SAMBALPUR: Foundation stone for the second Group Centre of CRPF in the State was laid by Director General of CRPF, Prakash Mishra at Basantpur on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday. The State’s first CRPF group centre is located in Bhubaneswar.
Addressing the gathering after laying the stone, Mishra said the Group Centre spread over 235.54 acres of land will monitor administrative affairs and activities of five CRPF battalions.
It will also house battalions, training and other facilities and facilitate the locals interested to build their career in Central Armed Police Force and CRPF by providing adequate guidance and counselling.
Mishra, who flew in directly to the venue from Raipur where he laid the stone for another Group Centre, said it will also provide an opportunity to the CRPF personnel to bring their families and arrange for the education of their wards.
Stating that establishment of the Group Centre entails an expenditure of about `400 crore, the DGP said funds for this will be released in phases. The centre will be functional and operational in three to four years and also support part of CRPF operations in neighbouring Chhattisgarh, he added.
Raising the Group Centre is part of the expansion plan of the CRPF. Presently, eight executive Battalions and one CoBRA unit of CRPF is deployed in Odisha.
The prevailing threat perception from Left Wing Extremists in the State, particularly in the region, has necessitated expansion of deployment.
Among others, the ceremony was attended by Special DG, Central Zone, CRPF Kolkata, K Durga Prasad; DIG, Group Centre, CRPF, Sambalpur, JPK Ray; DIG,CRPF Odisha Sector, NK Yadav and DIG, CRPF Range, Bhubaneswar Prabhat Nayak.