Naxalism to become history soon: Rajnath Singh
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the menace of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is soon going to be history in India due to the tireless efforts of police and security forces.
The minister was speaking on the occasion of Police Commemoration Day. He laid a wreath and took a salute from a ceremonial guard at the National Police Memorial in central Delhi's Chanakyapuri.
"The success of the campaign against Naxalites can we assessed from the fact that the Maoists, who once took up arms against the state, are today surrendering and integrating themselves into the mainstream of development.
"Due to the tireless efforts of the security forces, this problem is now on the verge of becoming history. All our security personnel deserve to be congratulated for this," Singh said in his address to the troops.
The Centre has declared that the Naxal menace will end in India by March 2026.
"For a long time, Naxalism has been a problem for our internal security. There was a time when many districts in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra were affected by Naxalism. Schools in villages were closed, there were no roads and people lived in fear.
"We resolved to not let this problem persist any longer. The way our police, CRPF, BSF and local administration worked together in an organised manner is commendable," Singh said.
He said the regions that were once "Naxal hubs" are now turning into educational hubs.
The parts of India that were once "infamous" as the "red corridor" have now transformed into growth corridor. The government has been able to bring about such changes and for this to happen, police and security forces have made a "very significant" contribution, he said.
The minister also spoke about resources and budget for modernisation of police forces being provided by the Modi government.
Underlining the need for optimum utilisation of these "limited" resources, Singh said this can be achieved through coordination and integration among various security agencies.
He said in present times, the police not only has to fight crime but also "against perception".
Police Commemoration Day is observed every year in the memory of 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel who were killed on this day in 1959 in an ambush by Chinese troops in Ladakh's Hot Spring area.
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Power tariffs under BESCOM to rise from May 1
Bengaluru (PTI): Power bills for consumers under the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) will go up from May 1, following an order issued by the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC) on Friday.
The hike comes after KERC allowed the BESCOM to recover a revenue deficit of Rs 2,068 crore incurred in 2024-25, from the consumers.
As a result, for every unit of electricity consumed in 2024-25, the customers will be charged an additional 56 paise, it said.
"BESCOM shall calculate, for each of the active consumers of FY2024-25 the amount to be recovered based on their actual energy consumption during FY2024-25. Such amount shall be recovered during FY 2026-27 in equal monthly instalments, to be called as 'FY25 True up Charges', commencing from the first meter reading date falling on or after 1 May 2026 and concluding with the reading date ending on 30 April 2027," the order said.
"It is further ordered that BESCOM shall maintain a separate head of account, allocated for the purpose, to record the adjustment of the said amount to ensure full recovery of the deficit," it added.
Similarly Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation Limited (CESC) has also recorded a revenue deficit of Rs 121.71 crore and can collect an additional 15 paisa per unit for consumption in 2024-25, official sources said.
