Orissa hikes financial assistance for Police in Naxal violence

Bhubaneswar, Mar 17 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced a hike in the financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh to the next-of-the-kin of the police personnel killed in left extremist violence in the state.

Replying to the demand on the expenditure of Home and General Administration Department in the state Assembly, Mr Patnaik said his government has decided to substantially increase the incentives including the insurance coverage to the police personnel killed by the Naxalites.

The Chief Minister said the left wing extremist continued to be a major concern for the state even though it was an inter state phenomenon and the degree of violence was much less compared to the neighbouring states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand.

He announced all the police stations in the Naxalite dominated areas would be fortified and provided with modern weapons by next two years.

Mr Patnaik said the state government had received an allocation of Rs 268.95 crore for modernisation of police force during 2001-2006 and so far utilised Rs 234.16 crore.

He said the government has decided to create a special intelligence wing in the state and provide training to the police personnel in anti-terrorist operation to combat Naxalite activities.

The Chief Minister said an inter-state joint task force for intelligence would soon be set up to track down the militant operation in the state.

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