"Maoist-Hit Districts Down By 70% Under Modi Government": Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi government has brought the number of districts affected by Left-wing extremism down by 70 per cent.

The government also lifted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from more than 66 per cent area in the Northeast and brought peace there, he said after inaugurating the National Tribal Research Institute in Delhi.

The Union home minister said the northeast and Left-wing extremism-affected areas of the country are tribal-dominated regions and security is a precursor to development there.

"Secured Northeast and secured central India pave the way for the development of tribals," he said.

Mr Shah also said 8,700 untoward incidents took place in the Northeast between 2006 and 2014 when the Congress was in power. This number has reduced to 1,700 under the Modi government, he said, comparing eight years of both the dispensations.

Only 87 security personnel have lost their lives in the Northeast under the Modi government as against 304 during the Congress rule. The number of civilian deaths has come down from 1,990 to 217, he said.

Mr Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accorded top priority to research and education since he came to power.

"Under the Congress government, in 2014, Rs 7 crore had been set aside for this purpose. In 2022, we have kept Rs 150 crore for it," Mr Shah said.

The minister added that the Modi government has increased the budget for Eklavya residential schools from Rs 278 crore to Rs 1,418 crore this financial year.

"I believe that only a tribal child can bring the 'best medal' in the Olympics as sports is a part of tribal traditions.

"They are 'natural' sportspersons and only need guidance, coaching, practice and a platform to showcase their talent," Shah said.  The government spends Rs 1.09 lakh on each tribal student in Eklavya residential schools as against Rs 42,000 earlier, he added. 

Mr Shah highlighted the BJP has the most number of tribal MPs and ministers.

"Previous governments would talk about tribal development but did they provide clean drinking water to tribals or build toilets in their houses? Did they give health cards to the Scheduled Tribes communities?" he posed.

The Modi government provided clean drinking water to 1.28 crore tribal houses under the Jal Jeevan Mission and built toilets in 1.45 crore homes, Shah said.

"We have given Ayushman cards to 42 lakh Scheduled Tribes families and built over 40 lakh houses for tribals under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana," the Union Home Minister said.

Shah said the Modi government has recognised the sacrifices and valour of tribal freedom fighters and 10 museums are being built across India in their honour at a cost of around Rs 200 crore.

The Union home minister said there are many institutions in the country such as the Planning Commission, now Niti Aayog, Life Insurance Corporation of India and the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited which have contributed immensely to the country's progress.

Similarly, this NTRI will play a pivotal role in the development of tribals in the country. This is a milestone, he said.

The institute will become the backbone of tribal development in the run-up to 100 years of India's Independence, Shah said.

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju said indigenous tribes are spread across the country but earlier people would not consider them a part of the mainstream.  Alleging the previous governments would completely disregard the concerns of the tribals, he said the Modi government believes that India won't progress till the Scheduled Tribes move forward.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda said the policies and programmes to uplift the tribal people became stronger and transparent during the tenure of Modi as prime minister.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)