New Delhi, April 4 :     The Centre today decided to ban the People's War Group (PWG) and some of its front organisations operating in Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Maharashtra and Bihar as part of a larger plan to 'exert maximum pressure on Left-wing extremism'. The government also decided to establish a joint operations centre to be headed by a senior official from each of the five states where Naxalites have stepped up activities. The centre will coordinate both intelligence networking and ground operations. Indications are that an officer from Andhra Pradesh, which has prioritised fighting Naxalite violence, will lead the centre which is yet to get a final shape. The decisions were taken today at a meeting of chief ministers of the five states convened by Union home minister L.K. Advani. Advani said the Central ban on the Naxalite outfits was necessary, even though states will try to open dialogue with these. 'Banning is necessary because it will ensure that they come within the purview of a legal system. Outlawing them will help us in arresting the leaders of the various organisations,' the home minister said. Andhra Pradesh has already banned the PWG. It also means that the ban will be countrywide which will enable all states to act against PWG activists. While the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), which operates over a large area in central and south Bihar, has been outlawed by the state, Madhya Pradesh has conveyed to the states that it plans to ban the PWG dalams (units) which operate from its territory. Orissa, Maharashtra and Bihar have been asked to ban the PWG operating from various parts of the three states. Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu landed a bombshell at the meeting. His intelligence had detected 'established links of the PWG with radical organisations operating in Peru (Shining Path), Germany, Turkey, the Philippines, Belgium and Nepal', he said. Naidu added that the PWG had also established links with other 'separatist' groups in the country. He was interested in using unmanned aerial vehicles to track the movement of the extremists, the chief minister said. Advani said though the defence ministry had raised some initial objections, Naidu's proposal was being seriously considered and 'it will most probably be sanctioned'. Emphasising that the Naxalite movement 'in its origins was a rebellion against democracy', Advani said: 'What started in West Bengal in the late Sixties with ideological and idealistic commitment has now degenerated into crime. It is bereft of any ideology and idealism. The so-called Naxal outfits exploit backwardness of the citizens and the regions.' Therefore, he said, there was a need to adopt a two-pronged strategy to fight Left-wing extremism: use of security forces and initiation of development programmes. All states barring Bihar have sent their development plans to the Planning Commission for early release of funds. On development, all states agreed to improve infrastructure in areas affected by Naxalite activities. The chief ministers agreed that more roads should be built. They assured they would seriously take up poverty alleviation programmes for tribals and the poor. Advani assured the chief ministers that he will take up the demand made by Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to amend the Forest Conservation Act which will remove the legal hurdles for laying new roads and starting development projects in tribal-dominated areas.