An assistance of INR 94.22 crore has been sought from the central government to build educational infrastructure in the Maoist-hit areas, told an official. It was reported that Chief Minister Raman Singh put up a demand for central assistance, himself before Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kantilal Bhuria
The official said Singh also handed over a memorandum giving details of the assistance sought. The tribal welfare department-run ashram schools are basically residential schools where government takes care of all the needs of the students. But in recent years, Maoist rebels have demolished dozens of such school buildings in the interiors of their stronghold Bastar region, spread out over about 40,000 sq km. The guerrillas claim that they blow up the school complexes because they provided shelter to police personnel for anti-Maoist operations.
