Bhubaneswar, April 16: Orissa government is drawing up a holistic plan involving a two-pronged strategy: to strengthen security cover and expedite socio-economic development in tribal areas.

“We need to have adequate security in rebel hubs. At the same time development process should be expedited,” conceded home secretary T.K. Mishra. Mishra chaired a meeting at the secretariat today discussing the matter.

The empowered committee on special plan in Left-wing, rebel-affected areas, headed by the chief secretary, would meet tomorrow to shape up the holistic plan, following which the detailed plan would be sent to the Centre soon.

The plan would be formulated for 14 districts in three phases. In the first phase, the plan will be drawn up for the worst-affected areas (Rayagada and Malkangiri) on a pilot basis. Formulation of holistic plans for Deogarh, Sambalpur and Gajapati will follow next, followed by Koraput, Ganjam, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Nowrangpur and Sundargarh in the final leg.

The home secretary said the government received a letter from the Union cabinet secretary informing them of a five-year scheme (Special Intervention Fund) with a corpus of Rs 500 crore for the affected states. The fund would be used to fill critical gaps, especially in infrastructure and police.

Orissa is expected to get around Rs 15 crore per annum, he said, adding that the government would demand at least Rs 25 crore per annum.

Vulnerable police stations and armouries located in the red hubs would be fortified within six months and the matter was recently discussed with the chairman-cum-managing director of the Orissa Police Housing Corporation.

Under this security scheme, the Centre would reimburse cost of raising India Reserve Battalions, provision for central police forces and army deployment, ex gratia and gratuitous relief to victims of violence, transportation of arrested rebels to jails outside state, and 50 per cent cost of petrol, oil and lubricants.

Besides, the Orissa government has sought deployment of more CRPF battalions after the four already deployed.