New Delhi: With Chhattisgarh's Bastar division now free from the hold of Maoists, state chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah here on Tuesday to discuss the roadmap for a development and infrastructure push in the region, in the months ahead.
Sources in the state govt told TOI that Sai's visit -- the first on the other side of the March 31, 2026, deadline for elimination of Naxalism -- is seen as crucial to shaping the future of Bastar. "The key focus of the chief minister's meetings with the PM and HM will be the post-Maoist scenario, with detailed discussions on expansion of basic infrastructure, promotion of industries and investments, large-scale employment generation for local youth, and inclusive development of tribal areas," said an officer.
Bastar’s development is now emerging as a national priority, and not just of Chhattisgarh, as it bore the brunt of Naxalism for decades. Maoists' writ ran in large tracts of the region, preventing administrative reach and denying the tribals living there the benefits of governance, development and welfare initiatives.
However, with significant gains on the security front over the past year ensuring that no Maoist leader of significance is active in Bastar, the focus has now shifted towards integrating the region expeditiously into the mainstream.
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RCB vs CSK Live ScoreBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. ...
Read MoreBharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.
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