From Naxal conflict to progress: Bastar witnessing new dawn of development, says CM Sai

Raipur, Aug 25 (PTI) Chhattisgarh's Bastar division, once a Naxal hotbed, is now scripting a new chapter of peace and development, driven by the government's commitment and efforts of security forces to restore normalcy in the region, officials said on Monday.

"In Bastar, the sound of school bells, roads and progress is replacing the sound of bullets," Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said, adding the region is now witnessing a new dawn of hope and development.

Under CM Sai's leadership, a decisive campaign against Naxalites over the past one-and-a-half years has dealt a severe blow to Maoist insurgency, a government statement said.

During this period, 453 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces, 1,602 surrendered and 1,591 were arrested, while 1,162 landmines (improvised explosive device- planted by Naxalites) were seized, it said.

Security forces also neutralised Basavaraju, general secretary of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) during the period.

For those surrendering, Chhattisgarh has introduced one of the country's best rehabilitation policies - offering a stipend of Rs 10,000 per month for three years, skill development training, self-employment opportunities, cash rewards and land for agriculture or housing, the statement said.

The government aims to make Chhattisgarh completely free from Maoist insurgency by March 2026. "In Bastar, the sound of school bells, roads, and progress is replacing the sound of bullets," CM Sai said.

The infrastructure development in Maoist-affected regions has gained unprecedented pace. For the first time since Independence, a school is being built in Rekawaya village of Abujhmad, once dominated by Maoist-run schools. Nearly 50 closed schools have reopened with new buildings and improved facilities, the release said.

Electricity has reached remote villages like Puvarti in Sukma district, the native place of dreaded Maoist leader Hidma.

At Chilkapalli in Bijapur district, electric bulbs lit up for the first time on Republic Day (January 26) this year, ending a wait of 77 years, it said.

Road connectivity has also improved, with 275 km of roads and 11 bridges completed in conflict zones.

Approval has been granted for a 140-km rail line between Rowghat and Jagdalpur, while doubling work on the Kothavalasa-Kirandul line is progressing fast.

A 160-km rail link between Kothagudem (Telangana) and Kirandul (Dantewada) is in its final survey stage, with 138 km passing through Chhattisgarh, the release said.

As many as 607 mobile towers have been activated, 349 upgraded to 4G in the region, it said.

To ensure schemes reach remote habitations, the 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) initiative has been launched.

Within 10 km radius of 54 security camps, more than 327 villages now benefit from roads, power, schools, health centres, ration cards, Aadhaar, Kisan Credit Cards, housing schemes and forest rights titles under the scheme.

More than 81,000 Aadhaar cards, 42,000 Ayushman cards, 5,000 Kisan Samman Nidhi transfers, 2,000 Ujjwala connections and 98,000 ration cards have been issued under the initiative, the government said.

The state has also taken major steps for the proposed Bodhghat Irrigation Project on the Indravati river.

CM Sai has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare it a national project. With an outlay of Rs 50,000 crore, it will bring irrigation to 8 lakh hectares and generate 200 MW of power. Plans are also underway to link the Indravati and Mahanadi rivers for irrigation expansion, it said.

To strengthen security, 3,202 posts have been created in the 'Bastar Fighters', a unit of state police, offering jobs to local youth while ensuring protection of vulnerable villages, the release said.

With these efforts, Bastar is fast transforming into a land of peace, development and prosperity, the CM said.

"The development of Bastar is the foundation of a New Chhattisgarh. Our dream is that every child studies, every youth progresses, and every village connects to the mainstream of growth. Bastar is scripting a new story today - a story that once spoke of fear and violence, but now echoes hope and a new dawn of development," he added. PTI TKP GK