The Centre has agreed to provide 60 companies of para-military forces to Odisha, besides use of 232 satellite phones to ensure free and fair elections in the state, official sources said.
While the Home Ministry has already sanctioned 50 companies of central forces, the Centre further agreed to send another batch of additional 10 more companies from Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand to ensure fool proof security, they said.
The forces to be deployed included personnel from CRPF, BSF and Indo-Tibetan Border Force (ITBP).
The security personnel would be deployed in the state till the election results were declared. However, 18 companies would be deputed to neighbouring Madhya Pradesh after the first phase of elections, the sources said.
The state government already has at its disposal 89 companies of central para-military forces.
Besides, three helicopters of the Indian Air Force were being deployed at Koraput, Malkangiri and Nuapada to meet the security exigencies in the ensuing general elections in the state, said Director General of Police Prakash Mishra after reviewing security arrangement in northern parts of the state.
