Mumbai: Senior Shiv Sena Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the Gadchiroli district minister, on Tuesday, met four surrendered naxal activists and assured them government's assistance for rehabilitation.
This is Shinde's maiden visit as the guardian minister in Gadchiroli, which is a naxalaffected district in the state, where the state government with active support from the Centre is implementing a slew of measures to control naxal activities and step up development process.
Shinde chaired the Gadchiroli district planning development council's meeting to approve the annual plan of Rs 491 crore. Thereafter, he took out time to meet Birju Dorpeti, former member of company number 4, Jeevan Narote, former commander of platoon number 56, Renuka alias Janki Kafri Tissa, former member of Bhamragad Dalam and Deve alias Sushila Dumma, former member of Chalgaon Dalam.
These four naxal activists were four among the 638 naxal activists who surrendered to the district authorities between 2007 and 2019. Shinde told FPJ, ''I will discuss with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to work out a comprehensive plan for the permanent rehabilitation of such surrendered naxal activists, where in they can get jobs, houses and other amenities.
This is necessary, as most of them, who have spent their life in forests, don't have any records. As per the posts that they held in naxal dalams and companies, they get a compensation after surrendering to the authorities.
However, a special head will be introduced in the district plan for its disbursement without any delay.'' He argued that the naxal menace can be tackled, not merely by adopting a slew of security measures, but also by stepping up the implementation of development projects in forests.
Shinde said that his aim to meet those four surrendered naxal activists was to send out a clear message that the government will not leave them in isolation, but will make it possible for perma-
