fast track courts must be set up for speedy disposal of land ceiling cases.
- Basic amenities and Infrastructure:
- Governance Issues:
- Local populations present in the tribal areas are being exploited by the armed and rich people. Government should take necessary action in protecting these people.
- The basic steps required in the direction include establishment of credibility and confidence of government.
- Livelihood Security:
- should strengthen the subsidiary and supportive activities in horticulture, poultry, fisheries, animal husbandry under the strict guidelines of ministry of agriculture through establishment of quality infrastructure & efficient market linkages at the village level.
- Universalize basic social services to standards amongst the people of extremist affected areas so that the discriminatory manifestations of governance can be removed.
- Institutional arrangements for centre-state cooperation:
- Since problems in formulating a counter-Extremist policy as well as in dealing with the issue on a day-to-day basis are sourced to the lack of centre-state cooperation, a permanent institutional mechanism in the form of a coordination centre can be established to thrash out emerging differences.
- A coordination centre does currently exist within the MHA, but requires the active participation of state representatives to ensure smoother coordination
Way forward:
- Strengthening of local self-government with additional financial and decision making power would promote development by making them stakeholders in development.
UPSC CSE Notes 