3 min readRaipurMar 22, 2025 09:38 AM IST
First published on: Mar 22, 2025 at 07:00 AM IST
As anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh intensifies, Home Minister Vijay Sharma has announced a new ‘Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy’ for surrendered red rebels – provision of free food, shelter, cash, skills, land and a home.
Addressing a press conference in Raipur, Sharma called this the “best policy in the country” that will lead to “many surrenders”. The announcement comes a day after 30 Maoists were killed in two separate encounters in Bastar.
Sharma said a district level committee was being set up to determine whether the person surrendering was indeed a Maoist.
“Once that is decided, for three years, shelter and food will be free for three years. They will receive Rs 10,000/month, will undergo skill development and will get a land and home under the Prime Minister housing scheme. They will get extra benefits for bringing a weapon and they will also get the bounty amount they have on their arrest,” he said.
For mass surrenders, the reward will be doubled. A gram panchayat that is declared “Maoist-free” will have development projects worth Rs 1 crore “immediately” sanctioned.
“The village will get a mobile network, electric line and in the meantime solar light. This is being done to ensure mass surrenders,” the home minister said. “There are also provisions for married couples and for their children.”
Under the new rehabilitation policy, the state will sponsor the education of children who have lost parents to “Naxal violence”.
“Those displaced due to Naxalism will get monetary aid and land,” Sharma said.
The speech comes a day after 30 Maoists were killed in two separate encounters in Bastar: 26 in Bijapur and four in Kanker. A jawan, Raju Oyam of the specialised District Reserve Guard, was also killed in the encounter.
According to Sharma, the 26 Maoists killed in Bijapur had gathered as part of their Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) meeting. TCOC is a period between March to June when Maoists regroup.
At a press conference they held Friday, the Bastar Police said 19 of the 30 Maoists killed have been identified. According to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P, two senior Maoist cadre leaders — Lokesh, the Platoon Commander of PLGA Company No. 5 and Sitto Kadti, a divisional committee member – were killed in the encounter. There was a bounty of Rs 8 lakh for them.
A surrendered Maoist, Oyam became part of the anti-Maoist unit DRG in 2020. A wreath laying ceremony was held for him in Bijapur Friday.
“The operation has inflicted a major blow to the west Bastar division of the Maoists,” the officer said.
Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma. (X/@vijaysharmacg) 
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