Bhubaneswar, Dec. 8: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik today told the Assembly that 18 people had been killed in Maoist violence till September this year.

However, he claimed that the overall situation had improved considerably compared to the neighbouring states. "While there were reports of 75 deaths of civilians and security personnel in 346 Maoist violence incidents in Chhattisgarh and 23 casualties in 170 incidents in Jharkhand this year, it was 18 in 51 incidents in Odisha," said Naveen, while replying to a debate on the supplementary budgetary demand for the home department for the current fiscal.

He claimed that Maoist activities and violence had substantially declined in Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Gajapati, Ganjam, Nabarangpur, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Sundargarh and Nayagarh districts. Naveen said that as many as 63 Maoist cadres and militia members had surrendered in the state this year.

Besides, 1,034 villagers, including active militias and the village committee members of Malkangiri district, have withdrawn their support to the Maoists, said Naveen.

The government has also sought to augment the strength of Odisha police by creating 1,572 posts in various ranks. The Odisha Staff Selection Commission is in the process of recruiting 1,002 sub-inspectors, 84 deputy subedars and 57 police sergeants. To carry out specialised investigation in crimes against women, 105 posts in various ranks have been sanctioned to set up seven investigating units in seven districts in the current year, he said.

Cases related to crime against women are being tagged as Red Flag cases by the state government. For expeditious trial of cases of atrocities against those belonging to the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes, three special courts in Balangir, Balasore and Cuttack have been made functional.

Earlier, Opposition parties criticised the government for deterioration in the law and situation, rise in crime against women, spread of Maoist activities to newer areas and the use of police force for political purposes. Opposition leader Narasingha Mishra slammed the government for its failure to appoint Lokpal and chairpersons of statutory state Information and Human Rights commissions. He also said the Odisha Police Bill was passed in the House in absence of the Opposition parties. It was later returned by the governor.