States » NorthPosted at: Oct 15 2026 8:59PM


Amit Shah stresses rehabilitation for Bastar’s Maoist violence victims

Raipur, Oct 15 (UNI) The end of insurgency must mark the beginning of rehabilitation of people left with permanent disabilities by decades of Maoist violence in Bastar, union Home Minister Amit Shah said Thursday.
Addressing a three-day artificial limb and assistive equipment distribution camp in Dantewada through video conferencing, Shah said that the government’s responsibility did not end with restoring peace. Those who had lost limbs or suffered other lasting injuries needed sustained support to rebuild their lives, he said.
He stressed that the Centre and Chhattisgarh government would work together to help victims regain independence and live with dignity.
The camp, being held from October 15 to 17 under the Seva Sankalp Abhiyan, will benefit 768 people with disabilities from Dantewada, Bijapur and Sukma. The beneficiaries include 509 people from Dantewada, 197 from Bijapur and 62 from Sukma. Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata Samiti, Jaipur, and other organisations are supporting the initiative.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also joined the programme virtually. He said that accelerating development in Maoist-free Bastar is now a priority, with a focus on basic services, jobs and livelihood opportunities.
Shah said Maoist violence had caused decades of suffering among poor and tribal families in Bastar. IED explosions had left innocent people with permanent disabilities, he said, describing the harm inflicted on civilians as a grave violation of their rights.
He referred to a similar camp held in Jagdalpur from October 5 to 7, where more than 3,600 people with disabilities received assistance, including over 1,570 beneficiaries from Bastar.
At the Dantewada camp, people are receiving artificial limbs, wheelchairs, tricycles, crutches, hearing aids, smart walking sticks and other assistive devices. Shah saud that the aim is to make everyday movement easier and help those affected carry out routine activities with greater independence.
He acknowledged the role of the state government, district administration, Social Welfare Department, voluntary organisations and traditional tribal leadership in supporting rehabilitation and development in the region.
In a significant shift in the use of security infrastructure, Shah said more than 200 of the over 500 camps established during anti-Maoist operations would be converted into Shaheed Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera centres. The facilities, originally set up to support security operations, are to be used for public services and development work. Officials from the Centre and state will work from these centres to extend welfare programmes and respond to local needs.
Amit Shah said that around 8,526 Maoists had surrendered and outlined the support extended to them as part of rehabilitation efforts. According to figures he shared, bank accounts had been opened for 7,328 people who previously had none. A total of 1,620 people had received reward money, while 7,882 had received incentive payments. Jobs had been provided to 455 people and land allocated to 129, he said.
The Home Minister also cited the provision of 4,014 houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and skill training for 2,308 tribal people. The government had issued 6,763 new ration cards and provided free electricity to 2,808 families. He said 372 new road projects have been initiated and 670 culverts were being constructed. A total of 48,526 Aadhaar cards issued, while 44 panchayats had received awards under the Ilwad Panchayat Puraskar initiative. Shah said that the measures are intended to help people in Maoist-affected areas access government services and build more secure livelihoods.
Shah referred to the Bastar Olympics, Bastar Pandum, Niyad Nellanar and the Chief Minister’s Rural Bus Scheme as initiatives aimed at improving life in the region. He said sporting events are giving young people opportunities to display their talent and abilities, while Bastar Pandum is helping showcase tribal art, culture and traditions.
Meanwhile Chhattisgarh CM Sai said the state has planned to use the centres for skill development and livelihood activities tailored to the region. The first Seva Dera has been opened at Netanar, the village associated with tribal leader Shaheed Veer Gundadhur. Training in tailoring and embroidery has begun there. Other activities include packaging locally available tamarind and processing rice using the traditional dhenki method. Similar initiatives are planned at other centres to help rural families earn a living and encourage self-employment.
CM Sai said years of Maoist violence had held back development in Bastar and that the government was working to close the gap in basic infrastructure and public services. Under the Niyad Nellanar scheme, roads and electricity have reached more than 500 villages, he said. Work was also under way to extend tap-water connections and telecommunications to remote settlements.
The Chief Minister said 431 schools have been opened in these areas and healthcare facilities are being expanded. Ration shops have also been established in villages where residents had previously struggled to obtain essential supplies.
Sai paid tribute to security personnel killed in the fight against Maoism and civilians who lost their lives in the violence. He said the government wanted Bastar to become one of the country’s leading tribal regions, with development reaching remote villages and better opportunities available to young people.
The state government is also focusing on agriculture, animal husbandry and irrigation to improve rural incomes, Sai said. Families are being encouraged to take up dairy farming, including through a scheme providing two cows per family, while an agreement has been signed to support dairy development.
Around ₹2,000 crore has been approved for major irrigation projects on the Indravati river at Deurgaon and Matnar, he said. Once completed, the projects are expected to bring irrigation to around 80,000 acres of farmland.
The programme included interactions with beneficiaries who described how Maoist violence had affected their lives. Madkam Munna, a police personnel from Sukma, said he lost his left leg in an IED blast during a patrol in 2013. The artificial limb provided through the camp has helped him walk again, he said, adding that he was ready to return to service.
Chandraiya Sapka, a resident of Dharamaram village in Bijapur district, lost his right leg in an IED explosion in 2012 while going to the Chintavagu river to fish. Speaking in Gondi, he told the programme that receiving an artificial limb had enabled him to walk again. Ajay Sori and Kosi Podiyam, who have congenital physical disabilities and are from Jawanga and Metapal in Dantewada district, welcomed the tricycles provided to them. The equipment, they said, would make daily travel easier.
CM Sai said the effort went beyond distributing assistive devices. The larger objective was to help people regain confidence, become more independent and participate in everyday life with dignity. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said rehabilitation efforts would continue and that the government was committed to ensuring that no person affected by Maoist violence was left without necessary assistance.
UNI SRC CDS
Tags: #Amit Shah stresses rehabilitation for Bastar’s Maoist violence victims
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