Bhubaneshwar, Apr 6 (UNI) The Orissa government will complete the fortification of at least 50 police stations in the naxal dominated areas in next six months, Home Secretary T K Mishra said today.

Mr Mishra told newspersons here that the fortification of 25 police stations was near completion and the work was on in the rest 25 police stations.

He said the government had already sanctioned Rs 40 lakh for the fortification of each police station. Besides, trained security personnel would be posted in these police stations to counter the naxalites.

The government, he said, had also decided to recruit experienced ex-defence personnel to train the Special Operation Group (SOG) members specially raised to combat the ultras.

Mr Mishra said a provision of Rs 10 crore had been made in the current budget to supply sophisticated arms and ammunition to the police stations in naxal hit areas.

The government would urge the Centre for assistance to meet the training expenses of the SOG personnel, he said.

Besides, strengthening the police stations and security system, the government also had taken measures to implement the poverty alleviation programmes and undertake development programmes in the naxal affected areas to woo the youths into the mainstream.

UNI BD PP SV VC1346