The Jammu and Kashmir security situation received constant attention of the Union Home Ministry during 2022 and the Union Territory’s security grid was strengthened to ensure zero-fear of terrorists and separatists, an official review of the Home Ministry for the year revealed on Tuesday.
Home Minister Amit Shah implemented the Modi Government’s policy of development with firmness in Jammu and Kashmir and launched several projects. The review showed there was about 54 per cent reduction in terrorist incidents, 84 per cent in the deaths of security forces and about 22 per cent in recruitment of terrorists.
Shah took several initiatives in the North-East too, resolving interstate border disputes, and facilitating reduction in the disturbed areas under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in Nagaland, Assam and Manipur.
Security forces won a decisive victory in the ongoing battle against Left Wing Extremism (LWE) across the country during the year, while high level meetings were held on Cyber Safety and National Security to focus on terror financing, narco-terrorism, organised crime-terror nexus and the illicit use of cyberspace.
The Home Ministry’s 2022 Review showed that the policy of zero tolerance towards terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir resulted in a decrease in terror incidents from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2021, while the number of security forces personnel martyred reduced from 91 in 2018 to 42 in 2021.
While the policy continued, under the Prime Minister’s Development Package in Jammu, 63 projects were built at a cost of Rs 80,000 crore. In the Hydro Power Electricity project, the work of the Kiru component is under progress at a cost of Rs 4,287 crore.
The Union home minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 240 development projects worth about Rs 2,000 crore in Srinagar. While under the rule of three families, just Rs 15,000-crore investment came into Jammu and Kashmir in 70 years, the Modi Government has brought investment of Rs 56,000 crore in just three years, the review said.
In the North-East, the year began with the launch of 29 development works worth Rs 2,450 crore in Manipur through video conferencing by the Home Minister. There were many problems such as land boundary disputes with Bangladesh which were resolved through agreements; and the Government negotiated the Bru-Reang Pact and the Bodo Pact with eight insurgent groups.
In a short span of time, six out of 12 issues were settled between Assam and Meghalaya and about 70 per cent of the border between the two States has become dispute-free, the Review said. During the last three years, the Government of India signed several agreements to end insurgency and bring lasting peace in the North East.
Left Wing Extremism (LWE) related violence declined in the country by 77 per cent from an all-time high of 2258 incidents in 2009 to 509 in 2021. The resultant deaths (Civilians + Security Forces) declined by 85 per cent from an all-time high of 1005 in 2010 to 147 in 2021.
In the last two years, the incidents of LWE violence and the resultant deaths had come down by 24 per cent and 27 per cent, respectively by 8th February, 2022. During 2022, security forces achieved an unprecedented success in initiatives like Operation Octopus, Operation Double Bull, Operation Chakrabandha in the fight against Left Wing Extremists.
Seven Maoists were killed and 436 were arrested or surrendered in Chhattisgarh, four Maoists were killed in Jharkhand and 120 arrested or surrendered in the State. Thirty-six Maoists were arrested or surrendered in Bihar. Similarly, in Madhya Pradesh, three Maoists have been killed by security forces, the Review showed.
In the context of the ‘Agnipath Scheme’ announced by Prime Minister Modi, the Union Home Ministry decided to give priority to ‘Agniveers’ who have completed four years under the scheme for recruitment into Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles.