Centre sought state’s suggestions to include special provisions for Maoist youth under skill development schemes

Bhubaneswar : Union secretary of skill development and entrepreneurship K P Krishnan, in a letter to chief secretary A P Padhi, has sought the state’s suggestions on a proposal to make special provisions for surrendered Maoist youths under the central and state-run skill development schemes.

Altogether 18 of the 30 districts in Odisha are affected by Left-wing extremism. The 31 Maoists who had surrendered in 2016 mostly comprise youths, said an official source.

According to the Centre’s proposal, a committee headed by collectors of the Maoist-dominated districts of the state will be formed to carry forward the skill development programme for surrendered Maoists. The superintendent of police, district education officers, tribal development officers and principals of the government ITIs will also be part of the committee, among others.

The committee will have complete power to relax any condition of admission of candidates and can take decisions on the assignment of candidates to appropriate ITIs and vocational programmes, said an official source.

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