Take steps to avoid another Nayagarh mayhem

BHUBANESWAR: This year�s Budget again seems to have overlooked key security concerns of the State despite increased activities of the Maoists.

The State Government�s approach to the problem remains the same as it was during the last several years. Official sources maintained that the quantum of Naxalite violence in the State was much less compared to the neighbouring States of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

The State Government�s attitude has been reflected in the allocation made for the Home Department. The Maoists attacked Nayagarh and looted the armouries on February 15 while the State Budget was presented the next day.

The Assembly Committee on Home Department, which submitted its report on Tuesday, recommended that all police stations of the State should be fortified as per standard plan. Out of 470 police stations, only 108 have been fortified.

It has recommended that provision should be made in the Budget to fortify the remaining police stations as well as armouries. Another important issue pointed out by the committee is, less number of police stations compared to the national average.

As against national average of 150 police stations per one lakh population, the State has less than 100. In order to bring this nearer to the national average, required posts in different grades should be created with proper training and infrastructure for effective crime control and maintenance of law and order.

The sanctioned strength of police is 53,735 which includes 48,931 officers, sepoys and constables and 4,804 clerical and Class IV employees. But the number of vacancies is 12,196. The committee has directed the Government to fill up all the vacant posts.

The committee recommended that the Government should make a provision of Rs 12 cr in the budget for six Naxalite-affected districts, Sambalpur, Nayagarh, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Jajpur and Dhenkanal which have not been included in security related expenditure (SRE) by the Centre.

Nine districts have been identified by the Centre under the SRE and the expenses of all anti-Naxalite operations in these districts are reimbursed by it.