Chidambaram heads CRPF review meeting

New Delhi, Jan 12 (PTI) Home Minister P Chidambaram todayinspected the fire power of the CRPF and headed a reviewmeeting of the force, involved in counter-insurgencyoperations including tackling left-wing extremism.

Official sources said the Home Minister accompanied bySecretary (Internal Security) U K Bansal reached the forceheadquarters at about 3 pm.

Sources said the force had organised a special displayof weapons used by it, which was inspected by the Minister.

They said the meeting focussed on performance of theforce and the requirements of the logistics and operationalactivities.

Incidentally, this is the second time the Minister hadvisited the force headquarters in three days.

Today''s meeting comes against the backdrop of ahigh-level conclave (chaired by Chidambaram) of DirectorsGeneral and Inspectors General of Operations of states likeChhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradeshand Maharashtra, and chiefs of paramilitary forces like CRPF,BSF, ITBP and SSB, on Monday at CRPF headquarters whereoperational strategies were discussed.

Topics like joint operations in close coordination offorces at inter-state borders and improvement of livingconditions of personnel deployed for anti-Naxal operationswere also understood to have been discussed, sources said.

Yesterday, Chidambaram along with senior officials of theHome Ministry had spent more than three hours at the BSFheadquarters, where he was given a presentation on itsdeployment and other operational aspects.