New Delhi, Dec. 8: Chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi today demanded permanent deployment of central forces in the state for enhancing security along its long international border, Naxalite-hit areas and for maintaining communal harmony.

Manjhi stressed in his meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh that Bihar needed a few companies of Rapid Action Force and other paramilitary forces. The chief minister suggested Rajnath that Saran district should be included in the security-related expenditure scheme (meant for Naxalite-hit districts) and Bettiah should be dropped.

During his two-day trip to the national capital, the chief minister also urged the Centre to approve the road requirement plan-2 that aims at constructing motorways in tough terrain, including rocky and forest areas. 'We have completed the road construction plan-1 successfully and want to move to the next stage,' the chief minister was quoted as saying in the 20-minute-long meeting with Rajnath.

Manjhi also nudged the Centre for allocating Rs 88 crore for acquiring land for constructing the integrated checkpost in Raxaul along the India-Nepal border. The facility, the foundation stone for which was laid four years ago, is aimed at providing facilities like security, immigration, customs and quarantine for smooth cross-border movement of people, goods and transport.

The first such modern checkpost, equipped with high-tech security gadgets and other instruments to facilitate trade and immigration, is operational at Attari along the India-Pakistan border in Punjab since 2012.

Referring to the pension row with the neighbouring state, Manjhi reminded Rajnath that the NDA-led government should ask Jharkhand to cough up Rs 2,584 crore that it owes to Bihar as pension liability.