Bhubaneswar, July 30: The Orissa government has decided to step up its offensive against the Maoists in the wake of the rebels going on the backfoot following severe cadre depletion.

While combing operation to flush out the rebels has been intensified across the state, the government is also planning to raise the strength of its forces fighting the Red menace.

Sources said the government had decided to raise another 35 units of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) while filling up vacant posts of officers in the police force.

The decision about raising the strength of the force was taken recently at a high-level meeting chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik. The state already has 50 SOG units, but it needs 35 more. The SOG jawans are expected work in tandem with the 12 battalions of central paramilitary forces deployed in the state.

The state government has also decided to regularise the services of the special police officers who have completed three years in service. Though the recruitment of SPOs in neighbouring Chhattisgarh was recently criticised by the Supreme Court, Orissa has consistently maintained that these officers, who were actually tribal youths hired on contract basis, served a useful purpose without being exposed to combat situations with the Maoists.

“The SPOs in Orissa are not a combat force. They simply assist the regular police force at the police station level in the Maoist-affected districts. Besides, all rules and regulations have been followed while making these appointments,” said a senior police officer.

Gearing up for a decisive battle with the rebels, the government is also taking steps to fine-tune its intelligence apparatus that has been found wanting several times in the past.

Sources said that intelligence officials deployed in the field would be better trained and motivated to ensure the strike force got information about the movement of the rebels with adequate time for planning special operations.

“Intelligence definitely remains an area of concern as we have been caught napping several times in the past. There have been some truly embarrassing cases. Hopefully such things will not happen again,” said an officer adding that the success of the police in winning back the confidence of tribals in the Maoist-dominated areas would also help intelligence officials.

The officer, however, cautioned against complacency saying the best-laid plans could go awry unless properly executed.

“We have to work hard on this aspect and must always remember that the Maoists are only down but not out yet,” he said.