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Signifying a shift in the Centre’s Maoist policy, home minister P. Chidambaram on Wednesday said there was a “ huge trust- deficit” between the elected government and the people living in Maoistdominated areas.

He said the people did not trust the government’s intention to bring development to their areas.

“ Certain people in Maoist strongholds rely more on structures of powers which oppose the country ( Maoists) and have less faith in the good intentions of the government or business houses. People have distanced the government,” Chidambaram said, speaking at a Confederation of Indian Industry ( CII) function in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The minister also said the country’s record had been mixed in the area of inclusive growth.

“ Though our economy has achieved an average rate of 8.5 per cent growth in the five- year period of 2004- 09, the performance of the backward states has been poor.

Some of the central Indian states have lagged and this is where the security threats have developed,” Chidambaram said.

Before coming to the CII function, Chidambaram spent four hours at the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force. The force has been left battered by Maoist attacks over the past month and a half.

A source said Chidambaram focused on operational details of the anti- Maoist offensive there too.

But he reportedly said paramilitary men must restrain themselves when operating in tribal areas and work on community policing to win the trust of the locals.

At a book launch on Tuesday, Chidambaram had ruled out using the armed forces against the Maoists.

“ We cannot do in India what Sri Lanka did with the Tamil Tigers ( using military might) as there is an ethical consideration. Governments have to survive and get re- elected and policymakers have to factor in all these,” Chidambaram said.

However, just over a month ago, Chidambaram had said there was a need to revisit the mandate that air power should not be used against the rebels, terming the anti- Maoist offensive as a war.

On Wednesday, Chidambaram focused on “ regaining” the trust of the people in the Maoist areas.

“ The government and industry must find a way to regain the trust of the people. In a country that faces a serious shortage of power, it is ironic that locals are opposing the construction of power plants in several districts. This shows the trust deficit. The local population views big industry as a threat to its livelihood and not as promoters of regional development,” Chidambaram said, exhorting India Inc to win the confidence of the locals through corporate social responsibility.

“ Over 100 years ago, Jamshed Tata had gone into a backward area and set up a steel mill based on the iron ore available in the area. The fact that an industrialist cannot go ahead in the same manner today without local opposition means there is a trust deficit,” Chidambaram said.

Chidambaram also said civil society was divided on the Maoist issue. In an oblique reference to writer Arundhati Roy, he said “ there are people who can write very well” but are engaged in giving voice to those who believe in resorting to an armed struggle to dislodge the government.

“ It seems civil society is divided into two camps. One camp holds the view that the government is bad. I don’t want to take names but many of them are highly edu- cated, hold important places in universities and other institutions. The other camp to put it charitably is quiet, to put it uncharitably is unconcerned,” Chidamabaram said.