Centre refuses to treat Sambalpur as Maoist hit district

Sambalpur, May 8 (UNI) The Centre has rejected a proposal to declare Sambalpur as insurgent hit district following rising incidence of Moaist activities.

In a letter to BJP Rajya Sabha member Surendra Kumar Lath, Minister of State for Home Prakash Jaiswal said the Centre did not consider it necessary at present to declare Sambalpur in western Orissa as Maoist dominated area considering the rate of crime of the insurgent group.

The Union Minister, however, said the proposal for Sambalpur to be included for backward region grant was under active consideration by the Planning Commission.

The Centre had already provided Rs.14.42 crore to curb Maoists activities and Rs.73.49 crore for modernization of police stations in Orissa, he added.

Mr Jaiswal has assured all shorts of help to the state in combating the Maoists menace, the letter said. The Centre has already asked the state government to chalk out both long and short term action plans for tackling the Maoist problem.

The Union Minister said the Centre has provided additional force to the state including Sambalpur to fight extremism adding that the present condition did not warrant a situation for granting Sambalpur as a Maoist hit district.

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