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By:

Abhijit Mulye

21 August 2024 at 11:29:11 am

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated,...

Gadchiroli SP declares Maoist menace ‘almost over’

Mumbai: In a resounding statement signalling a historic shift, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal has declared the district, once the dark heart of the ‘Red Corridor,’ is on the verge of becoming completely free of the Naxal menace. The SP expressed absolute confidence in the complete eradication of the banned CPI (Maoist) presence, noting that the remaining cadres have dwindled to a mere handful. “There has been a sea change in the situation,” SP Neelotpal stated, highlighting the dramatic turnaround. He revealed that from approximately 100 Maoist cadres on record in January 2024, the number has plummeted to barely 10 individuals whose movements are now confined to a very small pocket of the Bhamragad sub-division in South Gadchiroli, near the Chhattisgarh border. “North Gadchiroli is now free of Maoism. The Maoists have to surrender and join the mainstream or face police action... there is no other option.” The SP attributes this success to a meticulously executed multi-pronged strategy encompassing intensified anti-Maoist operations, a robust Civic Action Programme, and the effective utilisation of Maharashtra’s attractive surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy. The Gadchiroli Police, especially the elite C-60 commandos, have achieved significant operational milestones. In the last three years alone, they have neutralised 43 hardcore Maoists and achieved a 100 per cent success rate in operations without police casualties for nearly five years. SP Neelotpal highlighted that the security forces have aggressively moved to close the “security vacuum,” which was once an estimated 3,000 square kilometres of unpoliced territory used by Maoists for training and transit. The establishment of eight new police camps/Forward Operating Bases (FoBs) since January 2023, including in the remote Abujhmad foothills, has been crucial in securing these areas permanently. Winning Hearts, Minds The Civic Action Programme has been deemed a “game changer” by the SP. Through schemes like ‘Police Dadalora Khidaki’ and ‘Project Udaan’, the police have transformed remote outposts into service delivery centres, providing essential government services and employment opportunities. This sustained outreach has successfully countered Maoist propaganda and, most critically, resulted in zero Maoist recruitment from Gadchiroli for the last few years. Surrender Wave The state’s progressive rehabilitation policy has seen a massive influx of surrenders. “One sentiment is common among all the surrendered cadres: that the movement has ended, it has lost public support, and without public support, no movement can sustain,” the SP noted. The surrender of key figures, notably that of Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias ‘Bhupathi,’ a CPI (Maoist) Politburo member, and his wife Sangeeta, was a “landmark development” that triggered a surrender wave. Since June 2024, over 126 Maoists have surrendered. The rehabilitation program offers land, housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, and employment. Surrendered cadres are receiving skill training and are successfully transitioning into normal life, with around 70 already employed in the local Lloyds plant. A District Reborn The transformation of Gadchiroli is now moving beyond security concerns. With the decline of extremism, the district is rapidly moving towards development and normalcy. The implementation of development schemes, round-the-clock electricity, water supply, mobile towers, and new infrastructure like roads and bridges is being given top priority. He concludes that the police’s focus is now shifting from an anti-Maoist offensive to routine law-and-order policing, addressing new challenges like industrialisation, theft, and traffic management. With the Maoist movement in “complete disarray” and major strongholds like the Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh (MMC) Special Zone collapsing, the SP is highly optimistic. Gadchiroli is not just getting rid of the Naxal menace; it is embracing its future as a developing, peaceful district, well on track to meet the central government’s goal of eradicating Naxalism by March 31, 2026.

Reverse Gear For Education

Updated: Oct 25, 2024

Adopt a School,

The Maharashtra government had announced a new scheme on September 19 last year that will allow private entities with a SEBI registered CSR certificate to adopt government schools in the state. The scheme, called Adopt a School, aims to improve the quality of education and infrastructure in these schools, irrespective of their medium of instruction. The scheme will be implemented in phases across the state and the period of adoption will be either five or ten years. The private entities can also choose to add their name to the existing name of the school for the duration of the adoption.


As per the government decision it allows individuals, corporations, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to adopt government schools. The initiative intends to improve the overall standard and educational quality. This decision has not gone down well among the educationists and teachers as well. Thousands of primary teachers took to the streets after the government’s decision. Multiple organisations actively working in the interiors of Maharashtra have come together against the state government’s decision in the sector of school education–amendment to Right To Education (RTE) Act, Scheme of Cluster of Schools and adoption of schools.


Significantly, out of the total 509 schools which closed down in Maharashtra, the highest figure belonged to the private sector. As against 19,632 private schools recorded in 2020-21, Maharashtra now has 19,268 private schools, indicating closure of 364 schools. In comparison, only 95 government schools have closed down during the period.


At the same time speculation over the corporate giant who wish to adopt some 5,000 schools in the state under its “Adopt a School” scheme got louder. It all started when School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar while addressing a press conference in Mumbai said a city-based multinational conglomerate is looking to adopt 5,000 government-run schools in the state. “A big corporate house has shown interest in adopting one school in each administrative block having 8-10 schools”, the Minister stated without disclosing any name. But within a few days the reality came into the light that the multinational conglomerate is Reliance Education owned by Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).


The scheme, which was announced in September 2023, envisaged a model under which individuals, corporations and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) could adopt government schools. Some of them showed interest in schools. But the real reason behind their generosity was the land of schools. They were hardly bothered about upgrading the infrastructure and amenities at these schools and improving the quality of education. Due to which, the scheme met with stiff opposition by students, teachers and parents. Education activist Heramb Kulkarni said the government is not serious about the feelings of stakeholders. Students, teachers and parents have written letters to the state government.

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