The highest 150 paramilitary teams among poll-bound States have been earmarked by the Union Home Ministry to be sent to Chhattisgarh for peaceful conduct of Assembly polls.
While dates for Assembly polls in these states are yet to be declared by the Election Commission (EC), the Home Ministry has asked the forces and respective state governments to get these units "inducted" by the first fortnight of this month for "area domination to ensure peaceful conduct of polls," officials informed.
The 250 companies of the forces are in addition to paramilitary forces deployed in these states for conducting anti-Naxal operations and assisting in other law and order duties, a senior official said.
These paramilitary and state police personnel, part of the additional 250 companies to be sent in for the polls, have been asked to take position by October 15 in states assigned to them.
Putting in place security arrangements for the upcoming polls in three states, the Union Home Ministry has ordered for the deployment of about 25,000 troops for election duties in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, a latest directive said.
A total of 521 out of 532 new mobile towers erected by Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) areas of Chhattisgarh have started radiating signals so far, the Central government informed in July this year.
The insurgency infested Dantewada, Sukma and Bastar districts of Chhattisgarh had a total of 180 mobile towers of BSNL operating in the three districts as on July 22, 2017.
Besides Naxal activities, difficult geographical conditions and hilly terrain make it difficult to provide network coverage in these LWE areas, the Central Government has informed.
The proposal for a total of 1028 mobile tower locations have been approved by the Central Government for Chhattisgarh in 16 LWE infested districts, the Central government had informed in May this year.
The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had approved the "Universal Service Obligation Fund [USOF]” supported scheme to provide mobile services at 4072 tower locations identified by MHA in inhabited uncovered areas affected by Left Wing Extremism [LWE] of 96 districts in 10 States including Chhattisgarh for Phase-ll project. The total project cost would be Rs 7,330 Crore.
This network would be used by the security personnel deployed in LWE affected areas. Project will also provide the mobile services to help the residents in unconnected inhabited villages which would improve the economic activities in the region. It will give impetus to the e-Governance activities in the backward and LWE affected area with the availability of digital mobile connectivity.
The LWE Phase-I project for providing the mobile services using 2G technology in LWE Areas with a total sanctioned cost of Rs, 4080.78 crore is on completion.
Technology proposed in the Phase-ll project has been upgraded according to the requirement of Stakeholders. Now 2G and 4G technology is being deployed in this project for providing the mobile connectivity, the government informed.