Centre to build police infrastructure in state’s Naxal-affected Sonebhadra

In its bid to counter the growing influence of Naxals in Uttar Pradesh, the Centre will bear all the expenses for developing police infrastructure in Sonebhadra district.

The government will constitute two committees, including one high-level committee under the chairmanship of the principal secretary (home) of the state government, Kunwar Fateh Bahadur, to finalise the schemes for the development of infrastructure.

The other committee will be a district-level one and will be headed by the district magistrate.

This committee will oversee the implementation of the schemes.

This was decided at meeting of the state home department and senior officers of the union home ministry held here on Monday. Besides principal secretary Bahadur, DGP Vikram Singh, senior officers of the union home ministry, including additional secretary Vinay Kumar, joint secretaries (anti-naxal management), Dilip Kotiya and Dr Kashmir Singh, Inspector General (CRPF) Karamvir Singh and DIG (SSB) Anil Agrawal attended the meeting.

The Superintendents of Police (SP) of three naxal-affected districts — Chandauli, Sonebhadra and Mirzapur — were also present at the meeting. It was decided that an additional fund of Rs 2 lakh would be given to each of the three naxal-affected districts.

The state government’s decision to give an additional allowance of 30 per cent of their salary to those policemen who are posted in the Naxal-affected areas was also appreciated.

The officials from the union home ministry said that it should be implemented in other such states that are facing Naxal problem, a press release issued by the state home department stated.

It was also decide to set up a Group Centre of the CRPF in Sonebhadra district.

“We have proposed the name of Sonebhadra. The state government would provide land for the same,” said Secretary (home) Mahesh Gupta.

The state government has also decided to send a proposal to the Centre requesting the latter to provide Rs 10 crore for purchasing equipments to strengthen the Special Task Force and the intelligence wing.

The Centre also directed the state government to keep a close watch on the transportation of explosive materials in the Naxal-affected districts.