Bastar will be crown jewel of Chhattisgarh once Naxalism is eliminated: CM Sai

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday predicted that the Naxalite-infested Bastar region will become the crown jewel of Chhattisgarh, a tourist hub and the most developed region of the state in about 10 years.

He said the ongoing offensive against Naxalites in Bastar is bearing fruit, and expressed confidence that the menace will be eliminated by March 2026, a deadline set by Home Minister Amit Shah.

Bastar, once a district on its own, is now a region comprising seven districts in southern Chhattisgarh, bordering Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and Maharashtra. Sai said the Joint Task Force, comprising security forces of all these states, is working together to bring the Naxalites to heel.

Once the Naxalites are eliminated -- through a combination of carrot and stick initiative of the 16-month-old government of Sai -- the government will focus on developing the resource-rich region through the development of minor forest produce processing industries, animal husbandry, and tourism.

Bastar, a lush forest region, is famous for the Chitrakote waterfalls, said to be the most beautiful and widest in the country, and is often described as the Niagara of Asia. Most parts of Bastar are free from Naxalites, who are mainly concentrated in the border regions, but the entire state gets a bad rep, he said in an interview to PTI Videos.

The CM, however, said no forced industrialisation will take place in the Bastar region and it will be done after consulting locals and taking them into confidence.

"Naxalism is a blot on Chhattisgarh and once it is erased, the state's beauty will emerge. The state is rich in forests, waterfalls and caves, and in terms of mineral resources. It has reserves of iron ore, bauxite, coal, tin, gold and lithium," he said.

During its 15-year-long rule in Chhattisgarh (headed by Raman Singh from 2003 to 2018), the then BJP government fought strongly against Naxalites, a fight that has only intensified under the Sai government with the full backing of the Central government.

Home Minister Shah has resolved to eliminate the menace by March 2026.

"We are confident that the resolve of the Home Minister will be fulfilled and peace will prevail in Bastar," said Sai, a veteran BJP leader who has been a four-time MP and a Union minister of state in the first Modi government from 2014 to 2019.

As a part of a multi-pronged strategy to deal with Naxalism, a Joint Task Force (JTF) involving security personnel of adjoining states affected by the menace has been constituted to launch a coordinated operation and prevent Naxalites from escaping from one state to others along inter-state borders, he said.

The Bastar region comprises seven districts: Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada.

Highlighting the steps being taken to promote tourism in Bastar, the CM said, "Chhattisgarh, nestled in a serene and picturesque environment, has immense potential to attract tourists. Bastar is a treasure of dense forest, waterfalls and caves.

"Last year, Dhudmaras village (in the Kanger Valley national park) in Bastar found a place on the world tourism map. Homestay is being promoted in Bastar which will directly benefit local tribals. Tourism has been given the status of industry in the new industry policy." His government's vision is to transform Bastar into a tourism hub, encourage setting up industries related to value addition of minor forest produce and animal husbandry and enhance irrigation facilities, Sai said.

Over his remarks on his government's anti-Naxal policy based on the principle of 'dialogue for dialogue, bullet for bullet', Sai said, "The government has been appealing to Naxalites since the beginning they are our own people who have been misguided and they should quit violence and join the mainstream." "We assured them of better rehabilitation once they shun arms that resulted in the surrender of more than 1,300 Naxalites in the last 15 months." The state government has launched Niyad Nellanar (which in Hindi means 'Aapka Achha Gaon' or your good village), the state government has been providing benefits of 52 schemes of 17 departments and 31 community facilities in villages located in close vicinity of the security camps, he said.

"Security camps are being set up, roads are being constructed, electricity lines are being laid and ration cards and other government documents are being made for people living in the remote areas of Bastar. People's faith in the government has increased and now people of Bastar want naxalism to end," the chief minister said.

The state government has introduced a new surrender and rehabilitation policy, titled Naxalite Surrender/Victim Relief Rehabilitation Policy-2025 aimed at providing higher compensation, lands and job opportunities to victims of Naxal violence and surrendered Naxalites, he said.

At the same time impetus is being given on development and generating job opportunities so that there would be no place for Naxalism in Bastar and surrendered Naxalites would not re-return to the outlawed outfit, Sai said.

Over growing concern that rampant mining will take place in Bastar after Naxalism is eliminated, Sai said, "Such allegations are completely false. We don't have such intentions. Industries will be set up in Bastar after consulting locals. It will not be done forcefully." "It is there in the industry policy that industries are set up after holding public hearings. Those who are levelling such allegations have nothing to speak of so they are levelling false charges," he added.