The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to step up security for Chief Minister Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy in view of enhanced threat perception from Maoists.

The state Cabinet, which met in Hyderabad on Tuesday, approved a proposal to increase the security cover for the chief minister.

The proposal was drawn up by the Home Department after Director-General of Police M A Basith reviewed the CM's security and recommended that some extra forces should be added to the force deployed for the purpose.

In all, 348 police personnel will be deployed for the CM's security now. The contingent will include two additional superintendents of police, 13 deputy superintendents of police/additional commandants, 21 reserve inspectors, 25 AP special police constables, 244 police constables, 40 drivers etc.

The annual expenditure on the CM's security will go up to Rs 3.56 crore, or Rs 1 lakh per day.

The decision to enhance the security cover has been taken in the wake of increasing threats from the Maoists and growing menace of Inter Services Intelligence activities in the state.

After the failure of the peace talks with the Maoists in 2004, the Congress government had re-imposed the ban on Communist Party of India-Maoist and its frontal organisations in 2005. The ban is extended every year.

The state police have unearthed ISI modules at regular intervals since 1992. In an apparent terrorist attack, nine persons were killed in 58 others injured in a bomb blast at Hyderabad's historic Mecca Masjid on May 18, 2007.

Both the special investigation cell of Hyderabad city police and the Central Bureau of Investigation have failed to achieve a breakthrough in the investigations into this case.