Highlighting the effective implementation of the 2015 “National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE”, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai, in a written reply in Lok Sabha, said that with a drop in violence, the resultant deaths of civilians and security personnel have also come down from a high of 1,005 in 2010 by 91 per cent to 95 in 2025.
The number of LWE-affected districts reduced from 126 to 90 in April 2018, 70 in July 2021, 38 in April 2024, 18 in April -2025 and only 11 in October 2025, with only 3 districts now categorised as Most LWE Affected, the MoS said.
He said the government’s focus on development in tribal and remote areas has addressed the root cause of Maoism.
Improved law and order and security situation, accompanied by investment in infrastructure, has created an enabling environment for enhanced economic development, including an increase in public/private investment, he said.
The MoS said that to encourage Maoists to join the mainstream, the Central and State governments have formulated comprehensive surrender-cum-rehabilitation policies.
The Centre also supports the States in the endeavour through ‘Surrender- cum-Rehabilitation’ Policy as part of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme.
The GoI reimburses the expenditure incurred by the LWE-affected States on the rehabilitation of those who surrender under the SRE Scheme.
The rehabilitation package includes an immediate grant of Rs 5 lakhs for higher-ranked LWE cadres and Rs 2.5 lakh for other LWE cadres, said Rai.
In addition, incentives for the surrender of weapons/ammunition are also provided under the Scheme. In addition, provision also exists for imparting training in the trade/vocation of their liking with a monthly stipend of Rs 10,000 for three years.
The affected States have further revised their Surrender cum Rehabilitation policies to make them lucrative and contemporary.
On the development front, apart from the flagship schemes of the Government of India (GoI), several LWE-affected areas-specific initiatives have been taken with special thrust on expansion of road network, improving telecommunication connectivity, education, skill development and financial inclusion, said the MoS.
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