THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: By reducing the funding for Maoists' operations, the central government also put a stop to the state’s carefree spending of Rs 80 lakh monthly rent for the helicopter. The copter is mostly used by the government and high-ranking police officials.

The core aim of renting the helicopter was to track down Maoists inside the forests. Apart from one mission carried out over the Kozhikode region, the chopper has been sitting idle and also draining the government coffers for aeons.

The Chief Minister himself had requested that Kannur and Wayanad districts be kept on the Maoist-affected list when he met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Delhi the other day. The Centre reduced the amount after the police announced that all the Maoists operating in Kerala had been totally cleare

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