India pours funds into fight against leftist rebels

The Indian government will step up its fight against Maoist rebels by pouring nearly £285 millioninto the worst-hit areas to build new police stations, roads and bridges and provide helicopters and other military support.

Home minister Palaniappan Chidambaram yesterday said the government may also create a unified command for anti-insurgency operations in the worst-hit states of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal. A retired army general could be appointed to advise civilian authorities on counterinsurgency operations, he said.

State authorities have been demanding the use of army and air power in dealing with rebel attacks. However, the government has been reluctant to escalate the fight, arguing it is inappropriate to use air strikes against India's own citizens.

The insurgents, who have tapped into anger among the rural poor are now present in 20 of the country's 28 states and have an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 fighters, according to the Home Ministry.

The Maoist rebels have carried out more than 1,100 attacks on government targets in the past six months, killing 209 government troops, Mr Chidambaram said. Government forces killed 97 rebels and arrested another 1,341 during the period.

"These figures underscore the gravity of the challenge posed by left-wing extremism," he said at a meeting in New Delhi attended by top officials from the states where rebels are most active.

The rebels have rejected the Indian government's offer for peace talks and in recent months have stepped up attacks on government and civilian targets.

In May, they ambushed a bus in central India and killed 31 police officers and civilians, highlighting the Maoists' strength.