By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Orissa has sought 400 more paramilitary personnels from the central government to counter the Maoist insurgency in the state, officials said here Monday.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik met central Home Minister Shivraj Patil in New Delhi and informed him about the difficulty the state was facing in dealing with the ultras.
He requested Patil for deputation of 400 personnel of paramilitary forces to strengthen the Special Operations Group (SOG), raised exclusively for counter-insurgency and anti-Maoist operations in Orissa, a state government release here said.
Patil agreed to consider the request favourably, it said.
Patil also accepted Patnaik’s proposal for establishment of a Counter-insurgency Battalion for Resolute Action (‘Cobra’) in Orissa and requested the state to provide land for its establishment.
The chief minister promised to provide adequate land, free of cost, for the purpose, the release said.