State to seek more forces at DGPs meet in Delhi

BHUBANESWAR: The State Government will reiterate its demand for more forces to deal with the growing Maoist activities in the State at the meeting of the directors- general of police (DGPs) convened by the Centre on Monday. Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has convened a meeting of the DGPs of all Naxalite-affected states in Delhi. Sources said the State Government would demand a dedicated helicopter for movement of forces in the Maoist-affected areas. Besides, more funds will also be sought for launching development works in the affected districts. Orissa had demanded deployment of two more battalions of CRPF to counter the growing Maoist menace in the State. The demand was made by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the inter-state coordination meeting, chaired Chidambaram, on June 14 in Delhi to combat left-wing extremism. At present, seven CRPF battalions and five of BSF have been deployed in the Maoist-hit areas of the State. Besides, the State Government has raised specially-trained Special Operations Group (SOG) to combat the ultras. The State Government will also demand increased financial assistance for improving security-related infrastructure of the police force. One of the main demands of the State will be inclusion of four more districts (Nuapada, Bargarh, Balangir and Kalahandi) under the security- related expenditure (SRE) scheme. At present, 15 districts (Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Rayagada, Sundargarh, Ganjam, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Jharsuguda, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj) are being covered under the SRE scheme.  Maoist activities have increased in the State alarmingly during the last one month. The State has emerged as one of the major Maoist-hit states along with Chhattisgarh in the recent past. The State Government has set up a unified command headed by the chief secretary to monitor the anti-Maoist operations in the State. An inter-state joint task force has also been set up with the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand to take up joint anti-Maoist operations on the inter-state borders. The State Government has decided to augment the strength of SOG, which has been in the forefront of anti-Maoist operations, by creating 1,609 more posts.