Thaindian News

Ranchi/Bhubaneswar, Nov 9 (IANS) Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday visited the Maoist-affected states of Jharkhand and Odisha to review operations against the rebels and also implementation of the developmental schemes in areas hit by Leftwing extremism.

In Ranchi, Chidambaram said he was reasonably satisfied with the implementation of Integrated Action Plan (IAP) in Jharkhand’s Maoist districts.

“I am reasonably satisfied with IAP implementation going in Jharkhand districts. More needs to be done. There has been significant success in Maoist operations between June and October,” Chidambaram told reporters.

He said “Jharkhand is one of the most Maoist affected states of the country. There are 14 battalions of CRPF and two battalions of Cobra forces are in Jharkhand. There are enough forces to deal with the Maoist menace in the state.”

The meeting was attended by Jharkhand Chief Minister Arjun Munda, state police chief G.S. Rath and other senior got officials. Sources said Chidambaram asked the state government to implement central schemes properly in the Maoist affected districts.

The union home minister also assured the state government of all help to deal with the Maoist menace.

In Bhubaneswar, Chidambaram expressed concern over the increasing Maoist violence in Odisha despite deployment of additional ten thousand central forces.

Speaking to reporters after meeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the state secretariat, the home minister said the causality figure of civilian and security forces in the state this year stood at 48 by the end of October.

“By the end of the year it may go a little beyond 50 ….that is an unacceptably high level of casualties,” he said.

“We have inducted 10,000 more central armed police constabulary and officers in the state. I have impressed upon the state government ….we must show results,” he said.

Reacting, Chief Minister Patnaik said the casualties in the state due to Maoist violence were “considerably less” compared to last year.