Ex-gratia for security personnel deployed in anti-Naxal operations hiked in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to hike ex-gratia grants for security personnel deployed in anti-Naxal operations to Rs 40 lakh from the existing amount of Rs 20 lakh.

Similarly, the state government has hiked the ex-gratia grants for on duty civilians to Rs 5 lakh from the existing amount of Rs 2 lakh.

The state-level committee headed by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra today approved the Annual Work Plan (AWP) of Rs 85.85 crore for 2022-23, a 50 per cent hike in comparison to the Rs 50.56 crore allocation for 2021-22.

The funds for the AWP 2022-23 would be shared by the Centre and state government on 60: 40 basis.

The main activities under the AWP include procurement of modern ammunitions, adequate logistic support to armed forces, proper training for police force, community policing, fortification of police posts and rehabilitation of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) cadres. Besides, the funds would be utilized for the provision of ex-gratia grants if there was any casualty during the anti-Naxal operations.

The Chief Secretary, meanwhile, directed the officials to intensify community mobilization and confidence building activities in the areas affected by the LWE.

Among others, Director General of Police Sunil Kumar Bansal, Additional Chief Secretary (Home department) Sanjeev Chopra, IG Operations Amitav Thakur and Home Department Special Secretary Santosh Bala were present at the state-level committee meeting at Lokseba Bhawan conference here.