Ranchi: The Palamau district administration on Saturday set up two outposts in Dagra and Sariadih villages under Naudiha police station located around 80km from the district headquarters.

The outposts will also serve as integrated development centres to achieve the goals of chief secretary Rajbala Verma's 30-point focus area development plan that targets holistic growth of remote villages in red terror zones.

Over 11 villages under Dagra OP and 15 villages under Saraiadih OP will be benefited by the latest development.

Verma, accompanied by other senior officials, including the DGP, has been extensively touring rebel strongholds to take stock of development works and plugging loopholes after interacting with the local residents. She has also clarified that police establishments in remote villages should also function as integrated growth centres.

"Earlier, the police rarely ventured into remote villages of Naudiha because of the rebel menace and poor law and order. After sustained policing, we set up a temporary picket in Dagra and an integrated development centre in Saraiadih. These establishments brought about drastic changes on both development and policing fronts. Now that these have become regular outposts, more positive outcomes are expected in the days to come," Palamau SP Indrajeet Mahatha said.

According to 2011 census, the population of villages in Dagra area is around 6,500 and that of Saraiadih is over 11,000. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood but in the absence of irrigation facilities, crops have failed farmers as the area falls in the rain shadow zone.

"Rebels ruled the roost in this area for more than four decades. During a meeting with Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on June 8, we informed him that though the rebels have been flushed out yet police ought to be stationed in the area to facilitate smooth execution of development work. It seems that the Centre appreciated our proposal and we also got the necessary support from the state police headquarters. Moreover, on the virtue of being located close to the Bihar border (Dumaria area in Gaya district), these villages will get the benefit of both focus and border area development plans," Mahatha said.

Under the 30-point development programme, enrolling children in residential schools, setting up anganwadi centres, preventing children from dropping out of schools, providing bank linkages to women's self-help groups and running job training programme for youths will be given special attention.