Cabinet Committee on Security, CCS, is meeting this evening to take stock of the situation in the aftermath of Naxal attack in Chattisgarh. The meeting assumes importance as the Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram pleaded for a larger mandate for his ministry in dealing with the growing Naxal menace in the country. Supporting Chidambaram’s argument, the leader of the House in the Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has said that the government is ready to empower the Home Ministry to use air support for police action against Naxalites. He, however, made it clear that adequate safeguards have to be in place against any misuse of such powers. Mr Mukherjee added for establishing an institutional arrangement to deal with menace, the government will have to look at the implications of it and ensure its proper use. Earlier, Mr. Chidambaram offered to hold fresh talks with the Naxals if they suspend violence for 72 hours. He urged BJP and other political parties to continue to maintain a bipartisan spirit and approach in dealing with this grave challenge facing the country. Mr. Chidambarm asserted that States have the primary responsibility to deal with the problem as they can undertake any step in this regard. The Chattisgarh Chief Minister Mr. Raman Singh who is in New Delhi is expected to meet top leaders including the Home Minister during the day to hold discussions on dealing with the issue. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, Mr. Raman Singh said that the real face of the Naxals has been exposed who have killed one thousand civilians and 662 policemen in the last ten years. Mr. Singh termed the Maoists insurgency as the biggest challenge to the nation and added it is creating hindrances in the development process of the tribal areas of the state. <br/>