Chhattisgarh govt setting up police camps in Naxal-hit region on war footing to end menace: CM Sai

Raipur, Aug 15 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh government was working on a war footing to set up new security camps in the Naxalite-hit areas of the state with an aim to end the menace and ensure basic facilities to people living there, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday.

In the last eight months of the BJP government in the state, 146 Naxalites were gunned down by brave security personnel in the state as a result of which people of the region have been feeling safe after several years, he said.

In his Independence Day address to the state at the Police Parade grounds in state capital Raipur, Sai also said his government was preparing a new industrial policy for the state to accelerate growth by providing employment to the youth on a large scale.

He said Chhattisgarh has been delivering a key role in fulfilling the resolve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India developed by 2047.

“On this day, we express our gratitude to our soldiers who are fighting the anti-democratic Naxalite terror in the state with full courage. In the last eight months, security personnel have shown indomitable courage and neutralised 146 Naxalites,” Sai said.

During the same period, 32 new security camps were opened (in the Naxal-hit region) and 29 more such facilities will be established in the coming days, he said.

The state government has constituted the State Investigation Agency (SIA) for effective investigation and prosecution action in Naxalite-related incidents, he added.

The people of Bastar are fed up with the Naxalites and are ready to march ahead on the path of development. The government is working on war footing to free people of the region from the menace and ensure basic amenities to them, he said.

Under the new scheme named ‘Niyad Nellanar’ (your good village), the state government has been making efforts to ensure benefits of 53 schemes and 28 community facilities of 17 departments reach the villages located within five kilometres of the radius of these security camps through these facilities only, he said.

In a veiled attack on the previous Congress government in the state, Sai said, “The biggest crisis in democracy is the crisis of trust. The system certainly functions only when the people have trust in their representatives. After taking over the reins of the Chhattisgarh government, our biggest challenge was to restore this trust.”

“Our government has restored the trust by fulfilling most of the (poll) promises,” he added.

The CM also targeted the previous Bhupesh Baghel-led government over alleged irregularities in recruitment through state public service commission.

“Our government believes that irregularities in the recruitment process not only deprive promising youth of employment opportunities, but also adversely affect the quality of civil services. Our government has decided to get the irregularities in the State Civil Service Examination 2021 (during the previous Congress rule) investigated by the CBI. We are committed to providing equal opportunity and a transparent examination system to the youth,” he added.

The CM announced to constitute the Chhattisgarh Economic Advisory Council in the state.

“We are preparing a new industrial policy for the state to accelerate the growth by providing employment to the youth on a large scale. For this purpose, we have been working by seeking suggestions from renowned institutes, industry groups and experts in the country. We have also decided to form the Chhattisgarh Economic Advisory Council to implement the innovation to promote industrial opportunities,” he said.

The state government has decided to launch ‘Chhattisgarh Krida Protsahan Yojana’ to promote traditional sports in the state, he said.

“Keeping in view the geographical diversity of the state, we have drafted a strategy for the economic development catering to all sectors. In Bastar and Surguja divisions, we are emphasizing on forest produce processing centres, ecotourism, naturopathy etc. We are developing Nava Raipur as an IT and innovation hub,” he said.

He highlighted the achievements of various government schemes, including those aimed at benefiting farmers, youth and women.

The seats for candidates preparing for UPSC in the Youth Hostel run by the state’s Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste department in New Delhi has been increased from from 50 to 185, he said.

The selected youth belonging to Scheduled Tribe, Scheduled Caste and Backward Classes will get free coaching facility for civil services preparation and they will also get a fixed stipend for residing anywhere in Delhi, Sai added.