In the dense jungles of Bastar, where the echo of gunfire once drowned out hope, a quiet revolution unfolds. “If the heart burns with zeal to achieve, every task turns simple.” Surrendered Maoists live this adage daily. Hands that gripped rifles to sow violence now craft futures under Chhattisgarh’s pioneering Naxal Rehabilitation Policy. At the Chougel (Mulla) camp, district administration orchestrates a masterful shift from violence to vocation, breathing new life into 40 former rebels and illuminating paths to dignity.
This is no mere program. It offers a profound second chance. Youth once entangled in Maoist shadows, driven by ideology, poverty, or coercion, now master practical trades. Driving, sewing, woodcraft artistry, and helper electrician skills form the core, ensuring they rejoin society’s mainstream not as outcasts, but as skilled contributors capable of honorable livelihoods.
Chougel camp, adjacent to Bhanupratappur block and housed in a repurposed BSF facility, has evolved into Kaushalgarh, a fortress of skills. Bastar division, scarred for decades by red terror’s relentless grip, now advances steadily toward development. Maoism’s shadow recedes as Chhattisgarh bolsters the central government’s ironclad resolve for a Maoist free India. Yet victory demands more than security ops. It requires rebuilding lives. Enter the Naxal Surrendered and Affected Rehabilitation Policy 2025: a blueprint blending compassion with pragmatism. Here, 40 returnees train in batches of 20 across creative, employment oriented modules. Parallel education from Class 1 to 8 instills literacy, with all participants diving in earnestly to sculpt brighter futures.
Personal stories paint the human canvas. Forty year old Manher Taram, training in four wheeler driving for two weeks, beams: “Steering, clutch, brake, accelerator. My trainer teaches it all. This dream I nurtured for years now comes alive.” Narsingh Netam echoes the sentiment, testing vehicle controls: “These activities promise a better life ahead.” Nineteen year old Sukdu Paddu, illiterate yet determined, has immersed in three months of training: “I’m linking myself to sustainable work.” Kajal Vedda, also 19, stitches with joy: “Childhood longing for sewing fulfills here, alongside primary lessons from dedicated teachers.” The roster shines. Jagdev Komra, Raju Nuruti, Beersingh Mandavi, Manuu Negi, Sanu Gavde, Manki Netam, Samko Nuruti, Ungi Korram, Ramoti Kawachi, Manker Hupendi, Daali Salaam, Genjo Hupendi all excel in driving, woodcraft, sewing machines, or electrical basics per their passions.
Holistic care elevates the model. Health department teams conduct regular checkups, dispensing medicines as needed. Recreation fosters balance: carrom boards buzz, musical instruments resonate, diverse sports build camaraderie. Nodal officer Vinod Ahirwar, guided by Kanker Collector directives, affirms: “Twenty person batches ensure focused training. Soon, mushroom cultivation, horticulture, and more self employment courses launch, priming them for independence.”
This initiative transcends rehabilitation. It dismantles cycles of violence. By empowering the surrendered, Chhattisgarh signals to holdouts: surrender brings not punishment, but opportunity. It aligns with national security goals while nurturing social fabric in India’s heartland. Challenges persist, stigma, reintegration hurdles, sustained funding. But early signs gleam: eager learners, skill acquisition, budding self confidence.
Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai’s administration deserves acclaim for this humane pivot. In a nation where Left Wing Extremism once menaced millions, such policies forge lasting peace. Chhattisgarh’s Chougel triumph proves governance at its finest: secure borders, skilled hands, healed hearts. Other Naxal prone states must emulate, turning India’s red corridors into green fields of prosperity. Here, guns yield to gavels of growth. Witness the dawn of a rehabilitated Bastar.
