16.1.13

Government fine-tunes Red policy


The Centre fine-tuned the scheme to create anti-Naxal special forces in four states — Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha. The plan is on the lines of Greyhounds of Andhra Pradesh to fight Maoists and pitched for a deadline to deploy commandos on ground to step up the operation.
Specialized forces fully trained in guerilla warfare and capable of hot pursuit across inter-state borders as well as the infrastructure will be set up within six months.
The department of expenditure under the finance ministry approved Rs 280 crore for setting up these forces. The Centre will spend 75% of the sum and the rest will be borne by the state concerned.
The home ministry, which has already decided to deploy 10,000 more paramilitary personnel in Maoist-affected areas over the months, also set guidelines for the specialized force and decided to fund infrastructure, weaponry and equipment needed to fill the critical gap.
The special forces will be set up in such a manner that it will be capable of staying and operating in interior and inhospitable terrain / jungles for at least a week at a stretch with a view to take on extremists in their strongholds.
Trained to reach inaccessible, remote forest areas throughout a state in the shortest possible time and conduct swift operations, the forces will have instructions to travel “mostly by road or on foot” to avoid landmines in the Red zones.
In order to ensure effectiveness of the scheme by adhering to set guidelines, the home ministry also put certain conditions before states such as Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Bihar, which already have their own special forces.
In its notes to the states, the ministry said, “The special force of the state concerned has to be upgraded as per the approved guidelines on the lines of Greyhounds.”

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