Incentives for Maoists who surrender

New Delhi: The government has offered surrendering Left-wing rebels a series of incentives, including vocational training along with a monthly stipend of Rs2,000 (Dh152) for up to three years and Rs150,000 in fixed deposit.

Additional incentives of up to Rs25,000 for each surrendered weapon or ammunition have also been announced by the home ministry as part of its new surrender and rehabilitation guidelines for Maoists finalised on August 26.

"These guidelines are applicable to those Naxalites [Maoists] who surrender with or without arms and the eligibility for assistance under the scheme would be scrutinised by the screening-cum-rehabilitation committee constituted by the concerned state government," a home ministry statement said yesterday.

At the internal security conclave held last month, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, while interacting individually with chief ministers of states affected by Maoist violence, called upon them to frame an attractive surrender and rehabilitation policy.

The central funds for these states are made available under the scheme for Security Related Expenditure (SRE), special infrastructure and modernisation of police forces schemes.

However, there is a rider to these benefits accruing to those who have surrendered. While the stipend will be discontinued as and when a surrendered rebel secures a government job or gainful self-employment, the fixed deposit money too will not be transferred if those coming back to the fold get employment with the government ahead of a three-year maturity.

Five villagers shot dead

Maoist guerrillas shot dead five people in Jharkhand, authorities said yesterday. The rebels apparently suspected the five were police informers.

"Five people were abducted by the Maoist rebels late Sunday night and were shot dead," Jharkhand police spokesperson S.N. Pradhan said.

According to police, activists of banned group Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) raided Pundigiri village under Tamar block, 45km from state capital Ranchi, abducted the five villagers and took them to a forest where they were shot dead. The bodies were recovered yesterday.