How has the government controlled Naxalism in the last 10 years? What were the important factors?

New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has talked about completely eliminating Naxalism from the country. Meanwhile, officials said that due to mixed security pressure and rehabilitation efforts, Naxalism has been dealt a huge blow. Naxalism was one of the country’s longest running insurgencies. According to officials, more than 10,000 Maoists have laid down their arms in the past decade and the top leadership has been eliminated. According to officials, 2,300 Maoists laid down arms in 2025, while in the first three months of 2026, more than 630 cadres chose mainstream life over armed insurgency. The figures relate to surrenders of left-wing militants from 2014 to early 2026.

Road construction in the “Red Corridor”

According to an official, the government has adopted an integrated, multi-pronged and decisive strategy against Naxalism, replacing the fragmented approach of previous governments. An example of this is the road construction in the “Red Corridor”, which once extended from “Pashupati to Tirupati” through Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra and parts of Andhra Pradesh, where contractors refused to work. The Central Government entrusted the Border Roads Organization with the task of constructing roads in key areas of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), which includes construction of five major roads and six important bridges in these strongholds of the insurgency.

361 security camps built in 6 years

Officials said more than 15,000 kilometers of roads have been constructed in Communist Party of India (Maoist)-affected areas, of which 12,250 kilometers have been completed in the last 10 years alone. In areas dominated by militants, which were described as the “most serious internal security challenge”, the number of fortified police stations has increased from 66 in 2014 to 586 over the past 10 years. Additionally, 361 new security camps have been established in the last 6 years and 68 night helipads have been built to strengthen operational access. As a result, the number of police stations recording Naxalite incidents has declined from 330 in 76 districts in 2013 to only 52 in 22 districts by June 2025.

Benefits of government schemes to common people

He said the government’s strategy, focused on a combination of security pressure and rehabilitation efforts, has weakened the roots of the movement, leaving the movement leaderless in Chhattisgarh for the first time since its inception. In areas where governance was weak and Maoists had created an environment of both pressure and consent among marginalized communities, the benefits of government schemes started reaching the common people. The number of houses sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana increased from 92,847 in March 2024 to 2,54,045 in October 2025. Aadhaar registrations also increased from 23.50 lakh to 24.85 lakh in the same period and 21.44 lakh Ayushman cards were issued compared to 19.77 lakh.

More than 250 Eklavya schools approved in 10 years

The government has invested heavily in education and infrastructure with the aim of weakening the socio-economic roots of extremism. More than 250 Eklavya Vidyalayas have been approved in the last 10 years, of which 179 are functional. Apart from these, 11 Kendriya Vidyalayas and 6 Navodaya Vidyalayas are also running. The Central Government has also launched skill development initiative in 48 Left Wing Extremism (LWE) affected districts, under which the same number of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and 61 Skill Development Centers (SDCs) have been approved at a cost of Rs 495 crore. Of these, 46 ITIs and 49 SDCs are already operational, providing vocational training and employment opportunities to local youth, while reducing Naxalite recruitment and integrating remote communities into the mainstream economy, officials said.

Work done on building railway line

According to LWE data released by the government, around 9,000 mobile towers have been installed, of which 2,343 are being upgraded to 4G. To establish rail connectivity from South Bastar to the central part of Chhattisgarh, a 95 km long rail line has been developed between Dallirajhara and Raoghat. He informed that a 140 km long rail line will be developed between Raoghat and Jagdalpur, and the survey of 180 km long rail line from Dantewada (Chhattisgarh) to Munuguru (Telangana) has already been completed by the Railway Ministry, which will connect the hinterland of Chhattisgarh to major Indian markets.

Investigative agencies also gave a shock

Officials said the declining state of the guerrilla movement over the past decade tells a story of sustained political resolve, coordinated security operations, developmental activities and effective rehabilitation policies, which have resulted in a steady increase in the number of Maoist cadres surrendering and returning to the democratic mainstream. The crackdown on Naxal financing dealt a blow to the movement, with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) seizing Rs 40 crore, state authorities seizing an additional Rs 40 crore and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seizing assets worth Rs 12 crore.

Surrender-cum-rehabilitation scheme gave confidence

A government statement had said, “The simultaneous actions have caused serious moral and psychological damage to urban Naxalites and tightened control over their information warfare networks.” The statement said the financial and logistics support received from the Center has strengthened the state’s capabilities through programs such as the Security Related Expenditure Scheme, which helps states cover operational costs in Left Wing Extremism-affected districts. The most important factor in controlling the violent movement has been the restructuring of the resettlement policy. The Modified Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Scheme provides financial assistance, skill development training and housing assistance to former workers.

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