Raipur (Chhattisgarh) [India], December 27 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday said that the government appealed to the Maoists to abandon the language of violence and gunfire and join the mainstream of development.

'We have repeatedly appealed to the Maoists to abandon the language of violence and gunfire and join the mainstream of development. The government will treat them fairly, and the results are already evident. We have formulated a good rehabilitation policy, and today, more than two thousand Maoists have surrendered, and the government is treating them well. We are providing them with skills training. We are also giving them financial assistance of Rs 10,000 every month, and our new rehabilitation policy includes provisions for providing land for farming. There is also a provision for providing land to build houses in urban areas. In this way, the government is concerned about its future and is working towards its well-being,' he said.

Earlier, as many as 34 Naxals surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. The surrendered Maoist cadres were collectively carrying a reward of Rs 84 lakh, the Bijapur Police said.

The surrender took place under the state government's rehabilitation initiative titled 'Poona Margham: Punarvas Se Punarjeevan' (Return to the Mainstream: Social Reintegration through Rehabilitation), which focuses on reintegrating former extremists and welfare-based measures. Officials said the move reflects the growing impact of sustained anti-Naxal policies combined with confidence-building efforts.

The Central Government has set a deadline to eradicate Naxalism from the country under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi by March 2026. (ANI)