Fund shortage hits govt’s drive against Maoists

The financial crisis has taken its toll on the government drive against Naxalites in the Left Wing Extremism-affected districts of Bankura,Purulia and West Midnapore.

The state government had sanctioned Rs 35 crore for raising the Counter Insurgency Force (CIF) to tackle Naxal menace. However,a bill for Rs 17 lakh — to buy uniforms for the jawans — has been pending for the last three months. The government has also not cleared the 30 per cent risk allowance for the CIF,which if meant for police personnel deployed to fight Naxalites.

“Both the files have been lying with the finance department,” a senior official of the Home Department told The Indian Express.

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A meeting,which was chaired by Home Secretary G D Gautama,was held today to sort out the issue.

While the training centre for the CIF is going to be set up at Salua,in West Midnapore district,the administrative headquarters will be set up at Garia in Kolkata.

“At present training is imparted from various schools run by police forces of other states and also the BSF and the Army,” the official said.