Statescan
Orissa Newsletter
Drive for modernisation of police stations
The recent attack on a police party in Sambalpur district has thrown up questions as to why there has been an inordinate delay on the part of the Centre to declare Sambalpur and Deogarh districts Naxal-affected. Proposals for this had been sent a year ago. People have also raised question over the state government'scommitment to fight Maoists. The state government is yet to establish Second India Reserve Battalion, funds for which had been sanctioned more than a year ago.
However, senior home department officials pointed out that 60 odd police stations located in Naxal hotspots had been identified for modernisation within three years. Already a few police stations in the Naxal-affected districts like Malkangiri, Rayagada, Koraput and Gajapati have been strengthened, while similar measures are underway in several police stations of Sundargarh, Kondhmal, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Keonjhar districts.
Modernisation of police stations is being taken up under the police modernisation scheme. More than Rs 230 crore have already been spent on the scheme during the last five years, while another Rs 30 crore have been earmarked for the current financial year. Besides, central assistance of Rs 20 crore will be available to the state this year towards the reimbursement of security-related expenses incurred in the Naxal-affected districts. However, Sambalpur and Deogarh districts, which have been witnessing growing Maoist menace, are deprived of the benefit, as these districts are yet to be declared Naxal-affected.
