New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry on Tuesday held a high-level meeting for implementation of first phase of the Rs 500 crore special scheme that aims to enhance critical infrastructure for security forces in Naxal-affected states.

The meeting, chaired by Special Secretary in the Home Ministry Vinay Kumar and attended by top police and civil officials of eight worst Naxal-hit states, chalked out strategies to implement the scheme aiming to enhance security personnels mobility and security of camping grounds besides building helipads at strategic locations.

"For the current fiscal, Rs 100 crore has been earmarked, while Rs 400 crore would be spent in the remaining period of the 11th Plan," a senior Home Ministry official said

The new scheme will adequately provide for crucial infrastructure requirement that are critical to policing and security needs in the field but are not adequately included in any existing scheme.

Construction of roads along railway tracks to enable the forces to ensure safe movement of trains, improvement of connectivity with high-risk police stations and construction of boundary walls around police posts are some of the other focus areas of the ambitions scheme.

"Initially the scheme will be implemented in 13 districts of eight states. Though, we have received proposals for eight districts only, we have decided to go ahead with it," the official said.

The eight districts are Aurangabad, Gaya (Jharkhand), Malkangiri, Raigad (Orissa), Bijapur, Dantewada(Chhattisgarh), Khammam (Andhra Pradesh) and Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh).

The scheme was approved at the September 11 meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The project clearance committee is likely to give its nod to the proposals of the eight districts very soon," the official said.

The five districts for which proposals were yet to receive include Chhatra, Palamu (Jharkhand), Sonebhadra (Uttar Pradesh), Gadhchiroli and Gondia (Maharashtra).

Representatives from Ministries of Finance, Surface Transport, Planning Commission, CRPF and SSB besides others attended the meeting.

Over 70 districts in the country are affected by Left-wing extremism, which has been described by the Prime Minister as a "virus" and the biggest internal security threat.

In the continuing Naxal violence in around a dozen states, more then 400 people, including over 150 security men, have been killed so far this year.

The government recently approved formation of a 10,000-strong special anti-naxal force COBRA -- Combat Battalion for Resolute Action -- to tackle the menace.

Source : DNA