The outlawed CPI (Maoist) has set a target to generate revenue of `5,000 crore this fiscal, intelligence sources said on Thursday.
The reds’ funds have reportedly doubled in the past two years swelling to around `3,000 crores in 2011-12.
Seven Naxal-infested states — Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra — have become major sources of red funds in the past several years, documents seized by security forces during raids in Naxal camps have revealed.
“Several documents, seized in recent raids in Naxal camps in Bastar region, including those in Abujhmad areas where the security forces made incursions for the first time in the post-Independence period, has provided vital clues on sources of revenues and size of funds, they generate in the country. If the documents seized are to be believed, then the reds’ revenue figure is astronomical, reaching around `3,000 crores last fiscal,” a senior police officer dealing with intelligence in state police told this newspaper.
“The outfit has set a target to increase the revenue by almost 60 per cent to `5,000 crore, this fiscal,” he disclosed.
“Naxals plan to raise funds to the tune of `1,500 crores in three states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar and Jharkhand in the current financial year,” sources said.
According to sources, contractors engaged in collection of forest produces, road constructions, and development of infrastructures in rural areas continue to be major sources of reds’ revenue generation followed by the business organisations, a few industries and government officials functioning in Naxal-hit areas.
Some political parties and leaders also contribute to red funds to further their interests. Sources said Naxals have set a target to raise funds of `100 crores from contractors, `75-100 crores from businessmen, `25-50 crores from government officers, `50-100 crores from industries and `20-25 crores from political leaders in Chhattisgarh this fiscal.