BHUBANESWAR: The anti-Maoist operation in Orissa got a boost with the Centre providing logistics, including a helicopter and funds worth Rs 112 crore, for setting up fully fortified police stations in Naxal-affected regions of the state, official sources said today.
“We have already got a 24-seater MI-172 Pawan Hans helicopter for anti-Maoist operation. The state will have to pay Rs 1.5 crore for using the chopper for 30 hours per month,” Home Secretary U N Behera said.
A dedicated chopper — a long standing demand of Orissa — will be stationed at Koraput for immediate use of security personnel engaged in combing operations at the borders of Jharkhand and Chhattishgarh, a senior official engaged in anti-Maoist operation said.
Besides, the Home Secretary said that the Centre had sanctioned funds for setting up three-storey fully fortified police stations in Maoist areas in order to effectively combat the ultras.
“An amount of Rs 140 crore will be spent on building 70 police stations in 15 Naxal-hit districts,” he said, adding that the state government would have to bear 20 per cent of the cost.
The districts where such police stations would be built are Malkangiri, Koraput, Nawrangpur, Rayagada, Gajapati, Ganjam, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Keonjhar and Mayurbhanj.
