Naxalism’s end transforming villages of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

The end of Naxalism in Chhattisgarh is ushering in a visible transformation in several villages in Bijapur district, with works under the Niyad Nellanar scheme and the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act giving them first-time access to essential civic infrastructure, an official said on Sunday.

While 224 villages across 67 gram panchayats in Bijapur district have been covered under Niyad Nellanar initiative through 42 security camps, 1,744 development works have been completed under MGNREGA, generating over five lakh person-days of employment, he said.

“More than 16,000 families have received employment support, with 16,671 job cards registered so far, including 7,271 newly issued cards. Special focus has been placed on vulnerable groups affected by Naxal violence, including 966 surrendered Naxalites, 178 families of injured victims, and 477 families of those killed, all of whom have been linked to MGNREGA for livelihood support,” the official informed.

The arrival of basic amenities such as employment, housing, drinking water, education and livelihood opportunities has reduced migration and strengthened the trust of the villagers in governance after decades of the Maoist menace, he said.

Livelihood generation has also expanded through the sanctioning of 372 ‘Ajeevika Dabri’ livelihood ponds, with beneficiaries in Belnar village of Bhairamgarh block getting help from the fisheries and horticulture departments for fish farming and vegetable cultivation through convergence projects, the official added.

“Housing access has improved significantly under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), with 2,977 beneficiaries sanctioned homes in the Niyad Nellanar region. Of these, 690 permanent houses have already been completed,” he said.

In Dugali village, a newly constructed well under MGNREGA has become the primary water source for more than 100 residents in terrain unsuitable for borewells.

In Palnar, once inaccessible to the administration, construction of a panchayat bhawan, anganwadi centre and gauthan (cow shelter) are underway, employing over 200 workers, the official said.