Security Spending Hits Odisha Bhubaneswar : 13/September/2013 The issue of paucity of funds for security related issues in Left Wing Extremist (LWE) areas of the State will be raised by the government at the meeting of Union Home Ministry on September 25. MHA has convened a meeting of Chief Secretaries and DGPs of nine Maoist hit States to discuss the strategies on the anti-Naxal front. It will be chaired by Union Minister for Home, Sushil Kumar Sindhe at New Delhi. Chief Secretary, JK Mohapatra, DGP Prakash Mishra and Principal Secretary Home Vipin Kumar Saxena are likely to attend the meet to present the State’s perspective in handling anti-Maoist operations. Though the Union government has included 19 districts of the State under the centrally sponsored Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, an amount of Rs.191.75 crore spread over from Financial Year 2005-06 to 2012-13 is yet to be reimbursed under this scheme to the State government. According to reports, the Maoist menace has been brought under control in districts like Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur and Deogarh. However, the situation remains sensitive and problematic in parts of Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagada, Nuapada, Bolangir, Baragarh, Kalahandi and Nabarangpur, where CPI (Maoist) retains significant influence and resilience. According to reports, 104 Maoist related incidents involving deaths of 19 security personnel and 25 civilians were reported in the State during the year 2012, the bulk of which were reported from five districts i.e. Malkangiri, Koraput, Bolangir, Baragarh and Nuapada. In the current year so far 40 Maoists related incidents have been reported in the State involving death of 11 civilians, 05 security personnel and 04 Maoists. Pro-active security response has resulted in the death of 14 Maoists, arrest of 226 cadres/supporters / militias and surrender of 52 cadres during the period 2012- 2013. The current LWE scenario in the State is characterized by attempts by Chhatisgarhi and Jharkhand based armed Maoist cadres to further consolidate their position in Southern and Western Odisha districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Bolangir, Baragarh, Nuapada and Kalahandi and to revive and regain hold in districts like Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh, Keonjhar, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam and Kandhamal. In the given scenario, the State government looks forward for various assistance from the Government of India to deal with the problem more firmly, said a senior official Top cops say that because of heavy deployment of security forces in Chhatisgarh, armed Maoist groups are crossing over to our side and indulging in violent activities. The deployment of force in the area is rather inadequate to conduct any meaningful operation and restrict their movement. Two additional Battalions of Central Armed Police Force (CAPFs) is required for matching deployment in Nuapada, Baragarh and Bolangir districts and effective anti-Maoist operation. The State Government has taken one Mi-172 helicopters on hire from Pawan Hans Helicopter Limited to respond to any exigency. The Union Government is needed to provide one dedicated military helicopter, preferably an MI-17 to the State to add more lethality and precision to the ongoing anti – Maoist activities in the State. Because of acute shortage of officers in the middle supervisory ranks of the Armed Police units of the State. The Union government needs to consider deputation of some gazetted officers of CAPFs in the rank of Assistant and Deputy Commandant who can be effectively utilised in anti–naxal operations of the State Police Forces, said sources.
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 10:35:18 +0000