Left Wing Extremism
National Policy and Action Plan 2015
The Government of India adopted the National Policy and Action Plan to Address Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in 2015 (revising the earlier 2011 plan). The policy rests on three pillars: security operations, development interventions, and safeguarding rights of local communities. It recognises that LWE is not merely a law-and-order problem but has roots in historical neglect of tribal and forest-dwelling communities in mineral-rich districts.
- Security pillar: Deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs — CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB) in LWE-affected areas; Operation Green Hunt (2009 onward) transitioned to Operation Samadhan (2017); COBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) units of CRPF are specially trained for jungle warfare in LWE areas.
- Development pillar: Aspirational Districts Programme (launched 2018) overlaps significantly with LWE-affected districts (formerly called LWE-affected or "Red Corridor" districts); infrastructure projects (roads, mobile towers, bank branches) prioritised.
- Rights pillar: Implementation of Forest Rights Act, 2006; PESA (Panchayati Raj Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996 for tribal self-governance; resolution of land alienation disputes.
- The LWE influence area has shrunk significantly: from 96 districts in 2010 to around 25–30 "most affected" districts as of 2025, concentrated in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha border areas.
● Tracked since February 08, 2026 · last seen March 15, 2026 · updates as the daily brief publishes
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