C’garh: Naxalism taking last breath, Leftwing insurgency-hit Bastar celebrating peace: Guv

In his opening address to the budget session of the state Assembly, Mr Deka said the efficient strategy of the state government has yielded rich dividends giving a boost to the area domination exercise by the security forces in Naxal-infested areas.

“The Naxalism has been taking its last breath in Chhattisgarh”, he said and added that an effective strategy has been prepared to achieve the target of wiping out Naxalism by March 2026, set by Union home minister Amit Shah.

He said more than 300 Maoists have been killed, 972 have surrendered, and 1,183 have been arrested in the last 14 months.

Under the new rehabilitation policy, 15,000 houses have been sanctioned under the Prime Minister Awas Yojana (PMAY) for the surrendered Naxals and Maoism- affected families.

The influence of Naxals has waned in the significant parts of insurgency-hit Bastar, leading developmental works to take pace in the seven districts of Bastar region.

With the improvement of the security environment, 26 Naxal-affected villages in Bastar for the first time celebrated the Republic Day on January 26.

Besides, voting for the three-tier panchayat elections was held recently for the first time in the villages of Pentachimali, Kerlapenda, Sunnamguda and Puvarti in Sukma district under south Bastar.

A healthcare Centre has been re-opened after nearly two decades in Potali village in Dantewada district.

Various government welfare schemes are now being implemented in the villages falling under a five km radius of security camps in Bastar, he said.

The state government has recently organized “Bastar Olympics” in Bastar region in which 1.65 lakh people participated.

Bastar is now celebrating peace, he added.