In order to improve operational capabilities to fight out the Maoists, the State Government is mulling to create a District Commando Force (DCF) in each leftwing Extremist (lWE)-hit district.
Even as the Government is strengthening the Special Operation Group (SOG) at the State level to help out the police force in combating Maoists, yet district police chiefs are favouring an idea to create an elite DCF at the district level. They are of the opinion that creation of DCFs would reduce dependence on the SOG.
The District Voluntary Force (DVF) is helping police force at the district level in combating Ultras too. Taking the cue from the DVF, top cops engaged in anti-Maoist operations are favouring creation of DCFs.
Odisha has scaled up anti-Maoist operations in a big way, and during 2016, over 800 such operations were conducted resulting in death of eight hardcore Maoists and arrest of 29 others. Most operations were conducted in 15 districts.
It is marked that Kalahandi has become the worst Maoist-hit district with high influx of hardcore Red rebels from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
As many as four Ultras were killed in the district during 2016. Out of over 30 incidents, 10 incidents occurred in Kalahandi only. The district police force was successful in combating the lWE cadres.
However, due to absence of Central forces, hardcore Maoists infiltrated into the State through the border of this district. At least two battalions of Central Armed Police Forces are needed to be deployed in the border areas.
Out of 19 Maoist-affected districts, there were hardly any Maoist violence in Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Sonepur, Ganjam and Gajapati. Hence, the State Government has requested the Centre to exclude these districts from the list of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) list.
On the other hand the Union Government has not yet sanctioned any funds for the 19 SRE districts for the year 2016-17 though nearly three months of the year have passed. Hence, the State Government is facing tough time to spend in these districts which need funds direly.
According to sources, the Centre is mulling to make the SRE spending at 60:40 ratio with the State Government even as the State Government has time and again approached the Union Home Ministry to release 100 per cent funds for the SRE districts.
