HYDERABAD: The Centre is willing to provide air support to the Andhra Pradesh police for meeting logistic requirements in combating naxalism and specialised training in anti-mine operations to an "earmarked squad", Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal said here on Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference after holding discussions with Chief Secretary T. K. Dewan, DGP Swaranjit Sen and others, he said the air support was not for operations against naxalites, but primarily aimed at giving logistic back-up such as evacuating/ dropping security forces, intelligence gathering/ surveillance and supply of food/medicines. Either a helicopter would be made available to the State or expenditure incurred on its use reimbursed.

On providing training to a special squad, he said that it would be fully equipped to detect and clear mines.

Referring to the State's request to meet expenditure incurred in combating ISI-sponsored activities on the lines of "entire naxal operations, he said the Centre was willing to consider it. He had asked the Chief Secretary to send a comprehensive proposal. He lauded the State police for doing extremely well in containing both terrorist modules and naxalite activities.

Mr. Duggal said by and large the law and order situation in the country was under control and violence was contained in Jammu and Kashmir, North-East and naxalite-affected areas.

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