Chhattisgarh govt approves new rehabilitation policy for surrendered Naxalites

The decision in this regard was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at his official residence here this evening, officials said.

Raipur: The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday approved a new rehabilitation policy for surrendered Naxalites, which assures financial aid, education, employment and security to them, officials said.

The decision in this regard was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at his official residence here this evening, they said.

The cabinet also decided to get the complaints pertaining to alleged corruption in the implementation of Bharatmala road project in the state probed by the state police's Economic Offence Wing (EOW).

Taking a concrete initiative to address the Naxal menace in the state, the cabinet approved the Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender/Victim Relief and Rehabilitation Policy-2025 in place of Chhattisgarh Naxalism Eradication Policy-2023 (which was introduced during the previous Congress dispensation in the state), a government official here said.

Under the new policy, facilities like financial assistance, rehabilitation, education, employment and security will be provided to the surrendered Maoists, he added.

CM Sai emphasized that the state government was committed to eradicating Naxalism completely, and this policy was a crucial step in that direction.

The government aims to ensure that those leaving violence behind can lead a stable and dignified life, he said.

The meeting also decided that special schemes will be introduced to help surrendered Naxalites reintegrate into society.

They will be provided training for self-employment and skill development, ensuring that they do not return to violence. Additionally, victims of Naxal violence will receive support and rehabilitation assistance, the official said.

This policy aims to bring a new ray of hope for resolving the long-standing Naxal issue in Chhattisgarh. The government asserts that it will not only encourage Naxalites to join the mainstream but also promote peace and development in the state, he added.

Considering the complaint regarding corruption in the implementation of Bharatmala project in Chhattisgarh, the cabinet decided to get it investigated by the EOW, he said.

In another key decision, the cabinet decided to set up the State Water Informatics Centre (SWIC) for better management of water resources in the state and preparation of scientific planning. For this, consent was given to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, he said.

The SWIC will collect, analyse and store various information related to water resources, including rainfall, river and reservoir levels, groundwater quality, silt, water flow into canals, crop coverage, aquifer mapping, land and soil data.

The SWIC will provide authentic data for water resource management with the help of a digital platform developed by National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC). This will strengthen policy making, strategic decisions, modelling, development of analytical tools and water management, he said.

The cabinet also gave its nod to drafts of the Chhattisgarh State Industrial Security Force Bill-2025, the Chhattisgarh Cooperative Society (Amendment) Bill-2025 and the Chhattisgarh Private University (Establishment and Operation) (Amendment) Bill-2025, he said.

The cabinet also decided to launch the Chief Minister's Good Governance Fellowship Scheme to ensure the participation of youth in strengthening good governance and policy implementation in the state.