Naxalmukt Bharat Abhiyan: From Red Zones to Growth Corridors

Syllabus: GS3/ Internal Security

Context

• India has made significant strides in curbing Left Wing Extremism, with a sharp decline in affected districts, violence, and Naxalite presence.

What is the Naxalite Movement?

• Origin: The Naxalite movement began in 1967 in Naxalbari, West Bengal, as a radical leftist uprising championing the rights of tribal and landless communities.
• Geographic Spread: The insurgency spread across the so-called Red Corridor, covering parts of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala.
• Approach adopted: Naxalites employ guerrilla warfare, target state institutions, extort local populations, and often recruit children.
  • They claim to fight for marginalized communities but resort to violent methods.

Consequences of Naxalism

• Political Consequences: It undermines state authority and weakens democratic institutions in affected areas.
  • It also creates governance vacuums, making administration and law enforcement extremely difficult.
• Economic Consequences: Naxalism disrupts economic activities like agriculture, and infrastructure development.
  • Increases government spending on security, reducing funds available for development and hampers private investment.
• Social Consequences: It fosters fear, mistrust, and a sense of alienation among marginalized communities.
  • The disruption of education and health services, especially in remote areas, leads to significant human development losses.

Improvement in India’s Fight Against Naxalism

• Reduction in Affected Districts from 126 in 2010 to just 38 in 2024, showing successful containment of Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) zones.
• Drop in Violence: LWE-related violent incidents have dropped by 81%, from 1,936 in 2010 to 374 in 2024.
• Reintegration into the Mainstream: LWE-affected areas are increasingly experiencing improved education, healthcare, connectivity, and governance.
  • Over 8,000 Naxalites have surrendered in the last 10 years.

Government Initiatives

• Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: This Scheme is being implemented as a sub-scheme of the umbrella scheme ‘Modernization of Police Forces’.
  • The Central Government reimburses security related expenditure for LWE affected districts and districts earmarked for monitoring.
• SAMADHAN Strategy: A comprehensive approach involving Smart Leadership, Aggressive Strategy, Motivation and Training, Actionable Intelligence, Dashboard-Based KPIs and KRAs, Harnessing Technology, Action Plans for each Theatre, and No Access to Financing.
• Scheme of Fortified Police stations: 612 Fortified Police Stations have been constructed in LWE affected areas in the last 10 years.
• Aspirational District: The Ministry of Home Affairs has been tasked with the monitoring of Aspirational districts programme in 35 LWE affected districts.
• Focused Developmental Assistance: Special Central Assistance (SCA) of ₹30 crore for most affected districts and ₹10 crore for Districts of Concern is bridging infrastructure gaps.

Way Ahead

• Community Engagement: Promote confidence-building measures and empower tribal institutions.
• Employment and Education: Provide youth with skills, education, and job opportunities to break the recruitment chain.
• Technological Integration: Enhance intelligence, surveillance, and communication using modern technology.

Concluding remarks

• The Government of India has set a target to eliminate Naxalism by 31st March 2026, recognizing it as a major impediment to the development of tribal and remote regions. 
• The success of Naxalmukt Bharat Abhiyan lies in balancing robust security with inclusive development. 
• With continued political will, administrative efficiency, and local participation, a future free from Left Wing Extremism is within reach.

Source: PIB