Maharashtra: State govt approves distribution of funds for construction of 'Fortified Police Stations' in Naxal hit districts

The State Government has given approval for distribution of funds of Rs 8.75 crores for the construction of 20 Fortified Police Stations in the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas, Capacity Enhancement of Special Task Force and Special Intelligence Branches.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), projects worth approximately Rs 991 crore had been approved during 2017-20 under Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) for strengthening of State Police Forces and for construction of 250 Fortified Police Stations in the states which have Naxalite affected areas. The construction of 20 Fortified Police Stations have been sanctioned for the State of Maharashtra under this scheme.

"Further Rs 871.75 crore has been released under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme to 11 LWE affected states during the last three financial years," an MHA notification issued in December 2021 stated.

"For the construction of 20 Fortified Police Stations in the LWE affected Gadchiroli and Gondia districts of Maharashtra, Capacity Enhancement of Special Task Force and Special Intelligence Branches, the Central government had made provisions of Rs 10.50 crore and State government's contribution in the said scheme was Rs 7 crore. The Finance Department had given approval for distribution of 50 per cent of the said amount after which Rs 8.75 crore has been approved for disbursement for implementation of SIS," said a home department official.

"These police stations will have high compound walls and monitoring towers, among other features, to tackle any kind of attacks by Maoists," the official said.