New Delhi: The government has set up three counter-insurgency and anti-terrorist schools in Odisha for training police personnel, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) informed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanad Rai responded in a written reply to a query whether the National Bureau of Police Research and Development (NBPR&D) has considered setting up a Central Detective Training School in Odisha to improve training methods of State Police while investigating and dealing with cases in Left Wing Extremist (LWE) areas due to a high incidence of LWE insurgency in the state.

"There is no proposal by the Bureau of Police Research and Development to set up a Central Detective Training Institute in Odisha. However, the Government has set up Counter Insurgency and Anti-Terrorist Schools for training police personnel. Three such schools have been set up in Odisha," said the MoS.

To strengthen the training inputs in the states affected by insurgency and terrorism, during the 11th Plan period, a scheme was approved for the establishment of 20 Counter Insurgency and Anti Terrorist Schools (CIATSs) four each in the states of Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Odisha at the cost of Rs 52.40 crores. In these Schools, 75,000 police personnel were likely to get trained for combating terrorism and Naxalism.

The proposed training mainly is outdoor and does not require large-scale permanent constructions. Most of the required infrastructure is temporary. The contribution of this MHA towards the scheme is to provide funds mainly for the establishment of CIAT Schools, recurring expenditure thereon and equipment upgradation.

The land for these schools is to be provided by the concerned state governments. They are also to provide administrative support for running the CIAT Schools. The Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) is to sign the Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) to this effect with the respective state.