New Delhi, March 30: The Centre today decided to increase security-related expenditure assistance to nine states hit by the Maoist movement for a further five years and guarantee advance funds in the drive to counter the rebels.

The hike in reimbursement under the security related expenditure (SRE) scheme covers insurance for the police, community policing, rehabilitation and doles for surrendered Naxalites, expenses on propaganda against the extremists, rewards to informants and a slush fund to wean away rebels from the underground into the mainstream in 76 districts.

The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) met this evening to assess Naxalite-instigated violence and take stock of the Maoist movement. The impact of the counter-Naxalite Salwa Judum (a government-sponsored peace movement) also figured in the discussions, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

The CCS accepted a home ministry proposal to support the expenditure scheme for another five years. “We have accepted the home ministry’s proposal to extend security-related expenditure assistance for a further five years,” defence minister Pranab Mukherjee said after the meeting.

Annoyed with repeated failures of states to check Naxalite violence, the Centre has decided to give the directors-general of police and chief secretaries of these rebel-hit states a dressing down at tomorrow’s coordination committee meeting.