Centre to raise ten CoBRA battalions to tackle naxalism

New Delhi, Aug 29 (UNI) To meet the challenges posed by naxalism and terrorism, the Centre has approved raising of ten CoBRA battalions in the CRPF at a cost of Rs 1300 crore, the Home Ministry sources said here today.

The Government had been taking a series of measures to strengthen the internal security mechanism, keeping in view the various challenges like guerilla tactics used by the Left Wing extremists and other militant/extremist groups, they said.

''To meet these challenges, the government is raising forces, specially trained in guerilla tactics and jungle warfare both at the Centre and in the States,'' the Ministry sources said.

The Government had approved raising of ten CoBRA battalions (Commando Battalions for Resolute Action) in the CRPF each of which would have 1057 personnel and a more than 10,000 strong force of Commandos would be available in the next three years.

For effective and immediate response, these battalions would be located in the main theatres of action in the affected States. The force would be manned by young personnel with peak combat fitness.

''Under this scheme, additional financial assistance of Rs 3 crore per company will also be provided to the States that are facing problems of militancy/extremism. It will help in raising two companies on commando pattern in each of the forty-four India Reserve battalions, approved between 2007-08 to 2010-11,'' the sources informed.

Assistance to States was proposed separately under the 11th Five Year Plan to provide training in counter-insurgency and anti-terrorism operations by setting up 20 training centers in five States.

Four existing training Centres of the Central Para Military Forces would also be upgraded for providing training in guerilla warfare and jungle survival to the personnel of CoBRA battalions by creation of additional infrastructure to train about 2800 personnel per year, they added.

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