Odisha seeks waiver of Rs 1,450 cr CRPF deployment charges in Naxal areas

Odisha govt has requested the Union home minister to waive off charges on deployment of CRPF personnel in Naxal infested areas, stating that the issues of security must be dealt by both the govts

The Odisha government has requested the Union home minister to waive off charges on deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in Naxal infested areas, stating that the issues of security must be dealt by both the governments.

"It is the responsibility of both the Union government and the states to fight left wing extremism affecting various parts of the country including Odisha, by pooling together their resources. The claim of Rs 1,450.29 crore of the Union government towards deployment of central forces appears to be quite unreasonable," said chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, in a letter addressed to Rajnath Singh, the home minister.

In the present internal security scenario, joint and coordinated operations of state and central security forces are the need of the hour and such demands should not take precedence over the urgent operational requirements so far as deployment of central police forces is considered, he added. The state government had received a letter last December from the Director General of CRPF regarding payment of Rs 1,450.29 crore towards deployment charges of security forces in Naxal affected areas up to the period of September 2014.

Odisha has been refusing to pay the deployment charges of security forces in Naxal areas saying that it has already spent crores of rupees in modernisation of state police force and their training to fight the red rebels. To support its argument, it had maintained that it was the responsibility of both the Centre and the state to deal with Naxalism and had written to Centre in this regard in 2011. The Union home ministry, last year, had rejected its request saying that there was no such provision to waive off charges and asked it to pay the dues until further orders. The state government today reiterated its stand and requested the central government to consider the matter.

"I would, therefore, request you to kindly look into the matter and consider waiving off the charges on account of deployment of central police forces altogether", said Patnaik in the letter. To combat Naxal violence, there are currently eight regular battalions and one CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) battalion of CRPF deployed in 13 districts of Odisha. In southernmost Malkanagiri and Koraput districts, personnel of Border Security Force are deployed.