Ranchi, July 18 -- Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, requesting a complete waiver of Rs 13,299.69 crore billed to the state as dues for the deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) units engaged in anti-Naxal operations.

In his letter, Soren underlined that the burden of internal security, particularly Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), is a joint responsibility of the Centre and the state.

The CM flagged concerns that enforcing this financial liability would place a significant strain on the state's already stressed resources and could impede development activities and welfare programs.

The communication comes at a time when the state is grappling with post-pandemic economic recovery, ...