Madhya Pradesh sanctions 850 posts to combat Naxal activities

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday approved the creation of 850 temporary posts for a special support squad aimed at combating Naxalite activities in Mandla, Dindori, and Balaghat districts.

Each squad member will receive an honorarium of Rs 25,000 per month, amounting to a total expenditure of Rs 25 crore, said Minister for Urban Development and Housing Kailash Vijayvargiya.

He said Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been actively working to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

Referring to his recent meeting with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Vijayvargiya noted that Naxalites are increasingly surrendering.

Stressing that Naxalism doesn't exist in Madhya Pradesh, Vijayvargiya cited information about the movement of Naxals around Mandla, Dindori, and Balaghat districts.

"Therefore, the cabinet has decided to create 850 posts for a year. People from local villages, who can collaborate with the government and provide information on Naxalite movements, will be selected for these posts," he told reporters after attending the cabinet meeting.

Among other decisions, the council of ministers also approved a proposal to increase the cash award for medal winners from Madhya Pradesh in the 2024 Paralympics to Rs 1 crore from Rs 50 lakh.

Earlier, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had announced the Rs 1 crore honorarium for Paralympics medalists Rubina Francis and Kapil Parmar for their outstanding performances.

At the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, Francis secured a bronze medal in shooting, while Parmar won a bronze in blind judo.