Sukma (Chhattisgarh) [India], February 2 (HBTV): Once echoing with gunfire and fear, Badesetti village in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district is now scripting a new chapter of peace and development after being declared the state’s first Naxal-free village under the Ilwad Panchayat initiative.
The village’s transformation reflects a coordinated push by the Centre and the state, combining intensified security operations with focused development, rehabilitation and welfare measures. Under the Ilwad Panchayat scheme, the Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh government has announced a special development package of INR 1 crore for every village declared completely free of Naxalite influence, with Badesetti becoming the first beneficiary.
Following its declaration, Badesetti received INR 1 crore for development works aimed at strengthening basic infrastructure, including roads, drinking water supply, electricity, healthcare and education facilities. Officials said the initiative has helped rebuild trust between villagers and the administration in an area once considered inaccessible.
Bastar Inspector General of Police P. Sundarraj said the Ilwad Panchayat scheme is designed to ensure that villages freed from Naxalite influence quickly witness visible development. He said gram panchayats that become Naxal-free are sanctioned INR 1 crore to provide essential facilities such as electricity, ration shops, schools, hospitals and healthcare services, adding that Badesetti would serve as a model for other villages.
Sukma District Panchayat CEO Mukund Thakur termed the declaration of Badesetti as Naxal-free a historic moment for the district and the state. He said the administration has ensured saturation of government schemes in the village, including housing schemes, Swachh Bharat Mission, self-help groups, caste certificates and NREGA job cards. According to him, in several schemes, more than 80 per cent of the eligible population has already been covered, with the goal of developing Badesetti as a model panchayat with new panchayat buildings, bridges, culverts, Anganwadi centres and other infrastructure.
Thakur also highlighted broader social change, noting a sharp rise in public participation in initiatives such as the Bastar Olympics. He said participation from Sukma increased from around 10,000 last year to 40,000 this year, with even surrendered Naxalites taking part, reflecting a positive shift in mindset. He added that development work is being fast-tracked in line with timelines set by the Union Home Ministry.
At the village level, residents say the impact is clearly visible. Punem Sukka, Secretary of the Badesetti Gram Panchayat, recalled that when he joined in 2021, movement was severely restricted and fear was pervasive. He said motorcycles could not operate and outsiders were viewed with suspicion, but the situation has now changed completely.
According to Sukka, the village received INR 70 lakh under the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Development Scheme and INR 30 lakh from the District Mineral Foundation. He said concrete roads are being built, an Anganwadi centre and a market shed are under construction, and work on the government school and hostel is underway, adding that villagers credit both the central and state governments for the transformation.
With Badesetti emerging as Chhattisgarh’s first Naxal-free village, officials said efforts are now focused on replicating this model across other affected areas, signalling a shift from conflict to confidence and from fear to development in the former Red Corridor.
(ANI)