Bhubaneswar: A total of 13,373 posts are vacant in the police department, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Odisha Assembly on Monday.
Additionally, 481 vacancies exist in the Fire Service Department, 2,416 in the Home Guard force, and 862 in jails and sub-jails across the state.
The Chief Minister assured that steps are being taken to fill these positions through selection and promotion processes to strengthen the state’s security apparatus.
Providing an update on anti-Maoist efforts, Majhi revealed that 123 Maoists were killed in encounters, while 11 security personnel lost their lives in clashes between January 2014 and November 2024. During the same period, 336 Maoists surrendered.
The Chief Minister affirmed the state’s goal to be free of Maoist influence by 2026. To achieve this, anti-Maoist operations have been intensified in affected areas, with close coordination among Central Security Forces, Odisha Police, and police forces from neighboring states. Intelligence-sharing between the State Intelligence Wing, the Central Intelligence Bureau, and neighboring state agencies has also been enhanced.
Majhi emphasized that Maoist activities are under close surveillance, and operations are being tailored based on real-time intelligence to further weaken their presence in the state.