LWE controlled in Odisha : Naveen

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has claimed that Left Wing Extremism has been controlled in 11 of the state's 30 districts and said cash reward has been given to 514 identified Maoist leaders and cadre who have surrendered or arrested.
The state government has formulated a revised rehabilitation and surrender policy for Maoists.
"Rs 2.26 crore has already been disbursed under this policy," he said while replying to supplementary budget expenditure demands on home department in the Assembly last night.
Stating that there has been steady progress in reduction of LWE activities in the state, Patnaik said Maoist activities have been brought under control in Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Mayurbhanj, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundergarh and Nayagarh districts.

Activities of Chasi Mulia Adivasi Sangha, a frontal organisation of Maoists are also under control, he said.
Significant success has also been achieved in containing the activities of Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI) and Pahadi Chita groups operating on the Odisha-Jharkhand border, the Chief Minister said.

Patnaik said the government was now trying to contain Maoists in parts of Malkangiri, Koraput, Bolangir, Nuapada, Rayagada, Bargah, Kalahandi, and Nawarangpur districts.
Giving details, he said till November 2013 end there were 57 Maoist-related incidents this year which claimed the lives of 15 civilians, 7 security personnel and 21 Maoists as compared to deaths of 25 civilians, 19 security personnel and 10 Maoists in 99 incidents during the year 2012.

He rejected opposition claim that Odisha has turned into a sanctuary of criminals due to the low conviction rate and said as per the latest NCRB report the rate of cognisable offences per lakh population in Odisha is 203.6 as against national average of 497.9 cases per lakh population.
"The figures speak for themselves as we are less than half of the national average", he added.