New Delhi: Raising apprehension on possible movement of the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) cadres from Chhattisgarh to Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi urged the Centre to send more Central Armed Police Forces to the State.

Attending a meeting of the Chief Ministers of LWE-affected States in Delhi, Majhi requested the Centre to send 12 Coys of CAPF to Odisha. The central forces will be deployed in the LWE affected areas for a period of two year, the CM stated.

Majhi during the meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah also requested for a dedicated helicopter.

“Uninterrupted helicopter service, is a critical requirement, for the security forces and movement of troops, maintenance of forward posts, and to respond to the exigencies, in the LWE theatre of conflict,” Majhi said.

Demanding real-time technical support of specialised technical agencies of the Central Government, Majhi said this will further improve operational capabilities of special forces, and overall operational effectiveness in anti-Naxal operations.

In his address, the Odisha Chief Minister mentioned about a letter written to the Union Home Department in which a list of 127 vital roads in LWE affected areas were listed out and sought approval of the road projects. Majhi said these projects will considerably augment, connectivity in the LWE affected areas, and facilitate effective operations, by security forces against the Naxals.

The Odisha Chief Minister said to ensure public welfare schemes, and basic facilities are provided in saturation mode in LWE affected villages, the State Government is carrying out a number of developmental schemes in these areas.

Odisha' initiatives

Majhi said the benefits under the ‘Dharitri Aabba Janjatiya Utkarsha Gram Abhiyan’ will be extended in these areas.

He revealed in the meeting that ‘Gramodaya’ scheme is being launched converging more than 40 schemes to cover all the villages situated in the LWE affected areas with basic infrastructure and services.

The Odisha Government has raised three battalions of ex-servicemen of the Odisha Special Striking Force (OSSF). Vacancies in other ranks of Police, are also being filled up, in a time-bound manner, he informed.