Raipur, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday announced a firm deadline to eradicate Naxalism from the Bastar division and the entire country by March 31, 2026.
Addressing the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh, Shah declared that the division would emerge as the country’s most developed tribal region by 2030. He assured the audience that the 2026 edition of the Bastar Olympics would be held in a completely Naxalism-free area. The event was attended by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, and several other dignitaries.
Shah reiterated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has taken a firm resolve to free Bastar and the entire nation from Naxalism. He stressed that the effort would not cease there, and the Bastar division—comprising the seven districts of Kanker, Kondagaon, Bastar, Sukma, Bijapur, Narayanpur, and Dantewada—would be transformed into the most advanced tribal region in India by December 2030.

The Home Minister assured the gathering that the government is committed to ensuring every resident of Bastar receives core government benefits. This includes a permanent house, electricity, toilets, tap water for drinking, cooking gas cylinders, 5 kg of free food grains, and free medical treatment up to ₹5 lakh under relevant schemes. He emphasised that the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government would work shoulder-to-shoulder to achieve this developed status for Bastar over the next five years.
Outlining the infrastructure and economic strategy, Shah detailed plans to connect every village in Bastar with roads, provide comprehensive electricity supply, and establish banking facilities within a five-kilometre radius. He announced the deployment of one of the densest networks of Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) to enhance healthcare accessibility across the remote region.

Economically, Shah stated that cooperative-based units would be set up for processing forest produce in Chhattisgarh. He added that all seven districts of Bastar would be encouraged to become leading tribal districts in milk production, significantly enhancing rural incomes through dairying. Furthermore, new industries, higher education facilities, the country’s best sports complex, and state-of-the-art hospitals would be established. Special schemes will also be launched to effectively tackle malnutrition among the tribal population.

Shah said the Bastar Olympics 2025 showcased a powerful symbol of change, featuring one team composed of over 700 surrendered Naxals alongside the seven district teams. He described their choice to lay down arms and join the mainstream through sports as a heartening sight. “These youths chose hope over fear, unity over division, and development over destruction,” he noted, linking their decision directly to Prime Minister Modi’s vision of a developed Bastar.

The Minister announced that a highly attractive rehabilitation policy would be introduced for surrendered Naxals and those injured due to Naxal violence. Appealing directly to those still involved in violence, he urged them to lay down arms, avail the policy, think about the welfare of their families, and join the resolve of building a developed Bastar. “Where slogans of ‘Lal Salaam’ once echoed in Bastar, chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ are now resonating. Only peace can open the path to development,” he affirmed.

Highlighting the success of the local games, Mr Shah noted that 3.91 lakh players participated in this year’s Bastar Olympics, representing a nearly two-and-a-half-fold increase from the previous year’s figure of 1.65 lakh players. Significantly, participation by women registered an almost threefold rise, reflecting immense enthusiasm among the local population.

Encouraged by this groundswell of interest, Prime Minister Modi has selected Chhattisgarh to host the Khelo India Tribal Games. The government, Mr Shah added, has made arrangements in place for a team of officials from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) to identify talent. The goal is to ensure that these local players progress to compete in the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, bringing glory to the nation.

Concluding his address, the Home Minister acknowledged the crucial role played by tribal community leaders in guiding misguided youths to surrender. He appealed to community leaders and social workers to continue counselling those who are still carrying weapons and help bring them back into the mainstream of society, ensuring Bastar becomes a symbol of the future, free from fear.