BHUBANESWAR: In a significant improvement in the left-wing extremism (LWE) situation in Odisha, the state government has declared five districts—Angul, Boudh, Sambalpur, Deogarh and Nayagarh—as Maoist-free belts following zero Naxal-triggered violence in these regions in the last few years.
Director general of police Abhay said the state government has approved the removal of the five districts from the Centre-sponsored security-related expenditure (SRE) scheme, which is exclusively meant for capacity building in Maoist-affected districts.
Out of total 30 districts in Odisha, altogether 10 districts are now affected by the LWE menace. The 10 LWE-affected districts are Koraput, Malkangiri, Rayagda, Bargarh, Balangir, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Kandhamal, and Sundargarh.
In 2012, total 19 districts were impacted by LWE. In April 2018, six districts—Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati and Ganjam were declared as free from Maoist activities. "Robust security response, as well as focused developmental activities by the state government, ensured a turnaround in the LWE situation in the state in the last few years. The progressive fizzling out of the Maoist influence in the state is indicative of the growing acceptance by the people to the developmental agenda of the state government," a senior police officer said.
Exclusion of the five districts from the SRE scheme came close on heels of the killing of five suspected ultras in Kandhamal district on July 5. At least six Maoists have so far been killed in Odisha this year. Before the five deaths in Kandhamal, the police had neutralised a suspected Maoist in Swabhiman Anchal in Malkangiri district in January this year. Casualties of suspected Maoists stood at 19 in 2018 and 8 in 2019.