Raipur, Dec 27: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said that more than 2,000 Maoists have surrendered so far under the state’s rehabilitation policy, urging left-wing extremists to abandon violence and join the mainstream of development.
Addressing the media, Sai said the state government has consistently appealed to Maoists to give up the “language of violence and gunfire” and integrate into society through peaceful means.
He said the positive response to the policy reflects growing trust in the government’s approach.
“We have formulated a strong rehabilitation policy, and the results are already visible. More than two thousand Maoists have surrendered, and the government is treating them well,” the chief minister said.
Under the policy, surrendered Maoists are being provided skill development training and financial assistance of ₹10,000 per month.
The revised rehabilitation framework also includes provisions for allotment of land for farming and land for housing in urban areas, Sai said.
“In this way, the government is concerned about their future and is working towards their long-term well-being,” he added.
Earlier, 34 Naxals surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police officials said.
The surrendered cadres were collectively carrying a reward of ₹84 lakh on their heads. The surrender took place under the state government’s rehabilitation initiative titled “Poona Margham: Punarvas Se Punarjeevan” (Return to the Mainstream: Social Reintegration through Rehabilitation).
The programme focuses on welfare-based measures and confidence-building efforts aimed at reintegrating former extremists into society.
Officials said the recent surrenders indicate the growing impact of sustained anti-Naxal operations combined with rehabilitation and development initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Central government has set a target to eliminate Naxalism from the country by March 2026 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
