Maharashtra will be Naxal-free soon, says Fadnavis in Gadchiroli

Fadnavis also felicitated C-60 commandos and officers for bravery in anti-Naxal operations, while Rs 86 lakh was provided to the surrendered Naxalites.

Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said Maharashtra will soon become free of Naxal menace given the rise in the number of Maoists laying down their arms and the movement failing to attract recruits.

“North Gadchiroli has become Naxal-free. Soon, South Gadchiroli will also become Naxal-free. In the past four years, not a single youth has joined them, which is a huge accomplishment towards combating the menace,” he said.
He said Maoist cadres have disassociated themselves from the movement as they have realised its “hollow ideology”. “They are convinced that they will get justice only through the Constitutional institutions. Nobody is willing to adopt undemocratic and unconstitutional path. It is a good development,” the chief minister said, adding 11 villages have banned Maoists.

Hailing the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the anti-Naxal campaign, Fadnavis said, “The battle against Naxals are no longer bound to state borders. Even Maharashtra has gone outside state borders for Naxals.”

The government has started the process to make Gadchrioli the “first district” by eliminating the dominance of Maoists, he said. Gadchiroli is often referred to as the last district of Maharashtra as it is on the state’s eastern border.

The CM also inaugurated the 32-kilometre Gatta-Gardewada-Wangeturi road and bus services of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) on the Wangeturi-Gardewada-Gatta-Aheri route in the district.

The chief minister also inaugurated various development projects worth Rs 6,200 crore, promising 9,000 jobs.

Soon after his arrival in Gadchiroli, the CM dedicated Tatguda bridge to public and travelled through Gatta- Gurdewada- Wangeturi route where he interacted with villagers. It also marked first visit by any CM in these remote villages.

In Konsari, Fadnavis laid the foundation stone for Llyods DII Plant that is coming up at a cost of Rs 400 crore, Palate Plant and Slari Pipelines project worth Rs 3,000crore. At Ettapalli, he inaugurated Iron Ores Grinding Plant worth Rs 2,700 crore.

He also inaugurated Llyods Raj Vidhyaniketan CBSE school and Shivai Llyods Kali Ammal Hospital. More than 1,200 children will benefit from the school. An airport will come up in Gadchiroli in the near future and waterways connecting Gadchiroli ports will also be surveyed, he added.

In 2024, total 24 naxalswere killed and 18 were arrested. In the past six months, 16 hard core Naxals surrendered and the number went up to 27 with Wednesday’s surrender of 11.