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Police protection for PMGSY work

Bhubaneswar: Roads under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) would be laid under police protection in the naxal-affected districts of south Orissa, the State Government announced on Tuesday.

Rural Development Minister B B Harichandan told reporters here that the decision was taken after the stateâs proposal to the Border Road Organisation (BRO) was turned down by the Centre.

Official sources said though Orissa occupied the fourth place in terms of implementation of the PMGSY in the country, it had failed to construct rural roads in naxal-affected districts.

No contractor is coming forward to work in naxal-hit Malkangiri and Gajapati districts because of fear of the Maoists,ââ the minister said adding that projects worth Rs 20 crore could not be implemented as left wing extremists were opposed to welfare schemes in tribal pockets.

Though 14 districts were affected by naxal activities, work under PMGSY were disrupted in only two, he said.

Harichandan said his department had urged the home department to provide adequate security so that work under PMGSY could be implemented properly and state agencies like Orissa Construction Corporation and Orissa Bridge Construction Corporation were being roped in to start rural connectivity work in the naxal-affected districts.

The government had invited tender five times for one work, but none came forward as Maoists kidnapped contractors and attacked labourers, he added. PTI

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