Chhattisgarh: Livelihood College in Narayanpur empowering surrendered Naxals with skill training, discipline

Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], November 4 (ANI): In an initiative to rehabilitate and reintegrate surrendered Naxals into mainstream society, the Livelihood College in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district has become a model of transformation, combining skill training with discipline, routine, and personal development.
The college aims for a comprehensive skill development training to these former cadres.
Currently, 110 surrendered Naxals, including 52 women and 58 men, aged between 18 and 50 years, are undergoing various vocational courses, all striving for a fresh start. All of these surrendered Naxals surrendered in the span of last two months.
The trainees range from former Naxal commanders to lower-rung cadres, all determined to rebuild their lives.
The daily routine here is designed to bring structure and purpose to their lives. The day begins at 6:00 am with sports activities, followed by breakfast from 8:00 am am to 9:00 am. Classes are held between 9:00 am and 12:00 noon, after which trainees have lunch from 12:00 to 2:00 pm. The afternoon is dedicated to practical and theory sessions, while evenings include sports and cultural activities that promote teamwork and confidence.
Courses offered at the college include driving, plumbing, sewing, welding, solar panel installation, computer operations, digital mitra services, and data entry. The duration of training varies from 35 days for driving to 80 days for plumbing. Certifications are provided by the Rajya Kaushal Vikash Pradhikaran, graded according to performance.
Since its establishment in March this year, the Livelihood College has already trained 133 surrendered Naxals, out of which 104 have received certificates, and about 50 per cent have found employment.
Beyond academics, trainees are encouraged to engage in recreational activities. They enjoy watching movies together, recently, they watched the Women's Cricket World Cup, an experience many described as inspiring and unifying.
Dr Dibyendu Das, Senior Scientist and Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Narayanpur, who is part of the training initiative, said the college focuses on integrated farming to help the surrendered Naxalites increase their income.
"The Naxalites are joining the mainstream, but only paddy farming would not increase their income. To increase their income, entrepreneurship and an integrated farming system are being promoted. Integrating animal husbandry and fisheries will help increase the income. It takes us two months to train them."
Manaklal Ahirwar, Employment Officer and Livelihood College Additional Incharge said, "We have trained 104 people and they receive Rs 10,000 monthly. It is the trainer's job to also provide them employment."
In the last 20 months, over 2,200 Naxalites have surrendered, over 450 Naxal bodies have been recovered in the last two seasons, and more than 200 Naxals have surrendered recently.
The recent wave of surrenders marks one of the most significant setbacks to Naxal insurgency in recent years and underscores the government's intensified efforts to restore peace and development in Naxal-affected regions.
In a major achievement towards the Modi government's vision of a "Naxal-free Bharat," the number of districts most affected by LWE has been reduced to just three from six.
As per the Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA), fresh data, only Bijapur, Sukma, and Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh remain in the "most affected" category.
The number of districts classified as LWE-affected has also declined significantly--from 18 to 11 districts, states the MHA data.
The security forces have recorded "unprecedented operational successes" this year by killing a total of 312 Naxals, including the CPI (Maoist) General Secretary and eight other Politburo or Central Committee members. A total of 836 cadres have been arrested, while 1,639 have surrendered and joined the mainstream, including one Politburo and one Central Committee member.
Once described as India's biggest internal security challenge by the then Prime Minister in 2010, Naxalism is now in visible retreat. The Maoists had envisioned a so-called "Red Corridor" stretching from Pashupati in Nepal to Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh.
In 2013, 126 districts across various states reported Naxal-related violence; by March 2025, this number had dropped to just 18 districts, with only six earlier classified as "most affected." (ANI)