The central government of India has approved for diversion of forest land for the development of infrastructure in 34 districts of eight states affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE).
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has granted its approval for infrastructure-related projects in 14 categories for the development of the areas. The Ministry of Home Affairs in its annual report 2020-2021 stated that the projects can be taken up in 34 LWE-affected districts. Earlier the Centre had approved the diversion of five hectares of forest land which has been increased to 40 hectares.
The projects include schools, dispensaries, hospitals, electrical and telecommunication lines, drinking water, water and rain harvesting structures, minor irrigation canals, non-conventional sources of energy, skill up-gradation and vocational training centres as well as rural roads.
The districts are located in undivided Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Uttar Pradesh.
