*Review Meeting on Security and Development of Left-Wing Extremism Affected Areas Held in New Delhi*
*Maharashtra Achieves Significant Success in*
*Disrupting Maoist Supply Chain : Chief Minister Eknath Shinde*
*Effective Development in Roads, Infrastructure, Internet, Industry, Health, and Education in Naxal-Affected Areas*
New Delhi, Oct 7: The Maharashtra government has successfully implemented health, education, and employment schemes to combat left-wing extremist (Naxal) activities in the state and gain the trust of local residents in Naxal-affected areas. Maharashtra has achieved significant success in breaking the Maoists’ supply chain, and for the first time, Northern Gadchiroli has been freed from armed Maoists, said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde today.
A review meeting on the security and development of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected areas was held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. During the meeting, Chief Minister Shinde provided details of the actions taken by the Maharashtra government to curb Naxalism. Between 2014 and 2024, anti-Maoist campaigns intensified in the state. The number of armed Maoist cadres, which was 550 in 2013, has reduced to just 56 in 2024. Over the past six years, 96 armed Maoists have been killed, 161 have been arrested, and 70 have surrendered, Chief Minister Shinde said.
The Chief Minister added that Maharashtra has achieved significant success in disrupting the Maoist supply chain, and Northern Gadchiroli has been freed from armed Maoists for the first time. The Maoist expansion plans from Abujhmad to the MMC zone have also been dealt a significant blow. During this period, no new recruitments have been made to the Maoist organisations, and no security personnel have been martyred. In a major development, 19 villages in the Bhamragad area near Abujhmad, once a Maoist stronghold, have banned Maoists from entering their villages, a significant achievement of the government’s development policies, Mr Shinde said.
The Maharashtra government will fully support the policies of the central government and neighboring state Chhattisgarh in the fight against Maoists, Mr Shinde assured. The Chief Minister emphasised that by implementing health, education, and employment schemes, the government has successfully countered left-wing extremist activities and curbed the fear and terror in these areas.
For the first time, State Transport (ST) bus services have started in sensitive areas like Gardewada. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, Gadchiroli district recorded a 71.88% voter turnout, the highest in Maharashtra. Despite Maoist threats through banners and posters urging people not to vote, the public defied the calls, tore down the posters, and expressed their faith in democracy, Mr Shinde said.
Mr Shinde added that significant development work has taken place in Naxal-affected areas in the fields of roads, infrastructure, internet networks, industries, health, and education. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed with Lloyd Metals Limited for an investment of Rs 20,000 crore in Konsari in Gadchiroli district, which will generate employment for around 10,000 people. Surajgad Ispat Limited is set to establish an integrated steel plant in Aheri tehsil with an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, providing jobs to an additional 7,000 locals. The Surajgad mine is operational with an annual capacity of 10 million tons.
To boost investment and employment in Naxal-affected areas, the state government has auctioned six more iron ore mines. To promote skill development among tribal youth, a state-of-the-art center for research, innovation, and training has been established in Gadchiroli in collaboration with Tata Technologies. This center, inaugurated in November last year, will train 4,800 students annually, the Chief Minister informed.
Maharashtra needs financial assistance under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme and support for establishing more Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) in Naxal-affected areas. Special training programs for Maharashtra Police involved in anti-Naxal operations and the deployment of additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) in these districts are required. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed confidence that the state will continue to receive unwavering support and cooperation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He emphasised that this ongoing partnership has been a key factor in the state’s progress and will remain crucial for its future development. He also noted that Shah has vowed to eradicate Maoism from the country by March 2026, and Maharashtra will support this mission.
