Centre to set up six schools to fight naxals

The Centre announced moves to set up six counter-insurgency schools to train commando forces to fight naxals in the states and create a specialised anti-naxal force within the CRPF, reports Aloke Tikku.

As naxalites continued to hit out at the security establishment in and outside Orissa with renewed force, the Centre announced moves to set up six counter-insurgency schools to train commando forces to fight naxals in the states and create a specialised anti-naxal force within the CRPF.

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But the Union government also asked four naxal-hit states, including Orissa, to tone down their expectations for central funds.

The Centre had last year identified eight districts — two in each state — and asked state governments to come up with their wish list for these districts as a pilot project. After discussions that have continued for nearly a year, the home ministry finally told the states on Wednesday to trim their list.

“It seems the Planning Commission has only approved only Rs 25 crore for each district,” said a state government official.

Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh had come up with plans that would have cost the Centre anywhere between Rs 50-60 crore for each district.