Maoists activities have reduced across Odisha: Naveen

Asking opposition parties to refrain from petty politics, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today claimed Maoist activities and violence have substantially reduced in many districts of Odisha.
Patnaik said this while replying to a debate on the supplementary demand for the departments of home and general administration here in the Assembly.
The opposition Congress and BJP members, however, walked out of the House in protest.
"We believe in hard work. We don't stage manage things to hoodwink the people. Four crore people of Odisha for the last 15 years have experienced our commitment and sincerity in fulfilling our promises. That is why they have blessed us to serve them for four consecutive times," Patnaik said.

Stating that his government was open to constructive suggestions and criticisms, the Chief Minister said "We want to solve all issues of our people by consensus and dialogue. And let us rise above petty politics and re-dedicate ourselves for the people of Odisha."
The opposition, on the other hand claimed there has been a rise in the killing of innocent people by Maoists in the name of police informers.

Patnaik said there was peace and harmony in the state and there has been no major law and order situation.
There was no communal incident and the industrial climate by and large remained peaceful, he said.

On Left Wing Extremism, Patnaik said Maoist violence has substantially declined in Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh and Nayagarh districts.
The Chief Minister said the surrender of Maoists has
increased in the state.
"63 Maoist cadres/militias have surrendered in the state in the current year," he said adding 1,034 villagers, including many active militias and Village Committee Members of Malkangiri district have withdrawn their support to the Maoists.
The recruitment of cadres in the Maoist outfit has become negligible in the state, he said.
Noting that the state's development initiatives coupled with social security measures were making an impact on the LWE hit areas, Patnaik said the state government has been focusing on continuously upgrading the operational capacity of the security forces as well as infrastructure in the Maoist affected areas.

On coastal security, Patnaik said all 18 marine police stations along the Odisha coast have been made functional.
Rejecting the opposition claim that there had been rise in corruption in the state, he said the Vigilance Department, between April 1, 2014 and November 30, 2015, has registered 823 criminal cases, in which 141 Class-I officers were involved.
"Out of these cases, 95 cases have been instituted for possession of disproportionate assets by public servants. 482 persons have been arrested, which include 34 Class-I officers during the above mentioned period," Patnaik said.
In a bid to bring in transparency and accountability in governance, Patnaik said the state government has introduced e-tender and e-procurement in our tender process.

"Further, we have also made a provision to place all tenders worth one hundred crore rupees and above in the cabinet for approval," he added.