Jagdalpur, May 19 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah declared that Naxalism has been completely eradicated from Bastar and the entire country well before the target date of March 31, 2026.

He credited the bravery, courage, and supreme sacrifices of security forces for achieving this historic success.

He was addressing a press conference after the 26th meeting of the Central Zonal Council in Jagdalpur, Bastar, Chhattisgarh, marking the first time this important regional platform was held there.

The Union Home Minister noted that after the formation of the Bharatiya Janata Party government in Chhattisgarh on December 13, 2023, anti-Naxal operations gained fresh momentum, leading to the elimination of the remaining Naxal elements.

However, he alleged that the previous Congress government under Bhupesh Baghel in Chhattisgarh did not cooperate in the Naxal eradication campaign.

Amit Shah said Bastar is now completely free from the fear of guns and Naxalism and that a new era of peace and development has begun in the region.

He announced that out of 70 security camps in Bastar, nearly one-third would be developed as “Veer Shahid Gundadhur Seva Kendras”, which would function as integrated service centres providing banking, digital services, government schemes, primary schools, anganwadis, and other essential facilities.

He said these centres would also act as hubs for employment and economic activities.

Gunda Dhur was a tribal leader from village Nethanar in Jagdalpur tehsil of Bastar district.

He played a major role in the 1910 rebellion of the Dhurwas of Kanger forest in Bastar and led the rebellion against the British.

The Union Home Minister further revealed plans to empower tribal women through animal husbandry.

Under a new initiative, every tribal woman would be provided with cows and buffaloes to connect them with dairy farming.

The government aims to establish a large dairy network across Bastar within the next six months, he said.

Other major development initiatives include the installation of 13,000 mobile towers, of which 5,000 have already been set up; the opening of 890 post offices; the establishment of model schools, Industrial Training Institutes, and a super-speciality hospital; and skill development linkage for over 90,000 youths and women, Amit Shah further said.

The meeting was attended by four chief ministers, including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami.

–IANS

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