Chhattisgarh: Focus on building trust, speeding development work in Maoist affected areas, says CM Sai

Chhattisgarh’s Chief Minister (CM), Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday, June 28 chaired a meeting of the unified command to review the ongoing operations of the security forces along status of government schemes in Maoist affected areas of the State.

The meeting held in circuit house of Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur was attended by Deputy CM, Vijay Sharma, principal secretary, Amitabh Jain, Director General of Police (DGP), Ashok Juneja and other officials of the State police and central agencies.

Lauding the efforts of the security forces, CM Sai said that successful joint operation carried out by the security forces in coordination with the state police has led to continuous decline of the Maoist activities. These operations along with the development works under ‘Niyad Nellanaar’ (Yours good village) has strengthen the faith of the people in administration and government.

He further instructed the officials to priorities the development works including intercommunication services in Maoist infested regions by building roads, bridges, culverts and other government infrastructure of high quality in a time bound manner. To speed up the ongoing infrastructure work in these regions, CM Sai also instructed to provide adequate security arrangements, read an official statement of the government.

Focus on strengthening of information network

CM, Sai further emphasised on the need of strengthening the intel network of police and winning the credence of the local masses in continuing operations against the Maoist.

Discussions were also held on sharing information and establishing better coordination with police of other bordering states such as Orissa, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh along carrying out joint operations and combing main routes of bordering areas.

Instructions have also been given to ensure to avoid any sort of inconvenience to the villagers while carrying out counter-insurgency operations.

Interacting with the media after the review meeting, CM Sai asserted that “We want development to reach people, they also want to join with the mainstream of development”.

“The focus of the government is on thirties schemes under the “Niyad Nellanaar Yojna” (A flagship scheme launched by the government to provide with the benefits given under various government schemes to the residents of Maoist affected areas). We are trying to provide all the resources needed in ensuring speedy work in the field of telecommunication, road and rail connectivity in those regions,” he added.

Back to back operations in Maoist hotbed

Significantly, of late the security forces have amplified its operations in the Bastar division of the state marred by Maoist insurgency since decades. This comes after the Vishnu Deo Sai led government gave a nod to amplify operations in the core insurgency zones with an aim to eradicate the Maoist menace from the State in the next few years.

Notably the massive offensive launched by security forces who now have a better network of security camps and intelligence in core Maoist affected district such as Bijapur and Narayanpur have resulted in killings of over 60 Maoists in last two and a half months alone.

Read more at: 8 Maoists killed after a brief exchange of fire in Narayanpur, one jawan martyred

Other than the killings, the ever augmenting presence of the security forces in areas earlier considered as safe zones for Maoists has also exaggerated pressure on the cadres of the banned outfit, hundreds of whom have parted ways with the outlaws citing various reasons including discrimination and disbelief in the violent ideology in recent times.