Naxalite movement in Gadchiroli has suffered setback due to Surajgarh mines project: Maha CM

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the Naxalite movement in Gadchiroli district has declined since the Surjagarh iron ore mines project became operational.Speaking during Question Hour in the Legislative Council, the chief minister assured that local people would be given jobs in the project on a priority basis.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the Naxalite movement in Gadchiroli district has declined since the Surjagarh iron ore mines project became operational.

Speaking during Question Hour in the Legislative Council, the chief minister assured that local people would be given jobs in the project on a priority basis. ''Since the project was operationalized, the Naxalite movement in the district has slowed down,'' he said, replying to a question by Jayant Patil, Ramdas Ambatkar and Abhijeet Wanjari.

The project, started in 1993, was stalled due to Naxalite activities for some time, but when he became guardian minister of Gadchiroli he instructed the police to crack down on the Naxalites in the area, he said.

The project has been now resumed and the company management has been instructed to give preference to locals in jobs, the chief minister said.

''Now, more than five thousand locals have been given employment in this project. A training center will be set up to train them for skilled work.....a security academy will also be started,'' Shinde said.

The government has received a revenue of Rs 342 crore from the project, he informed.

Answering a related question, Minister for Mining Dadaji Bhuse said that 56 lakh tonnes of minerals have been extracted from the project.