New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will review the prevailing Naxal situation during his three-day visit to Chhattisgarh from February 7 to 9, in what is being seen as a crucial step towards the Centre’s target of eliminating Naxalism or Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 31, 2026. Minister Shah will arrive in Raipur on the evening of February 7 and hold a meeting with senior officials to assess the overall administrative and security preparedness in the state.
As Chhattisgarh remains one of the most sensitive states affected by Naxal violence, particularly in the Bastar region, the visit assumes significance in view of the Centre’s intensified anti-Naxal operations. On February 8, the Home Minister will chair a high-level security review meeting on Left Wing Extremism in Raipur. Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs, state government, police and the central armed police forces are expected to participate. The meeting will review the progress of ongoing anti-Naxal operations, inter-agency coordination, intelligence sharing and development initiatives in affected districts.
The Centre has significantly stepped up operations against Naxal groups in recent years, resulting in a steady decline in violence, casualties and the geographical spread of LWE. The government has repeatedly underlined its dual strategy of strong security action coupled with accelerated development in affected areas, including improved road connectivity, mobile networks, banking access and welfare delivery. Shah has set a clear target of eliminating Naxalism from the country by March 31, 2026. He has asserted on multiple occasions that Naxalism, which has hindered development and claimed thousands of lives over decades, is in its final phase.
The upcoming review meeting is expected to assess progress towards achieving this deadline and chalk out the final roadmap. Later on February 8, Shah will attend a national conclave titled ‘Chhattisgarh@25: Shifting the Lens’, organised by Organiser weekly magazine (Bharat Prakashan) in Raipur. On February 9, the Minister will travel to Jagdalpur in Bastar to attend the closing ceremony of the Bastar Pandum Mahotsav – 2026, a major cultural festival showcasing the rich tribal heritage of the region.
The visit underscores the Centre’s focus on restoring lasting peace, accelerating development and achieving a decisive end to Naxalism within the set timeline. As per the MHA, the resolute implementation of the ‘National Policy and Action Plan 2015’ has resulted in a consistent decline in violence and contraction of geographical spread. The ministry said the LWE, which has been a serious challenge to the internal security of the nation, has been significantly curbed in recent times and has been confined to only a few pockets.
A data collated by the MHA mentions that the number of LWE-affected districts has reduced from 126 in 2018 to only eight in December 2025, with only three districts now remaining Most LWE Affected. The LWE perpetrated violence incidents have come down from a high of 1,936 in 2010 by 88 per cent to 234 in 2025. Resultant deaths of civilians and security forces have also come down from a high of 1,005 in 2010 by 90 per cent to 100 in 2025. In 2025, security forces neutralised 364 Naxals, arrested 1,022 and facilitated 2,337 surrenders.
The number of Police Stations reporting LWE-related violence has significantly reduced from 465 Police Stations in 2010 to 119 Police Stations in the year 2025. As the security situation is improving and more districts are getting freed from Left Wing Extremism, the government has emphasised sustained socio-economic transformation of these regions. In this context, a new category of districts was introduced in 2024, namely legacy and thrust districts.
Though these districts are no longer LWE affected but, support to the States for these districts will continue for consolidating the gains and preventing relapse. At present, 30 districts fall under this category, and the measures being undertaken are aimed at ensuring long-term stability and inclusive growth in these regions. As part of its strategy to establish dominance over Naxalism, with the Centre setting March 2026 as the deadline to eliminate the menace, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)–one of the principal forces tasked with countering Left Wing Extremism–has set up a total of 229 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) across six key Naxal-affected states from 2019 to till date.
The FOBs have been a key component of the government’s security strategy to counter LWE in Naxal-affected regions. These bases are established by central armed police forces, including the CRPF and its specialised units, in remote, forested and insurgency-prone areas that were earlier considered strongholds of Naxal groups. Out of the total 229 Forward Operating Bases (FOBs), the highest number–59–have been established so far this year, followed by 40 in 2024, 27 in 2023, 48 in 2022, 29 in 2021, 18 in 2020 and eight in 2019. These FOBs have been set up across Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Telangana.
Of the 59 FOBs established this year, Chhattisgarh accounts for the maximum with 32 bases, followed by Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh with nine each, Maharashtra and Odisha with four each and one in Telangana.
(With Inputs from ANI)
