Chhattisgarh to Map Abujhmad: IIT-Roorkee MoU Targets Maoist Stronghold
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai announced a landmark initiative to survey over 5,000 sq km of Abujhmad – the dense forest region long dominated by Maoist rebels and absent from official maps. The state government has signed an MoU with IIT-Roorkee to conduct this unprecedented mapping exercise, bringing administrative control and development to one of India’s most inaccessible areas.
Speaking to reporters, CM Sai revealed that Abujhmad’s villages were never properly surveyed due to Naxal dominance and challenging terrain. “With Naxal activities now diminishing, we’re partnering with IIT-Roorkee for comprehensive mapping. The exercise should complete by 2030, but we aim to accelerate it,” he stated.
Security Gains Enable Development Push
The announcement coincides with significant security progress. Security forces have established camps covering 5-km radii, forcing Naxal exodus from those zones. Following Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s directive to expand to 10-km coverage, 400 villages now benefit from enhanced security. CM Sai expressed confidence in meeting Shah’s March 31 deadline to eliminate Naxalism nationwide.
“Eliminating Naxals isn’t enough – we must bring development to freed areas,” Sai emphasized. Abujhmad’s lack of roads and basic infrastructure had isolated its tribal population for decades. Post-mapping, the region will receive roads, schools, healthcare, and administrative facilities.
Criticism of Previous Regime
The Chief Minister accused the previous Congress government of inadequate cooperation with central forces, claiming this allowed 75% of India’s Naxals to concentrate in Chhattisgarh. “Now with a double-engine government, security forces fight with renewed vigor,” he asserted.
Rehabilitation and Mainstreaming
Chhattisgarh’s rehabilitation program supports surrendered Naxals with financial aid, vocational training, and housing land. Families of Naxals killed in encounters also access state development schemes. CM Sai cited senior Naxal commander Hidma’s mother, who uses the health center established in their village. “We even arranged a video call for her to urge him to surrender, but he refused and was eliminated,” Sai recounted.
Economic Transformation Underway
Beyond security, Chhattisgarh attracts massive investment. The state has secured ₹8 lakh crore in proposals, with several projects materializing. Its substantial lithium reserves position it as a future hub for battery and semiconductor manufacturing, amplifying economic prospects.
Strategic Implications
This IIT-Roorkee partnership exemplifies the “whole of government” approach to Left Wing Extremism. Mapping Abujhmad will enable property rights, formal banking, and development planning – permanently disrupting Maoist control over resources and population. The exercise combines satellite imagery, GIS mapping, and ground surveys tailored to dense forest conditions.
As Chhattisgarh transitions from conflict zone to development frontier, Mission Abujhmad symbolizes Viksit Bharat at the grassroots. By 2030, this former Naxal heartland could emerge as a model for security-development synergy, proving that determined governance can reclaim even the most challenging territories for national progress.