Ahead of March 31 deadline, Odisha revises surrender and rehabilitation scheme for surrendering Maoists

Making the sixth revision to its ‘Surrender and Rehabilitation of Left-Wing Extremists’ scheme in the past two decades, the Odisha Government has announced financial incentives for mainstreaming of persons native to the State who are involved in Maoist activities irrespective of where they surrender to the authorities.

After substantially increasing reward money for surrendered left-wing extremists (LWEs) in November last year, the Mohan Majhi Government has relaxed the eligibility criteria for surrendering Maoist cadres. The State police, in coordination with Central security forces, have stepped up their efforts to bring Maoist activities down to zero by March 31, a deadline set by the Union Home Ministry.

“Persons native to Odisha State, who are active in the activities of the above organisations outside the State of Odisha, will be considered eligible for surrender if their involvement is certified by the concerned Superintendent of Police,” says the notification issued on February 9.

“It will be necessary to obtain a no objection certificate from the concerned State that such surrendered person has not been provided rehabilitation facilities in concerned State,” the Odisha Government elaborated explaining the condition.

The rehabilitation scheme for surrendered LWEs will, however, be applicable to persons who may or may not be a native of Odisha but are involved in activities of the banned CPI (Maoist) in the State.

In November last year, Odisha revised upwards the reward money to ₹1.10 crore for Central Committee Member, Politburo Member or Central Military Commission Member laying down arms as per Surrender and Rehabilitation of Left Wing Extremists. It is said to be financially better than the scheme run by Chhattisgarh, currently the worst LWE-impacted State in India.

Similarly, a State Committee Member (SCM) or Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) or Regional Committee Member is entitled to receive ₹55 lakh and Divisional Committee Secretary will get ₹33 lakh in the event of surrender.

If the surrendered Maoists are a couple, the husband and wife will be considered as separate units, and both will be given the benefits of the rehabilitation scheme. Earlier this month, State Committee Members Nikhil alias Niranjan Rout and his wife, Ankita alias Rashmita Lenka, had surrendered before security forces. They would get ₹55 lakh each for mainstreaming as they have been treated as separate units.

There have been elaborate financial rewards for giving up firearms depending on their degree of fire power. The government has announced it would pay ₹4.95 lakh for light machine gun while ₹3.30 lakh has been fixed for AK-47.

In order to wean away the misguided youth who joined CPI (Maoist) and its frontal organisations, the government had first approved the scheme back in 2006. It was further improved with revisions in 2012 and 2014.

After revisions in November last year, 45 LWEs have surrendered before security forces, while there are still 40 cadres, including a State Committee Member, active in the State. Movements of LWEs have been noticed in Kandhamal, Kalahandi, and Rayagada districts, said a senior officer involved in ant-Maoist operations.

Apart from the State’s own policy, the MHA had in 2022 issued revised guidelines for surrender and rehabilitation of LWEs with financial assistance and provision for employment and entrepreneurial opportunity.