Ministry of Home Affairs Declares Eradication of Left Wing Extremism

The Ministry of Home Affairs has announced the complete eradication of Left Wing Extremism (LWE) from India after nearly six decades of violence, which was once considered one of the biggest threats to the country's internal security. This achievement results from the resolute implementation of the "National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE" approved in 2015, which employed a multi-pronged strategy involving security measures, development interventions, and ensuring rights of local communities through a Whole of Government approach.

Current Status and District Classification

At present, no district in Chhattisgarh or any other state is LWE affected. Currently, 38 districts across the country (including 13 in Chhattisgarh) are categorized as 'Legacy & Thrust' districts, which require continued support for security and development measures to consolidate gains and prevent relapse.

Development Initiatives in Chhattisgarh

The government has implemented numerous development initiatives in erstwhile LWE affected areas of Chhattisgarh. For road infrastructure expansion, 4,314 km of road length has been constructed under two LWE-specific schemes: Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEA). Additionally, the Government of India has approved 127.08 km of critical roads and 6 critical bridges to be constructed by Border Road Organisation (BRO).

Telecommunications infrastructure saw 1,511 towers commissioned to improve connectivity. For skill development, 09 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 14 Skill Development Centres (SDCs) have been opened. Educational initiatives include 45 Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS) made functional for quality education in tribal areas.

Financial inclusion measures include 1,508 Post Offices with banking services opened by Department of Posts, along with 413 Bank Branches and 269 ATMs. Healthcare access in the Bastar region has been significantly improved with a 240-bed Super Specialty Hospital at Government Medical College, Jagdalpur, established under Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY).

For ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities, 5,34,068 title deeds have been distributed to beneficiaries (4,81,432 individual titles and 52,636 community titles). The Ministry of Home Affairs is carrying out joint planning with the Ministry of Panchayati Raj to strengthen local self-governance in erstwhile LWE affected areas.

Security Infrastructure and Funding

The Government of India has provided substantial security assistance to erstwhile LWE affected states. Since 2014-15, ₹3,805.04 crore has been released under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme for operational expenditure, training needs of Security Forces, rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadre, and ex-gratia to families of martyred security force personnel/civilians killed in LWE violence. Chhattisgarh specifically received ₹1,453.95 crore under this scheme.

Under the "Modernization of Police Forces" scheme, central assistance is provided for weapons, equipment, training, and police infrastructure. The Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) sub-scheme has sanctioned works of ₹1,761 crore to LWE affected states for strengthening Special Forces, Special Intelligence Branches, District Police, and construction of Fortified Police Stations. Chhattisgarh received ₹451.2 crore under SIS, and 663 fortified police stations have been built nationwide, with 135 in Chhattisgarh. An amount of ₹110.34 crore (60% of Central Share) has been released to Chhattisgarh under SIS-2017-21 & SIS 2022-26.

The Assistance to Central Agencies for LWE Management (ACALWEMS) Scheme has provided ₹1,303.68 Crores since 2014-15 for basic structure of camps and helicopter provisioning for counter LWE operations.

Community Engagement and Rehabilitation

The Tribal Youth Exchange Programme (TYEP) has engaged 37,655 tribal youths from erstwhile LWE affected states including Chhattisgarh since 2014 through week-long exposure visits to different parts of the country. Under the Civic Action Programme, ₹221.88 crore funds have been released to CAPFs deployed in erstwhile LWE affected areas including Chhattisgarh for welfare-oriented activities like medical camps and sports competitions.

For rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadres, the government offers an immediate grant of ₹5 lakhs for higher ranked cadres and ₹2.5 lakhs for other cadres, plus incentives for weapon/ammunition surrender. Training in trade/vocation is provided with a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 for three years.

Special Development Funding

Under the 'Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme', approximately ₹1,715.83 crores have been released to Chhattisgarh state since Financial Year 2017-18 for filling critical gaps in public infrastructure in erstwhile most LWE affected districts.

Post-LWE Transformation

In the post-LWE scenario, one-third of security camps in LWE-free areas are being converted into Jan Suvidha Kendras to provide services including livelihood promotion, skill development, access to government schemes, digital services, healthcare, and cultural/sports facilities. The first such center has been established at Netanar, Jagdalpur in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, as the Shaheed Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera Kendra.

The government's current focus includes facilitation of surrendered cadres' rehabilitation, saturation of government welfare programmes, strengthening local self-governance, preservation of tribal identity and culture, and expanding governance reach in remote areas.