Jawans of Andhra Pradesh’s Greyhound force protest the death of 38 personnel in Malkangiri at the hands of the rebels. File picture

New Delhi, July 16: The Union home secretary Madhukar Gupta today chaired a high-level meeting to review the Naxalite situation in four rebel-hit states — Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

Senior officers of the state home ministries, chief secretaries and directors-general of police attended the meeting from the four states.

The meeting reviewed the progress of the integrated action plans prepared for composite development of the worst affected districts and its implementation.

At the Delhi meeting, it was felt that “substantial progress” had been achieved in each red-hit state on the infrastructure front.

The states, it was shown, had improved in terms of connectivity, an issue that was given utmost emphasis. The issues were judged on various parameters relating to the security situation in the Naxalite-affected states this year as compared to the last years, barring a few major incidents.

It was, however, emphasised in the meeting that there was no “room for complacency” in the matter of red threat.

Sustained steps and action on various fronts would continue to be necessary.

Secretaries of the concerned states informed those gathered at the meeting that action to fill up existing vacancies and constituting specialised forces have been emphasised upon by the state governments.

Arrangements for special training for the task forces were also discussed in this context.

The meeting also mulled over the issue of allocation of land for battalions of specialised central force that would be raised to counter the red threat. Plans are also afoot to constitute jungle warfare training schools to be set up by the central government.

Proposals of the state governments, under the scheme launched by the Centre for filling up critical infrastructure gaps, were also discussed.

While the leaders were discussing the red threat, in Orissa’s Malkangiri rebels blew up a special anti-landmine vehicle carrying 17 special operations jawans, some 600km from the state capital, in the afternoon. The victims are yet to be to be identified.

Chief minister Naveen Pattnaik, who was in the national capital, condoned the incident and called it a “dastardly act”. He announced compensation package and employment opportunity for a family member of the victims.