New Delhi: It's not just jailbreaks, landmines or kidnappings, 2007 has also been the year when Naxalite groups have been systematically targeting development work.
Their extortion has led to a situation where work on the flagship project of the UPA government.
The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana has come to a standstill, especially in a Naxal-affected state like Bihar.
Sources tell CNN-IBN that work connecting nearly 10,000 villages has come to a halt as Naxals demand up to 10 per cent of the tender value from the contractors which include giants like NHPC, NBCC, NPCC, IRCON and CPWD.
Now, their refusal has led to attacks on men and machinery.
"They want to exploit lack of development. They don't want development to take place," says Madhukar Gupta, Home Secretary.
The seriousness is reiterated in an internal report of IRCON underlining the Naxal threat across Bihar in Naxalite affected areas.
Contractor is not able to work due to threatening for high demand by extremist.
The Prime Minister has emphasised the need for anti-Naxal force and not just to contain incidents like this but to also ensure support and security for basic development work as well.
Naxals targetting government work is not new but holding crucial projects like the PMGSY and NREGA to ransom is something that the Government of the aam admi has to ensure stops if it insists on connecting and developing it's villages on the national highway.
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