Naxal-Free India

Key Highlights:

• India achieved the milestone of becoming effectively free from Left Wing Extremism (LWE) by March 31, 2026, with no district remaining LWE-affected.
• The number of LWE-affected districts declined from 126 in 2014 to zero by March-April 2026.
• Naxal-related incidents sharply decreased from 870 in 2014 to 33 in 2026, and fatalities reduced from 310 to 11 in the same period.
• This transformation was driven by an integrated strategy focusing on security operations, infrastructure expansion, and welfare delivery.
• Key financial schemes like Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme (₹3,805.04 crore released since 2014-15) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme (₹4,289.20 crore released since 2017) supported the efforts.

Detailed Insights:

• For nearly six decades, LWE, inspired by Maoist ideology, posed a significant internal security challenge, peaking in 2010 with 1,936 incidents.
• A comprehensive and integrated strategy was adopted post-2014, replacing fragmented approaches, guided by restoring trust, expanding infrastructure, and delivering welfare.
• The National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE, approved in 2015, provided a structured, whole-of-government framework.
• Security measures included deploying Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), constructing 663 fortified police stations, and establishing 408 new CAPF security camps.
• Elite forces like CoBRA, DRG, and Greyhounds were integrated, and technology such as UAVs, drones, and AI-based data analysis was extensively used.
• Operations like Black Forest, Octopus, and Double Bull significantly weakened Maoist networks and reclaimed LWE-influenced areas.
• A dedicated vertical within the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) targeted Naxal financing, seizing assets worth over ₹92 crore by December 2025.
• Rehabilitation policy offered grants of ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh for surrendered cadres, leading to 3,927 surrenders between 2024 and March 2026.
• Infrastructure development included 15,189 km of roads under Road Requirement Plan (RRP) and Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas (RCPLWEA), and 9,497 mobile towers.
• Financial inclusion expanded with 1,804 new bank branches, 1,321 ATMs, and 6,025 post offices in LWE-affected districts.
• Welfare initiatives included 259 sanctioned Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), 47 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), and the PM-JANMAN initiative for Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Left Wing Extremism (LWE): A form of internal insurgency in India, primarily led by Maoist groups, aiming to overthrow the state through armed struggle.
• National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE: A structured, whole-of-government framework approved in 2015 to combat LWE through security, development, and local governance.
• Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: A central government scheme providing financial assistance to LWE-affected states for operational needs, capacity building, and rehabilitation.
• Special Central Assistance (SCA) Scheme: A scheme providing funds to LWE-affected districts for critical public infrastructure and development projects.