NEW DELHI: Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Tuesday that India has achieved a significant milestone in its fight against Naxalism, reducing the number of the ‘most affected districts’ from 12 to just six. This marks a major step in the government’s efforts to build a stronger, safer and more prosperous nation.
In a post on social media platform X, Shah pointed out that the Narendra Modi government is determined to eradicate Naxalism completely by March 31, 2026. He stressed that a brutal strategy towards countering insurgency, combined with tireless development work, is pushing the shift towards Naxal-mukt Bharat.
The overall number of Naxal-affected districts in the nation was earlier 38. Among these, the number of the ‘most affected districts’ has come down from 12 to 6, while the number of ‘districts of concern’ has come down from 9 to 6, and the number of Other Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-hit districts has come down from 17 to 6.
The six most-affected districts now consist of four from Chhattisgarh (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma), one from Jharkhand (West Singhbhum), and one from Maharashtra (Gadchiroli). Likewise, the six ‘districts of concern’, where extra resources are needed above the severely impacted areas, have been trimmed to include Alluri Sitarama Raju in Andhra Pradesh, Balaghat in Madhya Pradesh, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, and Malkangiri in Odisha, and Bhadradri-Kothagudem in Telangana.
Also, the number of other LWE-affected districts has reduced from 17 to 6. The remaining affected districts are Dantewada, Gariaband, and Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki in Chhattisgarh; Latehar in Jharkhand; Nuapada in Odisha; and Mulugu in Telangana.
To promote development in these areas, the Centre provides financial support under the Special Central Assistance (SCA) programme. The ‘most-affected districts’ get Rs 30 crore, and the ‘districts of concern’ get Rs 10 crore to fill infrastructural gaps in the public sector. Special projects specific to the needs of these districts are also being undertaken.
The astounding improvement in the LWE situation over the last year can be largely credited to the setting up of new security camps in the heart of insurgency-affected areas. Further, schemes for development like the widening of road networks, better transport facilities, greater access to water and electricity, and schemes of welfare have gone a long way in ushering stability and prosperity in the affected areas.