Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma on Friday unveiled a generous incentive scheme for villages in the Maoist-affected Bastar region that declare themselves "Maoist-free." Speaking in Bhopal, Sharma outlined the ‘Elvad Panchayat Abhiyan,’ promising Rs 1 crore in development funds for construction projects, along with mobile tower installations and regular electricity or solar power access to qualifying villages.

“If a Maoist surrenders due to the village’s efforts, the reward doubles,” Sharma said, linking the initiative to the newly approved Chhattisgarh Naxal Surrender and Rehabilitation Policy-2025. This policy provides surrendered Maoists with free housing, three years of food support, Rs 10,000 monthly aid, and skill training, with enhanced benefits for group surrenders. Villages must verify the absence of active Maoist cadres, cross-checked with police records, to unlock the rewards. Sharma urged panchayats to encourage insurgents to disarm, tying local prosperity to security improvements.

The announcement follows a major anti-Maoist operation on Thursday, where security forces killed 30 Maoists in Bijapur and Kanker districts—the state’s deadliest single-day strike against Left-wing extremism. Sharma highlighted recent gains: 577 mobile towers now connect Bastar, and bus services to Pamed resumed after 25 years. He noted that markets in Abujhmarh have reopened, signaling a shift away from fear. This year, the state has recorded 113 Maoist deaths, 104 arrests, and 164 surrenders.

The initiative supports Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s goal to eliminate Naxalism by March 2026. By combining substantial financial incentives with infrastructure development, Chhattisgarh aims to incentivize peace and transform Bastar, turning villages into partners in the state’s anti-insurgency campaign.