Odisha CM demands rail, banking, telecom services in Maoist-hit areas

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday sought the Centre’s cooperation in improving the railway, banking and telecom networks in Odisha’s Maoist-affected areas.

Patnaik put forth the demands during a review meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, on the security situation in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas and development initiatives being undertaken there.

“I made three major demands that the districts of Nabarangpur and Malkangiri get railway connectivity, our state government is willing to provide land free and also pay half the cost also for banking facilities in all the Naxal affected blocks and telecommunications in the Naxal affected areas,” Patnaik told media persons after the meeting.

“I hope the Centre would comply to my demands,” the Chief Minister added.

#LISTEN to the demands of CM @Naveen_Odisha at review meeting, chaired by Union HM #AmitShah in Delhi, on the security situation & development initiatives in Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas #Odisha pic.twitter.com/PmW4MdLy9k

— Kalinga TV (@Kalingatv) August 26, 2019

In a first of its kind initiative since assuming charge at the Home Ministry, Shah chaired the meet attended by Chief Ministers and the representatives of 10 Maoist-hit states – Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.

In pictures: Union Home Minister, Shri @AmitShah chairs a review meeting on security issues with the Chief Ministers of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. pic.twitter.com/kJ2EoN4OED

— गृहमंत्री कार्यालय, HMO India (@HMOIndia) August 26, 2019

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