"Naxalism breathing its last": Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai

Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], April 12 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Saturday credited his government's efforts to work on rehabilitation policies, which resulted in the surrender of about 1,314 Naxalites. He said that Naxalism was "breathing its last" in the state.
Speaking at the 'Vichaar for Viksit Chhattisgarh' conclave to ANI, Sai said that the state government has provided nearly 15,000 accommodations under the PM Awas Yojana for those who have surrendered to join the mainstream.
He said that the government was also working on providing "skill development" training to the surrendered Naxalites so that they become employable.
"About 1,314 Naxalites have surrendered, and the government is doing justice to them. We have separately arranged 15,000 Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for them. We keep them in the district headquarters, and we are also working on their skill development so that they can get some employment. We also give them jobs in third and fourth classes of government organisations as per their qualification," the CM told ANI at the event.
"As soon as our government came, we told the Naxalites that they should leave bullets and violence and join the mainstream of development. We sent our state's Home Minister, Vijay Sharma, to many other states, including Assam, to see rehabilitation policies there," he added.
CM Sai asserted that Naxalism was nearing its end in Chhattisgarh, with only a handful of cadre left. He added that nearly 359 Naxalites with huge bounties on them have been killed in the last 1.5 years.
"Naxalism is now breathing its last in Chhattisgarh. Very few of them are left now. In 1.5 years, about 359 Naxalites with huge rewards on them, hardcore Naxalites have been killed. I am fully confident that the resolution of the Union Home Minister will definitely be fulfilled," he said.
Sai said that earlier people trusted the Naxalites more than the government. However, he added, public trust has increased in the last 1.5 years.
"We have started the 'Niyad Nellanar Yojana, ' which means 'Aapka Sundar Gaon. ' Security camps are being opened continuously. Naxalites run away from all the villages that come within a five km radius of the camp...Earlier, it was the case that people trusted the Naxalites more than the government. But the way the government is working, for the last 1.5 years, the public's trust in us has increased," the CM said. (ANI)