**Executive Summary**
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that Bastar and the rest of India have become Naxal-free ahead of the March 31, 2026, target date. The government has launched a comprehensive development plan to make Bastar a fully developed region by 2031, aiming to increase local income six-fold within five years. Key immediate actions include establishing a vast cooperative dairy network and converting security camps into service centers within the next six months.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Security and Rehabilitation**
* Naxalism has been eliminated from Bastar earlier than the projected deadline of March 31, 2026.
* To ensure peace, 200 security camps were established; 70 of these are now being converted into "Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Deras" to provide civilian services.
* Surrendered Naxals are being provided with psychological mapping, education, and skill development to ensure their reintegration into society with dignity.
* Citizens are cautioned to remain vigilant as Maoist ideologies may attempt to re-emerge under new aliases or deceptive influences.
**The "Seva Dera" Service Model**
* The Seva Dera model aims for 100% saturation of government schemes by bringing services directly to village doorsteps.
* Each center will provide banking, Aadhaar services, and digital facilities, offering benefits from 371 state and central government schemes under one roof.
* Facilities will include Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and dairy facilities to support the local economy.
**Economic and Infrastructure Development**
* A goal has been set to increase the income of Bastar’s residents by up to six times over the next five years.
* A large-scale dairy network will be established within six months, with every tribal woman being provided one cow and one buffalo.
* All profits from forest produce and agriculture will now directly benefit tribal communities through cooperative processing.
* Significant infrastructure has been completed, including 12,211 km of roads, 5,000 mobile towers in Naxal-affected areas, and 1,804 bank branches.
**Education and Cultural Preservation**
* Education infrastructure has been expanded with 259 Eklavya Model Schools, 46 ITIs, and 49 Skill Development Centres.
* More than 90,000 youth and women have already received skill training.
* Cultural initiatives such as "Bastar Pandum" and "Bastar Olympics" have been established to revive tribal traditions and engage the youth in sports.
**Impact Analysis**
**Tribal Families and Women**
**Impact**
Tribal households will experience a direct increase in income and assets through the provision of livestock and cooperative dairy networks. They will also gain unprecedented access to government services at their doorsteps.
**Action Required**
Families should register for livestock programs and utilize the Seva Dera centers for banking, Aadhaar, and scheme enrollment.
**Surrendered Naxals**
**Impact**
Former insurgents are provided a path to social reintegration through rehabilitation programs, education, and employment training.
**Action Required**
Individuals must participate in psychological mapping and enroll in skill development centers to transition into mainstream society.
**Local Youth**
**Impact**
Youth gain access to modern education, vocational training, and platforms for sports and cultural expression, shifting focus away from past violence.
**Action Required**
Youth should enroll in ITIs or Skill Development Centres and participate in regional events like the Bastar Olympics.
**Government and Security Agencies**
**Impact**
Security forces transition from active combat to a phase of maintaining vigilance and supporting the conversion of camps into service hubs.
**Action Required**
Agencies must monitor for Maoist re-emergence under new guises while ensuring the secure delivery of development services in previously unreachable areas.
Key Entities Referenced
Bastar, Chhattisgarh: The central region targeted for a comprehensive transition from a Naxal-affected zone to a fully developed division by 2031.
Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Dera: A service delivery model that converts former security camps into hubs to provide banking, digital services, and 100% saturation of government schemes at the doorstep.
Ministry of Home Affairs: The primary central ministry responsible for establishing security camps, managing the region's security transition, and overseeing tribal development plans.
Comprehensive development plan for tribal areas: The national framework guiding the saturation of development schemes, security arrangements, and the empowerment of youth and women in Naxal-free regions.
Bastar Pandum: A cultural initiative and platform established to preserve and promote tribal traditions, language, arts, and heritage.
Ministry of Home Affairs
Union Home Minister and Minister of
Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah addresses Press
Conference in Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi,
Bastar has become Naxal-free, Now, the journey—from
security to trust, trust to development, development to
prosperity, and prosperity to fulfillment—must be completed
within the next five years
The goal for the coming five years is to increase Bastar's
income by up to six times
Credit for a Naxal-free India goes to jawans of our security
forces and their families, who made the supreme sacrifice in
this battle; I pay my humble tributes to all of them
Merely becoming Naxal-free is not enough; the objective is to
make a developed Bastar by 2031
In 2031, when Bastar will become fully developed, the world
will witness that it was Naxalism that had hindered its
progress
Union Home Minister emphasized the psychological
mapping, skill development and education of surrendered
Naxals, says, those who were victims have every right to live
with dignity within the society
In next 6 months, Bastar is set to emerge with a vast network
of cooperative dairies; every tribal woman will be provided
with one cow and one buffalo
To eradicate Naxalism in Bastar, 200 security camps were
established; one-third of these camps will now betransformed into "Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Deras"
Preparations are underway to bring the government to the
very doorsteps of villages through the "Seva Dera" model;
achieving 100% saturation of every government scheme is
what will truly create a developed Bastar
In Bastar, the entire profit generated from forest produce and
agriculture will now directly benefit the tribal communities
"Bastar Olympics" and "Bastar Pandum" serve as exemplary
models for tribal youth engagement and the revival of tribal
culture
Following the end of Naxalism, Maoists may re-emerge under
new guises and aliases—do not fall prey to anyone's
deceptive influence
Posted On: 19 MAY 2026 8:16PM by PIB Delhi
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah today addressed a press conference in
Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.
Addressing the press conference, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said
that when our party’s government was formed in Chhattisgarh under the leadership of Shri Vishnu Deo
Sai, at that time our party’s government was also in power at the Centre under the leadership of Prime
Minister Shri Narendra Modi. He added that immediately after our party’s government was formed here
on 13 December 2023, we restarted the campaign to eliminate the remaining Naxals in Bastar. Shri Shah
said that after the meeting of all State Directors General of Police on 24 August 2024, it was announced
that the country would be made Naxal-free by 31 March 2026. He stated that due to the valour, courage,
and sacrifices of our security forces, the complete elimination of Naxalism from the country has been
achieved even before the target date of 31 March 2026.
Shri Amit Shah said that the date of 19 May 2026 also holds great significance. He said that ever since
Naxalism began spreading from Naxalbari, its supporter intellectuals used to argue that Naxalism existed
because development had not reached certain areas. He clarified that this was not the truth, because there
were many parts of the country that were even more backward than the Naxal-affected regions, yet
Naxalism did not spread there, and all those areas gradually progressed towards development. He added
that, however, our Bastar and many other Naxal-affected areas could not develop.
Union Home Minister said that on 19 May 2026, the vision of comprehensive development is being
launched in the same previously Naxal-affected area. He informed that the Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva
Dera was inaugurated just yesterday. To free Bastar’s seven districts from Naxalism, the Ministry of Home
Affairs, Government of India, had established nearly 200 security camps in the region. He said that now
that Bastar has become Naxal-free, it has been decided that in the first phase, 70 of these 200 camps will
be converted into Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Deras. The purpose of these Seva Deras is to take
government facilities and services to the doorstep of every tribal brother and sister in Bastar. Each Seva
Dera will provide banking facilities, Aadhaar card services, all digital services, and benefits of 371schemes of the State and Central Governments through the Common Service Centres (CSCs). All
development-related services will be available under one roof. The objective is to ensure that citizens
deprived of development for 50 years receive 100% benefits of all government schemes. Shri Shah said
that a Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) and a dairy facility will also be established in these
Seva Deras, enabling every tribal woman to supply milk from her animals. He added that through these
Seva Deras, the government will provide one cow and one buffalo to every tribal family in Bastar, so they
can market their milk across India through the cooperative system. In the next six months, a large dairy
network is being developed across the Bastar division.
Shri Amit Shah said that earlier this area was under the shadow of the guns and bayonets, but now
development will reach there. Until now, the entire region remained deprived of development because of
Naxalites. People here did not get ration cards, nor the benefit of free foodgrain schemes, nor health
insurance of up to ₹5 lakh. Their produce was not procured at ₹3,100 per quintal. There was no trace of
employment, electricity did not reach the villages, water did not reach, and schools were not built. He said
that through the Seva Deras, we are going to provide all these facilities across Bastar. The Veer Shaheed
Gundadhur Seva Dera will become a major vehicle to transform Naxal-affected Bastar into a Naxal-free
and developed Bastar. He added that forest produce will be processed through cooperatives and the entire
profit from it will be given to the tribal communities.
Union Home Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the
Government of India has undertaken several major works for the development of Bastar. We have
completed the construction of 12,211 kilometres of roads at a cost of ₹20,557 crore. A total of 13,000
mobile towers have been planned, out of which 5,000 towers have already been installed across Naxal-
affected areas of the country. 1,804 bank branches have been opened, 1,321 ATMs have been installed,
and the work of opening 890 post offices has also been completed. 259 Eklavya Model Schools have been
opened, 46 ITIs and 49 Skill Development Centres have been established, and skill training has been
provided to more than 90,000 youth and women. Shri Shah said that under the leadership of Prime
Minister Modi, the Government of India has prepared a comprehensive development plan for tribal areas
across the country, including Naxal-free Bastar. Under this plan, there will be full saturation of
development schemes, complete security arrangements, a scientific programme for the future-oriented
empowerment of youth and women, and the preservation and promotion of tribal culture and traditions
while protecting and advancing the local heritage.
Shri Amit Shah said that we have initiated Bastar Pandum here. He added that Prime Minister Modi had
inspired us to make sincere efforts and prepare a plan to preserve tribal culture. Under Bastar Pandum, a
major platform has been provided for tribal dance, songs, language, traditional attire, cuisine, and other
cultural elements. One year ago, 45,000 people participated in Bastar Pandum and contributed to
promoting all these activities. Similarly, two Bastar Olympics have already been organised. In the
previous Bastar Olympics, 3 lakh 94 thousand athletes participated, including a team of our former Naxal
brother-sister comrades who had accepted rehabilitation. Notably, this team delivered the best
performance. Shri Shah said that Prime Minister Modi wants to send a clear message to the entire Naxal-
free region that violence can never be a solution to any dispute. Democratic values, mutual cooperation,
and the idea of development alone can form the foundation for the progress of individuals. No
development - of a person, a village, or a region - is possible through violence. The myth that Naxalism
spread because of poverty will be dispelled by the Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Dera.
Union Home Minister said that once this entire region becomes fully developed, a powerful message will
go out to the entire world that schools could not be built here because the Naxalites had destroyed them,
roads could not be constructed because the Naxalites had created hurdles, hospitals could not function
because the Naxalites had killed the hospital staff, and banks did not come because the Naxalites hadlooted them and forced them to shut down. Shri Shah said that the Shaheed Veer Gundadhur Seva Dera in
Bastar will present a democratic model of development before all those across the country who have taken
up arms in the name of carving out a path to development.
Shri Amit Shah assured all residents of Bastar on behalf of the Government of India and Prime Minister
Shri Narendra Modi, saying that there is no need to live in fear anymore - a new sunrise has dawned here.
He said that the tribal youth and women of the region should move forward with full confidence, as both
the Government of India and the Chhattisgarh Government stand firmly with them. Shri Shah cautioned
that as the previously Naxal-affected region of Bastar is now set to become a developed area, the people
must remain vigilant. Those inspired by Maoist ideology who once tried to destroy Bastar with guns may
now return in disguise. He urged the people not to be misled by their propaganda. He emphasised that both
the Chhattisgarh Government and the Government of India are governments elected by the people and will
carry forward the development of Bastar through democratic means.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that the Government of India and the Chhattisgarh
Government are committed to working shoulder to shoulder to transform this region into the most
developed tribal division in the entire country, and that within the next five years, Bastar will become the
most developed tribal division among all tribal regions of India with an increase in income of Bastar by 6
times. He added that the entire credit for a Naxal-free India goes to the jawans of our security forces who
made the supreme sacrifice and to their families.
****
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