Incidents related to terrorism come down drastically: Rajnath Singh

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has said the incidents related to terrorism, Left Wing Extremism and insurgencies in North East region have come down drastically. Replying to a debate on Demands for Grants of Home Ministry for 2017-18 in Lok Sabha, Mr Singh said, the NDA government has taken every possible measure to improve internal security situation in the country.

He said, cases of insurgencies in North East Region has now declined by 75 per cent against the total cases reported in way back 20 years. He also informed that in 2011, a total of 99 Left Wing Extremists were killed by the security forces while in 2016, the numbers has risen to 222. Besides, over 1400 extremists have also surrendered in 2016. He said, security forces in coordination with Jammu and Kashmir police have been successful to a large extent in containing the violence which erupted after the killing of three terrorists in July 2016.

He said, ten thousand new police posts have been created for Jammu and Kashmir and 9000 youth have been trained for employment under the UDAAN scheme. He said, to fulfil housing needs of Central Paramilitary Forces, the Centre has approved construction of over 13 thousand family quarters. He said, he has appealed to the Corporates to come forward for the welfare and education of family members of the police martyrs.

He also appreciated the gesture of film Actor Akshay Kumar to provide 9 lakh rupees each to families of 12 CRPF personnel who were killed recently in Sukma during



Naxal attacks.On women security, Mr Rajnath Singh said, he has issued an advisory to States to reserve 33 per cent posts in State police for women to enhance women’s representation in police forces. He informed members that 21 women battalion have also been approved in Sashtra Seema Bal. Mr Singh also rejected the allegations of Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge of under-utilisation of funds and said, the government has already spent 91 per cent of the budgetary allocation and the rest will be spent by 31st of March this year. Later, the House passed the Demands for Grants of Ministry of Home Affairs for 2017-18 after negating all cut-motions moved by opposition members.

Earlier, initiating the debate, Mallikarjun Kharge of Congress accused the government of not allotting adequate funds to various departments of the Ministry. He said, the Home Ministry is very important and it deserves more attention. He also said, this year’s budgetary provision for internal security related expenditure is less than the actual expenditure of the 2016-17. He also raised the issue of unutilised funds in various sectors including Coastal security and National Intelligence Grid. Harish Chandra Meena of BJP said, the government treats the criminals as criminals and does not indulge in appeasement politics.

He also appreciated the works being taken up by the Home Minister Rajnath Singh towards better policing. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar of TMC alleged that in the last three financial years, the police grants have been reduced.