Linkages between development and spread of extremism

Linkages between development and spread of extremism
Extremism in India has become the gravest threat to our country. The extent and magnitude of the extremists operations are so gigantic that they are affecting the social, economic and political and even the well being of our country.
Extremism:
Extremism can be defined is any ideology considered to be far outside the mainstream attitudes of society or to violate common moral standards.
Causes of Extremism in India:
(i)Lack of governance
(ii)Socio-economic issues

* Governance is concerned the most important issue as we lack a long term strategic perspective. 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.

* With regards to socio economic issues education must be the prime intervention and this needs to be addressed with innovation. Once education enters the blood stream of the people of particular region they would be discrete with their violent actions. Most of these people who are entering into the movement of extremism are lacking primary education, basic amenities and infrastructure facilities.
Developmental issues related to rise and spread of extremism.
Special Economic Zones (SEZ):
Land acquisition for SEZ has given wide spread of protests all over the country. Large tracts of land are being acquired across the country for this purpose. There is a loss of revenue in the form of taxes and there is effect on agricultural production. Land is livelihood resource for farmers. A farmers life is completely dependent up on the land.SEZ requires a single huge block of land and government is taking hard steps in acquiring the land. Mediators are creating mess up between government and farmers; this has been creating huge loss to farmers in giving compensation. They are not getting proper compensation for the land what they have given .These things may lead their life into extremist thoughts.
Labor, Unemployment and wages:
Unemployment and insecurity of livelihood are growing source of dissatisfaction and anger among youth, both in urban and rural areas. The overall shape of the economy has been characterized by three related facts share of agriculture, mining and quarrying and manufacturing. In allocation of government jobs there has been shown some nepotism and because of this some section of people are neglected.
Policing:
Efficient and impartial policing is an important requirement of good administration .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. Todays judicial system is time consuming in nature. The parties to the dispute lose control over even the terms and details of the dispute once it goes to the court. This way the people minds are turning to take addiction related towards extremist thoughts.
Solutions to problem of extremism:

* Land Related Measures:
A serious effort must be made to continuously implement the land ceiling issues .So that the ceiling surplus land obtained should be made available for distribution amongst the most vulnerable section of the landless poor. Land should be acquired by government for SEZ by paying proper compensation to the farmers.

* Basic amenities and Infrastructure:
Failure to provide infrastructure and services as per national norms is one of the much discriminatory manifestations of governance in extremism affected areas. Basic services to standards among the people in these areas to be given top priority.

* Governance Issues:

Areas in central India where unrest is prevailing covers several states like Andhra Pradesh,Orissa,Chattisgarh,Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and parts of Maharashtra are manually administered. State interventions both for development and for law and order are fairly low. Local populations present in the tribal areas are being exploited by the armed and rich people. Government should taken necessary action in protecting these people. The basic steps required in the direction include establishment of credibility and confidence of government, keeping a continuous vigil for fulfillment of peoples vision, effective protection, peace and good governance sustainable development with equity in tribal areas will make extremism low in tribal areas.
Steps taken by Government to reduce extremism:

Military operations have not been abandoned and individual states continue to undertake area clearing operations, such exercises appear to form parts of a new clear, hold and develop strategy that uses development as a tool to win back the support of the tribal population, who overwhelmingly appear to sympathize with the extremists. Since early 2011 there is a renewed focus on carrying out development initiatives in areas cleared of Maoist presence. Several flagship projects of the government to improve connectivity of tribal areas with the administrative centers, to provide employment to the tribal youth and to ensure health and educational facilities have been launched. To ensure that proper implementation of these developmental projects and monitor their progress, a new scheme titled Prime Ministers Rural Development Fellows Scheme has also been unveiled. Under the scheme, 156 young professionals have been trained and are being stationed in 78 worst-affected districts for two years to assist the district administration. Resources too have started flowing into the coffers of the district administration with an emphasis on time bound utilization and implementation.

Since the extremists are known to have targeted infrastructure projects in the past or have prevented contractors from executing the projects, security forces are now assigned to protect the planned development ventures in order to ensure their timely completion and safety. To ensure that the security forces are not targeted, as they protect the development projects, the government is also planning to build landmine-proof Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) roads in affected states. Further, the government has also cleared a proposal to raise a combat unit under the para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) for construction of roads in Maoist-affected areas.

Extremism viewed differently by different sections of the society. On the one hand, there are avid supporters and, at the other extreme, some others hold the view that the movement should be crushed ruthlessly. There are those who favour the 'middle path'. It is difficult to neatly categorize all shades of opinion in the middle path. Broadly, it runs along the following lines. Some of the demands of the extremists are genuine and cannot be overlooked. Therefore, the Government should seriously consider such demands and implement them, either voluntarily or consequent to negotiations with the rebels.

by Nava Bharavi Pampana


Reference:
http://www.upscmains.in/2013/06/linkages-between-development-and-spread.html
http://www.orfonline.org/cms/sites/orfonline/modules/analysis/AnalysisDetail.html?cmaid=2543&mmacmaid=794
http://www.paradigmiasacademy.in/basicread/affairs/Linkages%20between%20development%20and%20spread%20of%20extremism.pdf