Bhubaneswar: The state government would adopt a two-pronged strategy against the rebels to counter the Maoist menace.

Sources in the police department said that while security forces would intensify operation against the rebels, especially in districts such as Malkangiri and Koraput, considered to be their bastions, simultaneous steps would be taken to step up developmental activities in the areas where the rebels were active.

A source said the strategy had been discussed in detail at a meeting of senior officials here about a month ago.

The officials felt that mere coercive measures against the Maoists would not yield desired results.

A source said the focus of developmental initiatives in the Maoist belt would be on upgrading communication facilities and setting up educational and health infrastructure. The work on the Gurupriya bridge connecting Malkangiri's Maoist-hit "cut-off" area with the rest of the district would also be expedited. The state government has set a February deadline for the completion of the bridge.

The state government is laying special emphasis on ensuring proper co-ordination between state police and central paramilitary forces in the Maoist-affected districts, especially Malkangiri and Koraput, where the BSF has been combing the forests.

Co-ordination between the central and state forces is important to prevent the infiltration of Maoists from neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

The entry of Maoists from the neighbouring state remains a source of worry for the police as they have been lending support to the local rebel cadres.

The rebels from Chhattisgarh were suspected to be the brain behind the recent attack on boats carrying articles for BSF jawans in Malkangiri. On October 22, last year, the rebels gunned down an alleged police informer, who they suspected of ferrying ration for the security forces.

Following violence, director-general of police R.P. Sharma had paid a visit to Malkangiri and Koraput and held a review meeting. He had underscored the need for joint operations by the police and the central forces in the region.