Chhattisgarh expected to announce new surrender policy for Maoists in 2 months

Union home minister Amit Shah, who visited Chhattisgarh last month, said that the state government was working on the new policy and that India would be free from Maoist violence by 2026

Published on: Sep 12, 2024, 14:00:00 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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The Chhattisgarh government is expected to announce in the next two months a new surrender policy for Maoists focussed on establishing rehabilitation camps in Left-wing insurgency-hit districts for skill development training for three years, officials familiar with the matter said.

An official said the new policy will also have a provision for offering ₹10,000 financial assistance monthly. (HT PHOTO/Representative)

Union home minister Amit Shah last month said that the state government was working on the new policy as he visited Chhattisgarh. He said India would be free from Maoist violence by March 2026 and that the fight against the Maoists was in its final phase.

An official said the new policy will also have a provision for offering ₹10,000 financial assistance monthly for three years. “Although similar efforts have been made previously, this new plan will focus on a more structured and rigorous rehabilitation process,” said the official, who did not want to be named. He added the district administrations will establish rehabilitation camps for vocational and skill development training under the policy.

The official said the beneficiaries would stay for the full three-year term unless they secured employment earlier. “Skill development centres already operate under a government of India scheme, providing training as blacksmiths, barbers, etc, ensuring that participants gain practical skills for livelihood opportunities,” said the official.

A second official said that the new surrender policy will also focus on an immediate grant of ₹5 lakh for higher-ranked Maoist cadres like State Committee, Regional Committee, Central Committee, and Politburo members and ₹2.5 lakh for middle and lower-ranked cadres.

He said the money would be kept in fixed deposits, which may be withdrawn after completion of three-year training, subject to good behaviour certificated by designated authorities.

An additional director general level officer, representatives of the state home department, police, and central armed police forces will be part of the screening-cum-rehabilitation committee.

A third official said that the new policy will be on the lines of the Union home ministry’s guidelines issued in August 2022 to all Maoist-affected states. The guidelines said the government of India will provide 60% of reimbursement for the expenditures incurred on rehabilitation of surrendered Maoists under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme subject to a ceiling of ₹5 lakh for higher ranked Left-Wing extremist (LWE) and ₹2.5 lakh for lower rank cadres. It said a ₹10000 monthly stipend will be paid for a maximum period of 36 months to the surrendered Maoists while undergoing training in rehabilitation camps.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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