Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said the Centre would be willing to hold talks with Maoists if they agree to surrender unconditionally. Singh, who was visiting Odisha on Friday, said that the National Democratic Alliance government had a number of welfare schemes that the Maoists should make use of. He was in the state to review anti-Maoist operations and the security situation there. Singh met with top officials from the state police, Border Security Force and Central Reserve Police Force.

Odisha, along with other states including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have had several security concerns because of reports of increasing Maoist activities within the states. In January, six policemen were killed in Jharkand after Maoists triggered a landmine near a police vehicle in Palamu district.