Left wing extremism rising in Orissa: Naveen Patnaik

New Delhi, Apr 13 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today expressed concern at the rise in leftwing extremism in the state in recent months, and said that 16 out of 30 districts were affected by Naxalite activities.

Participating in the second meeting of the standing committee of Chief Ministers of Naxal-affected states, Mr Patnaik cited various measures adopted by the state government to deal with the problem effectively including upgradation of security intelligence and infrastructure and singular thrust on socio-economic development of backward regions most vulnerable to naxalite threat.

The Chief Minister, while reiterating the government's commitment to combat the problem, stated that a cabinet sub-committee had been set up to formulate appropriate and progressive rehabilitation policy for the people dislocated due to industrialisation or major projects.

Further, panchayats in the scheduled areas have been devolved with powers and functions including economic empowerment in line with the Panchayat (Extension of Scheduled Areas) Act, 1998 and steps had been initiated to fill up about 7,000 police vacancies in a time-bound manner.

Requesting for Central assistance in dealing with the Naxal problem, Mr Patnaik sought four additional companies of CRPF for deployent in the affected areas and reiterated his demand for construction of a security corridor between Vijaywada and Ranchi which would pass through 12 Naxal-affected tribal domiated districts of the state.

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