Thiruvananthapuram: The LDF government on Wednesday announced a surrender-cum-rehabilitation package for Maoists operating in Kerala with the objective of bringing the ultras back to mainstream.
The Cabinet gave approval for the special package which will address issues like employment, housing and education. The scheme is directed at those who want to give up Maoist operations. But those who surrender with the aim of receiving the benefits would not be considered.
The government believes that the package will succeed in bringing out people from the extremist ideology of Maoists and rehabilitate them in society. The Maoists will be classified into three groups and the benefits would be given based on this categorisation.
The A grade Maoists who are part of the top committee would be given Rs 5 lakh on surrender. Those who want to pursue their studies would be granted Rs 15,000 and those who want to get married would be given Rs 25,000. And Maoists who wish to pursue vocational training would get Rs 10,000 for up to three months.
The Maoists who fall under Category 2A and 2B, would get Rs 3 lakh each. An official release here said that the amount would be given to these three categories on instalment basis.
There are special incentives for those who surrender weapons before police. AK 47 surrender would fetch Rs 25,000.
The government has also decided to provide housing facilities for those who are homeless and bring them under the existing schemes. Centre urged to create rubber clusters in state
The Cabinet also decided to urge Centre to include Kottayam, Patha-namthitta, Ernakulam and Kannur districts as rubber clusters in the draft rubber policy aimed at promoting exports.
The Cabinet also recommended inclusion Thrissur, Wayanad and Thiruvananthapuram districts in plantain cluster. The government wants cluster for mangoes in Wayanad, turmeric in Wayanad and Alappuzha. It urged the Centre to include clusters for cashew (Kasargod), pepper (Wayanad), coconut (Kozhikode) and tea (Idukki).
In the draft agriculture export policy the Centre had included 50 clusters and 22 agricultural products were included in the list. However, only pineapple and ginger clusters were recommended for Kerala.
The clusters were finalised by the central government ignoring the products which have high production and high export possibilities.
