CCS nod to 12 battalions for Maoist-hit states

New Delhi: The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved 12 India Reserve battalions for Left Wing Extremism (Lwe)affected states.

While four of these India Reserve batallions will be raised in Chhattisgarh, three each will be raised in Jharkhand and Odisha, and two in Maharashtra.

The CCS has also decided that 75 per cent of the constabulary level posts will be drawn from the 27 districts that are worst affected by the LWE. To recruit local youths, the government will relax age and educational criteria.

The CCS has also allowed the CRPF to raise a ‘Bastariya’ battalion by recruiting youths from undivided Bastar district.

Moreover, two already sanctioned India Reserve battalions will be converted into auxiliary battalions through recruitment of youths from 15 severely Maoist-hit districts of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Odisha. ENS