Report by OD bureau; New Delhi: Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde appreciated the steps being taken by the Government of Odisha on the development front and in tackling the naxal menace. He said this while in a meeting with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at New Delhi on 17th August, 2012.

During the meeting the Chief Minister impressed upon the Union Minister on the need to scale up Central support to the State to strengthen the security apparatus necessary for addressing the naxal problem. He urged upon the Home Minister to continue the Integrated Action Plan Scheme in its present form with enhanced funding instead of merging it with Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF). The Integrated Action Plan in Naxal affected districts of the State has proved to be more effective in meeting the critical infrastructure needs of the people, he stated.

Further, Chief Minister asked for deployment of two more battalions of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) and for provision of two MI-17 Helicopters for the State. He also pressed for early release of Rs.126 crore, Security Related Expenditure claim of the State, to enable taking up more projects in naxal affected areas.

Chief Minister emphasized that the Scheme for Modernization of Police Force should be continued for some more time as the funds are being prudently used to improve the overall policing infrastructure of the State. He also asked for allocation of more direct recruit IPS Officers for Odisha to narrow down the vacancy position, as early as possible, keeping in view the increasing security demands.

Chief Minister sought the intervention of the Union Home Ministry to prevail upon the Ministry of Shipping to hand over the land for construction of Marine Police Station at Paradeep free of cost and to pursue with Ministry of Communications and Information Technology for early installation of Mobile Towers and Digital Satellite Phone Terminals (DSPTs) in Naxal affected areas. Government of Andhra Pradesh also needs to be followed up for taking up the construction of the Motu Bridge connecting Malkangiri with Andhra Pradesh, he stated.

Union Home Minister appreciated the steps being taken by Government of Odisha on the development front and in tackling the naxal menace. He agreed with the Chief Minister on the need to continue the Integrated Action Plan Scheme in its present form. Further, the Union Home Minister assured that two more Battalions of CAPF will be deployed in Odisha in addition to expediting action for providing two MI-17 Helicopters. He also assured that the SRE claims would be reimbursed based on expenditure reports/ utilization certificates without insisting on the completion certificates.

The Union Minister informed that the matter regarding continuation of the Scheme for Modernization of Police Force is being pursued by the Ministry of Home Affairs with the Planning Commission. Union Home Minister agreed to allot more direct recruit IPS Officers to Odisha.

Chief Minister was assured that the Ministry of Home Affairs would follow up with the Ministry of Shipping for handing over the land for Marine Police Station at Paradeep to Government of Odisha, free of cost. In addition, the Union Ministry would also pursue with the Department of Telecommunications for early installation of Mobile Towers and Digital Satellite Phone Terminals in the naxal affected areas of Odisha and impress upon the Government of Andhra Pradesh for early completion of the Motu Bridge connecting Malkangiri with Andhra Pradesh, he stated.