Hyderabad, Sept. 14: The Congress government in Karnataka is keen on holding talks with Naxalite outfits, including the People?s War Group.

Dharam Singh today said his government was dealing with extremism both as a law and order and a socio-economic problem.

?My government also feels that time is ripe to hold negotiations with extremists and give them an opportunity to return to the mainstream and give democratically elected governments a chance to deliver their promised development measures.?

Karnataka, which shares borders with Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, has suffered because of Naxalite infiltration, he added. The PWG has spread its tentacles in north Karnataka, besides Bangalore and Kolar in the south.

The chief ministers of nine Naxalite-affected states will meet in Hyderabad on September 21 to review the situation after the repeal of the anti-terror act.

Last week, Tamil Nadu imposed a ban on the PWG under criminal laws in view of the repeal of the act.

Singh said his government had no intention to hold back water from either the Krishna or the Tungabhadra.

He also assured Andhra chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy that there would be no hiccups over the release of water from the Tungabhadra to facilitate drinking water and agriculture needs of Rayalaseema district.

?When the Andhra government asked for 20 tmc of Krishna water, we did not have enough storage for our own purposes and our farmers agitated. But later, when inflow improved in the river, almost 270 tmc flowed down Almatti to Andhra Pradesh,? he said.

Singh also assured Andhra chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy that there would be no hiccups over the release of water from the Tungabhadra to facilitate drinking water and agriculture needs of Rayalaseema district.