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Bhubaneswar(Orissa): In order to counter the growing Maoist menace in the State, the State Government is planning to set up a Counter Insurgency and Jungle warfare Training Centre near Bhubaneswar, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while speaking at the meeting of the Chief Ministers of seven Maoist-affected States in New Delhi on Wednesday.
The meeting was chaired by the Union Home Minister P Chidambaram.
Expressing his concern on the upsurge in Maoist violence in the State, Patnaik said 17 out of 30 districts in the State are affected by Left Wing Extremist (LWE).
Patnaik also thanked the Centre to sanctioning of one COBRA battalion for the State which will be located in Koraput. Patnaik also requested the Centre to provide six more battalions of CRPF which would be deployed in the affected districts.
During his speech, Patnaik also informed how the State Government had undertaken socio-economic development of the Maoist-affected areas. "All major industrial and mining houses have been asked to set up IITs in the tribal areas," he informed, and added that 5 per cent of net profit of mining/ Industrial projects in scheduled areas would be spent on periphery development.
He has also informed that budget of the Home Department has been increased to Rs.1038 crores from Rs.437 crores in 2000-2001 to increase the capacity of the Police. He has further stated that the State Government has established a Special Intelligence Wing (SIW) to exclusively deal with all forms of terrorism including Naxalism and also created Special Operations Group (SOG) which is a dedicated striking force to carry out anti-Naxalite operations.
Further, special incentives, ex-gratia and other benefits have been extended to the police force to boost their morale and the State Government has also formulated an insurance scheme for the 14000 personnel engaged in anti- Naxalite operations.
To involve the tribals in policing, he has mentioned that the State Government is recruiting 2100 Adivasi youth as Special Police Officers (SPOs) in the tribal dominated districts and the recruitment process has just been completed. In addition, he has informed that 3150 ex-Army personnel are being recruited by the State Government.
