Kamal Ghorui
New Delhi: With Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division now free from the hold of Maoists, state chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah here on Tuesday to discuss the roadmap for a development and infrastructure push in the region, in the months ahead. Sources in the state govt told TOI that Sai’s visit — the first on the other side of the March 31, 2026, deadline for elimination of Naxalism — is seen as crucial to shaping the future of Bastar. “The key focus of the chief minister’s meetings with the PM and HM will be the post-Maoist scenario, with detailed discussions on expansion of basic infrastructure, promotion of industries and investments, large-scale employment generation for local youth, and inclusive development of tribal areas,” said an officer.Bastar’s development is now emerging as a national priority, and not just of Chhattisgarh, as it bore the brunt of Naxalism for decades. Maoists’ writ ran in large tracts of the region, preventing administrative reach and denying the tribals living there the benefits of governance, development and welfare initiatives.However, with significant gains on the security front over the past year ensuring that no Maoist leader of significance is active in Bastar, the focus has now shifted towards integrating the region expeditiously into the mainstream.
