India Cuts ‘Most-Affected’ Naxal Districts in Half, Targets Naxal-Free Nation by 2026

Amit Shah Hails Milestone in Fight Against Left-Wing Extremism​

New Delhi, April 1 — Marking a major step in the battle against Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the Indian government has successfully reduced the number of districts categorised as 'most-affected' by Naxal violence from 12 to just six, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday.

Declaring it a significant milestone in India’s mission to eliminate Naxalism, Shah stated that the country is firmly progressing toward becoming a "Naxal-free Bharat" by March 31, 2026.

“Taking a giant stride towards building a Naxal-free Bharat, today our nation achieved a new milestone by significantly reducing the number of districts most affected by Leftwing Extremism to just six from 12,” Shah shared in a post on X.

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Categorisation of Naxal-Affected Districts​

The Ministry of Home Affairs classifies LWE-affected districts under three categories:

• Most-Affected Districts
• Districts of Concern
• Other LWE-Affected Districts

Following the latest review:

• Most-affected districts have decreased from 12 to 6
• Districts of concern dropped from 9 to 6
• Other affected districts shrunk from 17 to 6

This brings the total number of LWE-affected districts down to 38.

Breakdown of ‘Most-Affected Districts’​

The six districts now falling under the ‘most-affected’ category are:

• Chhattisgarh: Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Sukma
• Jharkhand: West Singhbhum
• Maharashtra: Gadchiroli

These regions continue to witness substantial Naxal activity, necessitating intensive countermeasures and development efforts.

‘Districts of Concern’​

The remaining six ‘districts of concern’, which receive focused government attention and additional resources, include:

• Andhra Pradesh: Alluri Sitarama Raju
• Madhya Pradesh: Balaghat
• Odisha: Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Malkangiri
• Telangana: Bhadradri-Kothagudem

‘Other LWE-Affected Districts’​

Also witnessing a positive shift, the following six districts are now classified under 'other affected areas':

• Chhattisgarh: Dantewada, Gariaband, Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki
• Jharkhand: Latehar
• Odisha: Nuapada
• Telangana: Mulugu

Government Support and Infrastructure Push​

The central government provides ₹30 crore annually to ‘most-affected districts’ and ₹10 crore to ‘districts of concern’ under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) scheme. These funds are aimed at closing gaps in public infrastructure, alongside the implementation of custom development projects based on regional needs.

The ministry attributed the sharp decline in Naxal-affected areas to increased security presence and developmental initiatives, including road construction, improved transportation, and the extension of electricity, water, and welfare services to remote villages.

India’s Mission for a Naxal-Free Future​

As the government intensifies its dual strategy of security and development, Shah reaffirmed the goal of a completely Naxal-free India by March 31, 2026, setting the stage for a "Sashakt, Surakshit and Samriddh Bharat" (Empowered, Secure, and Prosperous India).