Jagdalpur, March 25 – The Bastar region, along with the rest of Chhattisgarh, has largely overcome the decades-long "Naxalite insurgency," with plans underway to convert nearly 400 security camps, which were once the focal points of the anti-Naxalite campaign, into public infrastructure such as schools, according to the government.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, who holds the Home portfolio, announced that the security camps would gradually be transformed into schools, hospitals, and centers for collecting and processing minor forest produce.
He was addressing a program on the surrender and rehabilitation of former Naxalites at Shaurya Bhavan, the Police Coordination Centre in Jagdalpur, the headquarters of the Bastar district. At the event, senior Naxalite commander Papa Rao, one of the last remaining top leaders of the insurgency, formally surrendered along with 17 other members.
Their surrender, announced on Tuesday, took place under the state government's "Poona Margem" initiative, which focuses on rehabilitation and social reintegration.
"Today, Bastar and the entire Chhattisgarh are free from the Naxalite threat. Bastar is ready to move forward quickly on the path of development," Sharma declared at the event, which was held less than a week before the Centre's deadline to eliminate Naxalism.
He cautioned against misinformation and emphasized that the vast natural resources of Bastar – "water, forest, and land" – belong exclusively to local communities, particularly the youth, who must protect them.
The government has a clear vision to boost economic growth in the region through the utilization of minor forest produce, according to the Deputy Chief Minister.
Sharma said that around 400 security camps established in the interior regions of Bastar would be phased out and converted into development centers.
In the future, these camps will function as schools, hospitals, and centers for collecting and processing minor forest produce, thereby providing local residents with improved opportunities for education, healthcare, and employment, strengthening the foundation for sustainable development, he said.
Reaffirming the government's goal to eliminate armed Naxalism by March 31, he said that the state administration has implemented a well-planned strategy in line with the deadline announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in August 2024, with visible results.
Describing the surrender of Rao, a Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC)-level figure, as significant, Sharma asserted that it reflects the weakening of the Maoist leadership structure and underscores the success of rehabilitation efforts.
Local communities in Bastar have shown remarkable social harmony by accepting rehabilitated cadres, he noted.
According to Sharma, no active Maoists of DKSZC rank remain in Chhattisgarh, with only 30 to 40 cadres left in remote northern and southern pockets, who are also expected to surrender soon.
Nearly 96 per cent of Bastar's vast geographical area is now free from Naxal influence, he declared.
This transformation was not solely due to security operations, but was aided by trust-building, dialogue, and rehabilitation policies, the Home minister opined.
Sharma said that several districts, including Kabirdham, Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai, Rajnandgaon, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Mahasamund, apart from the Bastar region (which has 7 districts), which were once Naxal-affected, are now free from the menace.
He credited security forces for their courage and sustained efforts under difficult conditions, and acknowledged contributions from central agencies, local representatives, tribal leaders, and the media in restoring peace after decades of violence.
The Deputy CM said that technical support from agencies such as ISRO, NTRO, ITBP's technical section, and the National Security Guard (NSG)'s Bomb Disposal Squad were crucial in effective execution of the anti-Maoist campaign.
Youth engagement initiatives like Bastar Olympics and Bastar Pandum (festival) further strengthened community participation, he added.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said 18 Maoist cadres, including Rao and seven women – carrying a collective reward of Rs 87 lakh – shunned violence and joined the mainstream.
Security forces recovered 18 weapons, including AK-47 rifles, SLRs, INSAS rifles, .303 rifles, a 9 mm pistol, a BGL launcher, and Rs 12 lakh in cash from them, he said.
Between January 1, 2024, and March 25, 2026, a total of 2,756 Maoists have surrendered across Bastar division's seven districts -- Kanker, Kondagaon, Bastar, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Dantewada, and Sukma, the IPS officer informed.
Talking to reporters in Raipur, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai termed Rao's surrender a significant step towards eliminating Naxalism, in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Shah.
Rao, also known by aliases Ashok, Sunnam Chandrayya, and Mangu, joined the Maoist movement in 1997. A South Sub Zonal Bureau Secretary (SZCM), he held key operational roles in Bastar, once a stronghold of Naxals.
He served as in-charge of the Pamed-Usur Area Committee and from 2018 handled operations in West Bastar. He was subsequently elevated as in-charge of the South Sub Zonal Bureau. He carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh and was armed with an AK-47 rifle.
Police records show 48 cases registered against him in Bijapur district, with 41 permanent warrants pending. Additional cases were registered in Sukma (24) and Dantewada (7).
Rao was allegedly involved in several major incidents, including the 2010 ambush in Tadmetla (now in Sukma district) in which 76 troopers were killed, abduction of Sukma Collector in 2012, an IED blast in Ambeli Nala that killed nine security personnel and a civilian in 2025 and multiple deadly attacks on security forces in 2014 in Sukma.