Maoist-hit states top list in shortfall of IPS officers

Even as 'Operation Green Hunt' involving over 60,000 central security personnel is underway, Maoist affected states like West Bengal and Orissa top the list having the highest shortfall of IPS officers.

Even as 'Operation Green Hunt' involving over 60,000 central security personnel is underway, Maoist affected states like West Bengal and Orissa top the list having the highest shortfall of IPS officers.

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While the sanctioned strength of IPS officers in West Bengal, which recently witnessed the worst Maoist attack this year leaving 24 security personnel dead, is 297, the actual strength is only 226, a shortfall of 71.

In neighbouring Orissa, which is also a haven of Maoist and a crucial area for anti-Maoist operations, there is a shortfall of 60 IPS officers, as per the latest Home Ministry figures.

The combined shortage of officers in seven of the most Maoist affected states - Orissa, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh - is 253, which is about 40 per cent of the national figure of 630.

Madhya Pradesh's three districts Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori have been identified as Maoist affected and the state has a shortfall of 76 officers.

Facing acute shortage of IPS cadres, the MHA had recently dispatched 16 paramilitary officers on probation to such states to work as additional superintendents of police.

"IPS probationers of 2009 Batch who are currently undergoing training are yet to be allocated state cadres," a Ministry official said.