Boat ambulance services will start from 26th january 2022_ BSF IG SATISH CHANDRA BUDAKOTI, WHO HEAD ANTI-NAXAL OPERATIONS IN ODISHA.

Bhubaneswar: BSF; the first line of defence, was deployed in Odisha in October, 2010 in Koraput and Malkangiri districts as both the districts were highly Naxal affected. Subsequently in the year 2013, BSF was also deployed in Nabarangpur and Rayagada districts. Before the year 2010, it was very difficult on part of civil administration to move into interior areas. Even Police with limited resources could not access remote areas. Vehicles did not ply during night hours, shops would shut down before sunset and business totally paralysed. It was very difficult to implement central and state Govt schemes on ground.

Boat ambulance services will start from 26th january 2022_ said BSF IG SATISH CHANDRA BUDAKOTI, WHO HEAD ANTI-NAXAL OPERATIONS IN ODISHA.

It was BSF that aided state Police and civil administration in containing Maoist activities in Koraput and Malkangiri districts. The highlights of BSF achievements are as under:-

The Swabhimaan Anchal which used to be a liberated zone of Maoists has almost been sanitized.
Gurupriya bridge was commissioned in the year 2018 under security cover of BSF which has connected approx 30 thousand inhabitants of 151 villages of 09 GPs of Swabhimaan Anchal to mainland and changed the complete dynamics of development in the region. This has become new identity of Malkangiri District.
Narayanpatna and Bandhugaon areas of Koraput district which used to be strong hold of Maoists has been cleared.
BSF has provided much needed conducive atmosphere to civil administration to carry out various developmental activities in Koraput and Malkangiri districts.
Agricultural lands used for forceful Ganja cultivation are now being used for cultivating other crops.
Vehicles including Govt transports are plying uninterrupted day and night in both the districts.
Business and agricultural activities have returned to normalcy.
Violence activities of Maoists have been contained to large extend.
Construction of Motu Bridge (2019) has opened new avenues of connectivity with Telengana and Andhra Pradesh.

Medical care for the people of Malkangiri has touched new heights with the establishment of a new district HQ Hospital in Malkangiri in the year 2018.
Recently, a 50 bedded health care centre has come up at Badapada in Swabhimaan Anchal with ICU facilities.
New Mobile towers are now installed in interior areas with support and cooperation of BSF.
Tribal Youth Exchange Programme– It is Govt sponsored programme to give an opportunity to Tribal youth to gain experience, knowledge and skill by visiting other parts of India. In the year 2019-20, we had included 250 youths in the programme. This year (2021-22) we have facilitated 120 youths to Ranchi and Hyderabad in two phases.
Medical camps are organized regularly by BSF in remote areas of deployment to provide medical cover to local population.
Civic Action Programme (CAP) is one major outreach initiative being conducted every year by BSF deployed in the Maoist affected districts. This year more than 130 villages have been covered under this programme.
Further, BSF is going to launch a Boat Ambulance on 26^th January 2022 to provide medical cover to the villagers of Swabhimaan Anchal.
During the eleven years of deployment in Odisha, BSF has not only sanitized the Maoist affected districts but also made a remarkable achievement in terms of killing, arrest and surrender of Maoists, seizure of arms, ammunition, IEDs, explosive materials, Communication equipments, contraband items and other misc items.
The Force has paid a heavy price to bring normalcy in the worst Maoists hit districts of Odisha. A number of troops have been injured and 14 gallant BSF personnel including officers have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty while dealing with LWE.

Most importantly, we have been able to win confidence and support of local populace wherever we were deployed. Our civic action programmes have been a great success. Even COVID-19 pandemic could not deter our spirit in achieving our objective. Winning heart and mind of local people has always remained our priority area.