Cost of anti-Naxal operations causes dent in states' finances
Chhattisgarh spends Rs 6,400 cr a year to maintain Central forces, wants Union govt to bear cost
 "Naxal in Chhattisgarh")
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Naxal in Chhattisgarh. Photo: PTI
Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected states have been bearing the brunt of expenses relating to the deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) in their territories. The forces have deployed by the Centre to contain the Naxal movement in 10 states, namely Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
The huge amount that these 10 states spend on the forces, including the salaries of the jawans, has taken a a toll on their.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), about 93 battalions of CAPFs mostly taken from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are deployed in these states. The deployment of CAPFs is a dynamic process and keeps changing from time to time, depending upon the requirements projected by one state in relation to the demands of other LWE-affected one, availability of forces and security situation in the state making the requisition.
The deployment is maximum in Chhatisgarh, where about 40 battalions are engaged in flushing out the red army.
“We have to incur Rs 6,400 crore a year on CAPFs and that is seriously impacting the state’s finances,” Chhattisgarh’s Commercial Tax Minister Amar Agrawal said.
"We have urged the Centre to bear the cost of deployment and exempt the states," he added.
During the pre-budget suggestion meeting convened in New Delhi recently, Chhattisgarh government urged the Centre to make separate budgetary provision for combating LWE.
Agarwal said the menace was a national problem and the state had taken effective measures to put the rebels on the backfoot. Chhattisgarh had not yet paid the amount, which is why it had been shown as outstanding in its accounts.
Chhatisgarh's Special Director General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthy said efforts were on to get the outstanding amount exempted, and that the authorities concerned were in touch with the Centre on the issue.
The huge amount that these 10 states spend on the forces, including the salaries of the jawans, has taken a a toll on their.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), about 93 battalions of CAPFs mostly taken from Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are deployed in these states. The deployment of CAPFs is a dynamic process and keeps changing from time to time, depending upon the requirements projected by one state in relation to the demands of other LWE-affected one, availability of forces and security situation in the state making the requisition.
The deployment is maximum in Chhatisgarh, where about 40 battalions are engaged in flushing out the red army.
“We have to incur Rs 6,400 crore a year on CAPFs and that is seriously impacting the state’s finances,” Chhattisgarh’s Commercial Tax Minister Amar Agrawal said.
"We have urged the Centre to bear the cost of deployment and exempt the states," he added.
During the pre-budget suggestion meeting convened in New Delhi recently, Chhattisgarh government urged the Centre to make separate budgetary provision for combating LWE.
Agarwal said the menace was a national problem and the state had taken effective measures to put the rebels on the backfoot. Chhattisgarh had not yet paid the amount, which is why it had been shown as outstanding in its accounts.
Chhatisgarh's Special Director General of Police (anti-Naxal operations) D M Awasthy said efforts were on to get the outstanding amount exempted, and that the authorities concerned were in touch with the Centre on the issue.