Jharkhand wants 5 more batallions of CRPF to fight Naxals

State already has more than 20 battalions

Jharkhand on Friday demanded five battalions of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to combat Naxalism in the state.

Making the demand, state Chief Secretary Rajbala Verma laid stress on the need to strengthen telecommunication and mobile network to control Naxalism.

Verma took part in a meeting to review the progress of development works undertaken in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states. The meeting was held in the pressence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh.

"In order to control Naxal problem in the state, Verma demanded five battalions of CRPF to run a special drive in 13 focus areas including Latehar, Banalat, Pesrar, Parasnath, Balumath etc," an official statement said.

Jharkhand already has more than 20 battalions.

Verma urged the Centre to increase the network of banks and post offices for financial inclusion in LWE districts so that Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, MUDRA Yojana, Kissan Credit Card Yojana, Fasal Beema Yojana and others are effectively implemented.

Noting that at present only 1500 bank branches are in operation in 4402 panchayats of the state, she said that increased number of bank branches, post offices, computerised sub-post offices will boost financial inclusion and also increase post office's role in financial exchanges specially in payment of MGNREGA wages.

"The CS laid stress on the need to strengthen telecommunication and mobile network to control Naxalism in the state," the statement said.

Noting that new radio and television transmission centres are the need of the hour, Verma conveyed during the meeting that at present proposals for 900 mobile towers are pending in the state and out of the five radio transmission centres, not even a single one lies in Santhal Pargana Commissionery.

Verma also asked the Centre to increase the 5% funds given under NRHM for health-related basic infrastructure, primary health centres and sub-centres and make it expense-flexible.

She also asked the Centre to minimize the requirement of land for Central School and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya from 10 acre and 25 acre respectively to 5 acres so that the pending 8 Central Schools and 11 Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas can be opened.

She also urged the Centre to exclude linear projects like canal, tele-communication from the need of acquiring forest clearance.