Sambalpur: Five new Rapid Action Force (RAF) units would be formed soon to combat left-wing extremism (LWE) in the state, CRPF director general (DG) Prakash Mishra Tuesday told mediapersons here while laying the foundation stone of the new Group Centre (GC) of the Central Reserve Police Force.
The proposed centre would be set up near Gosala under Basantpur panchayat of Dhanakauda block. The GC would not only help Sambalpur become a developed city but will also contribute towards the growth of the local economy, Mishra said.
According to sources, Union home minister Rajnath Singh was to lay the foundation stones of two GCs – one in Raipur of Chhattisgarh and the second at Sambalpur. However, Singh could not make it due to some last minute changes in schedule.
After landing at Basantpur in a helicopter, Mishra attended a meeting held to mark the occasion as chief guest. He paid his obeisance to the local deity before laying the foundation stone of the state’s second and the country’s 42nd Group Centre.
While addressing the gathering, Mishra said the establishment of the centre, though delayed, would be of immense help as it would have as many as five CRPF battalions functioning under it and would be home to the families of about 10,000 jawans.
The GC would be equipped with a Sainik school, a Central School, a football ground, a training centre, a helipad, ration stores and a wide range of healthcare facilities. The Rs400 crore project would be funded by the Union government in a phased manner. The centre would be of immense help in anti-Naxal operations in Koraput, Malkangiri, Nuapada and Sambalpur districts of Orissa and some regions of Chhattisgarh. Required helipads would be laid in the districts of Orissa for which the cooperation of the state government would be sought, the DG said, adding that the number of RAF units in the country would go up to 15 with the proposed five units.
There are more than three lakh CRPF jawans in the country while two to three battalions are being formed each year. The new group centre here would create employment opportunities in the district, officials said.
Among others who graced the occasion were Special DG K Durgaprasad of Kolkata CRPF Central Zone, CRPF’s Orissa Sector DIG NK Yadav and Bhubaneswar range DIG Prabhat Nayak. PNN
