Over 50 thousand acres of land in Maoist-affected states will be used for rubber plantation under a specially funded Central project. The move aims at preventing youth from joining the naxal movement by providing them a sustainable source of income. Official sources said that a proposal to this effect was approved at a high-level meeting, chaired by Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, in New Delhi yesterday. The day-long meeting also reviewed the anti-Naxal operations and development works being undertaken in these states. A special central government sponsored project of creating a well trained anti-Naxal operations squad was also discussed during the meeting.

Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of nine maoist violence-hit states also attended the meeting.