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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.

Towards Future-Ready Urbanscapes

Updated: Oct 22, 2024

Urbanscapes

The term 'NITI' in NITI Aayog stands for the ‘National Institute for Transforming India.’ Through its Growth Hub or G-Hub mission, NITI Aayog has developed comprehensive plans for cities like Mumbai, Surat, Visakhapatnam, and Varanasi. These plans adopt a fresh, innovative approach, inspiring hope for the future of India's rapidly urbanising landscape.


Urbanisation in India has grown rapidly over the past few decades. In 2001, 28.61 crore people lived in cities (27.82% of the total population), and by 2011, this number had risen to 37.71 crore (31.15%). By 2020, it was estimated to reach 48.3 crore (34.9%).

During this period, the count of urban households living in slums increased from 1.01 crore to 1.37 crore. However, urban households living in slums decreased from 23.5% in 2001 to 17% in 2011. Urban poverty also dropped significantly, from 25.7% in 2004-05 to 13.7% in 2011-12. Cities played a vital role in the economy, contributing 60% of India's GDP in 2011.


The demand for urban infrastructure and urban services is continuously increasing, and it is being compounded by other related trends―a large share of the young population, the increasing population numbers of urban poor, and their low-income levels. As per the high-powered expert committee report of 2011, the urban infrastructure investment deficit is estimated at Rs 39.2 lakh crore at 2009–2010 prices for the period 2012–2031. While the government of India is working towards addressing this investment requirement, it is also designing schemes to make Indian cities more liveable. The five flagship centrally sponsored schemes in the urban sector are working towards these objectives.


In a review of the schemes for urban transformation, it came to the fore that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of several major city regions worldwide appears to match the GDP of entire countries. This reflects urban centres' growing economic prominence and vitality, highlighting their pivotal role in shaping the country's economic development and that the Indian cities hold the potential to propel unparalleled economic growth, which needs to be realised. This led to the initiative focused on developing city regions as Growth Hubs, which plan for leveraging urbanisation for economic growth in line with NITI Aayog's mandate of fostering cooperative federalism.


The study revealed that although Indian cities occupy just 3% of the country's land, they contribute a significant 65% of the GDP. Projections suggest that this urban area is expected to expand to 50% by 2047, up from the current 36%.


A prime example of this economic concentration is the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), which plays a vital role in India's economy. MMR accounts for:

• 4% of the national GDP

• 24% of the country’s income tax collection

• 36% of corporate tax collection

• 25% of India’s industrial output

• 40% of foreign trade

• 70% of maritime trade


In Maharashtra, MMR holds 20% of the population but only 2.8% of the land area. It contributes 31.2% of the state's GDP and 18.1% of its jobs. The region's per capita income is 1.5 times higher than Maharashtra’s and nearly double that of India's national average.


The G-Hub mission aims to take a proactive approach by focusing on economic strategy before land use planning. It will identify job growth drivers, define city resources, support global trends, and assess resource needs. The mission will also boost the business environment, propose new ideas and interventions, and prioritise major projects. Apart from building and boosting economic activity, it also focuses on improving quality of life and inclusivity while promoting sustainability.


NITI Aayog has identified seven key growth drivers, covering 30 projects, eight sector policies, and nine institutional changes to establish the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) as a financial hub. The goal is to attract Rs 10-11 lakh crore in private investment and speed up ongoing projects worth $65 billion. The vision includes transforming Mumbai into a global fintech capital, contributing Rs 1 trillion to India’s GDP. It also meticulously addresses various factors affecting citizens’ lives. This includes developing 3 million affordable housing units by 2030, developing MMR as a global service hub built on seven champion services, creating 3 million affordable homes by 2030, making MMR a global hub for tourism and urban recreation hub and port-proximate manufacturing and logistics hub having world-class urban infrastructure and transport, and becoming an inclusivity and sustainability leader of India with planned urbanisation.


The G-Hub mission by NITI Aayog represents a forward-looking approach to leveraging India's rapid urbanisation for economic growth by transforming urban spaces into thriving economic hubs while promoting sustainability and inclusivity. With ambitious projects, targeted investments, and a clear vision for the future. These growth drivers are expected to shape MMR as a $300 billion economy and play a key role in India's journey towards becoming a $5 trillion economy.

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