Odishatv Bureau
New Delhi: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today stressed on urgent consultations between the Centre and the states over issues like the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) saying any delay in this regard would affect handling of law and order. "We had a crisis involving the abductions of an MLA and two Italian nationals by left wing extremists and this kind of delay will further aggravate such problems," said Naveen Patnaik at the Chief Ministers` Conference on internal security.

Chief Minister rued that he has been "writing repeatedly" to the Centre that it was a matter of "urgent importance" and an immediate meeting of chief ministers should be called to "address concerns about the federal rights of the states." Naveen Patnaik hoped that the issue of consultations with the states scheduled for May 5 would be "addressed seriously". Chief Minister had earlier questioned the Centre`s move to go ahead with a sensitive issue like terrorism with the establishment of the proposed National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).

Stressing that the Odisha government was committed to deal with left wing extremism Naveen Patnaik asked the Centre to include four more districts namely Kalahandi, Nuapada, Bargarh and Balangir under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme. Naveen Patnaik also asked that a revised plan of Rs 127.05 crore under the SRE scheme for the current fiscal may be approved by the Centre. 

Naveen Patnaik also asked the Centre to provide two more battalions of Central para-military forces to be deployed in Koraput and Malkangiri districts for anti-naxal operations. Chief Minister also demanded stationing of the unmanned aerial vehicle facility in Koraput to cover all the naxal-affected bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.  

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