Chhattisgarh Governor Ramin Deka on Monday announced that the state is on the verge of eliminating left-wing extremism (LWE), citing a massive crackdown that has seen more than 5,300 rebels neutralized, surrendered or arrested in the last two years.
“When the shadows of terrorism recede, the light of development automatically spreads, and people’s lives are illuminated,” Deka said in his usual address to the first session of the State Assembly this year, stressing that the government’s campaign against Maoist extremism has achieved great success.
Over the past two years, 2,004 Maoists have been arrested, 532 killed in operations, and 2,704 surrendered — a turnaround that the governor attributed to a rehabilitation policy designed to encourage “misguided youth” to return to the economic mainstream.
He said that in remote areas freed from Maoist influence, basic facilities are being provided through the ‘Nayad Nila Nar Yojana’, under which 17 departments are implementing 25 social welfare schemes and 18 facilities at the community level.
The governor said that he highlighted the infrastructure development in Bastar city $Rs 1,109 crore has been approved for 146 road and bridge projects, and several of these projects have been completed.
As many as 728 mobile towers have been commissioned in areas affected by Maoist rule, and 449 towers have been upgraded to 4G services. The villages are also being connected through DTH services and illuminated with high mast lights.
In the social sector, he said 31 new primary schools and 19 sub-health centers have been sanctioned in areas that were once worst affected by Naxalism. More than 11,000 children and women have been vaccinated under the ‘Nayad Nila Nar Yojana’ programme.
Chhattisgarh will host the country’s first Khelo India Tribal Games to showcase its tribal culture, Deka added. “The world will now see the grand Chitrakoot Waterfall in Bastar instead of gunpowder smoke,” he said, stressing the state’s shift towards tourism and sports.
A Center of Excellence has been set up at Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya in Raipur, with the help of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, to enhance the shelf life of grains, Deka said.
Citing the State of Indian Forest Report, Deka said the area of forests and trees in the state has increased by 683 sq km, the highest in the country. The governor said Chhattisgarh ranks first in the country in issuing forest rights bonds, with over 4.83 lakh individual and 48,251 pattas distributed for community forest rights.
He added that the government prepared the “Anggor Vision Document” to achieve the goal of becoming a developed country by 2047 and is progressing steadily towards this goal.
