Naveen Urges waiver Of CAPF Deployment Cost In Odisha

Bhubaneswar (Reporters Today Bureau): Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to waive the charges towards deployment of Central Forces of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in the State.

As per reports, the Ministry of Home Affairs had asked Odisha to pay Rs 4561.23 crore of the Odisha Government towards deployment charges of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) up to October 1, 2020.

Earlier Odisha had written a letter requesting the center on June 10, 2015, to reconsider the decision of charging Odisha Government for the deployment of Central Forces to combat Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the State. To which Union Home Minister through a letter on 25.08.2015 had intimated that there had been no change in the extant policy of the Government as approved earlier by the Cabinet Committee on Security.

“In response, the then Union Home Minister vide his D.O. letter No.27012/93/2014-PF-V, dated August 25, 20215 had intimated that there had been no change in the extant policy of the Government as approved earlier by the Cabinet Committee on Security. As such, all States except the few Special Category States, viz., North-East, J&K, and HP, are required to bear full charges for the deployment of CAPFs in their states. Further, he intimated that due to the overall constraint of resources, it was not feasible to exempt the State Government from payment of deployment charges,” CM wrote today.

Worth mentioning that all states except few states are required to bear full charges for the deployment of CAPFs in their States as Naxal violence has spread to large areas of the country. Further, he intimated that due to the overall constraint of resources, it was not possible to exempt the State government from payment of deployment charges, the letter read.

“Left Wing Extremism is a national issue and a grave internal security threat to the integrity of the Nation. This major challenge has to be addressed by both government of India and the State Governments) jointly. Besides, Government of Odisha has been proactive in spending from its scanty resources in creating and deploying security forces even amidst its tight fiscal situation,” the letter read.

In his letter, Naveen wrote, “Around 15 Battalions of State Police have been raised, specifically to combat Left Wing Extremism. 30,000 posts in the Police Cadre have also been created including armed formations along with Specialized Training Centres and other logistic facilities for their deployment.”