Raman for unified command in each Naxal-hit district

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh on Friday made a pitch for setting up unified operational command in each Naxal-hit district in the state to give a sharp edge to anti-Naxal operations.

Singh chaired a meeting of unified command at the Mantrayala (state secretariat) here to discuss anti-Maoist strategy in the wake of the deadly Maoist attack in Sukma district recently. "The chief minister stressed the need to constitute unified operational command in LWEaffected districts in the state to eliminate the menace," a state public relation officer said. To achieve success in the counter-insurgency operations at the ground level, it is necessary to set up district-level unified commands and convene its meetings on weekly and fortnightly basis, the CM said.

"The district-level unified command should be headed by the superintendent of police of the district concerned, while officials of thecentral armed forces working in the region should be made its members so that both the Centre and the state can together take on the challenge with more seriousness," he said. He also suggested setting up a joint training centre in Sukma and Bijapur districts for combined training of central and state forces.

"Around 50-60 jawans from both central and state forces should be provided training at the joint training centre in order to enhance mutualcoordination among them," Singh underlined. He further said that central and state agencies were working with a better coordination on both development and security fronts to flush out the menace of naxalism.

"The central and state armed forces are also working with a better coordination," the chief minister added.

State's schemes like livelihood training college are yielding good results in the affected districts, through which local youths are being associated with skill development training for securing jobs, he said.

Describing the recent attack on CRPF personnel as an unfortunate incident, the CM said, "The naxals are frustrated with increasing influence of public welfare schemes in the affected areas and hence indulging in such cowardly acts." "But the forces' morale is high and soon naxalism will be wiped out with joint efforts," the CM said.

All the security forces should have better understanding of geographical location, information about armed naxals, their supporters and their strategy, in the concerned area of their working, he said.

All the officials and employees involved in anti-Maoist operations should be shown video clippings of such operations so that they can have its better understanding, he added.