NEW DELHI, INDIA — According to evidence given to the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, occurrences of Naxal violence have dropped by 81% in 2024 compared to 2010. This is a big step forward for India’s internal security. This drop includes the devastating loss of lives, with the number of civilians and security forces who died reducing by an astonishing 85% over the same time period.
Nityanand Rai, the Minister of State for Home Affairs, gave this positive news in a written reply. He talked about the enormous steps that have been taken to fight Left Wing Extremism (LWE). He also told the House that the number of districts affected by LWE has dropped drastically from 126 in 2013 to just 18 by April 2025. This shows that these extreme groups are getting less and smaller.
The Minister said that the “National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE,” which was approved in 2015, was the reason for this success. He said that this all-encompassing plan takes a multi-pronged approach that includes strong security measures, focused development efforts, and programs to protect the rights and entitlements of local populations.
Rehabilitation Efforts That Promote Mainstreaming
Getting LWE cadres to give up their weapons and join the mainstream is an important part of the government’s plan. States have established their own “Surrender cum Rehabilitation” plans, which are even better because the federal government backs them up. The Centre’s “Surrender-cum-Rehabilitation Policy” pays states back for the money they spend on rehabilitating surrendered cadres.
This policy gives higher-ranked LWE cadres who surrender a large initial grant of ₹5 lakh, while lower-ranked LWE cadres get ₹2.5 lakh. The program doesn’t just offer money as a reward; it also offers awards for giving up guns and ammo. Most importantly, it gives former radicals a way to start over by giving them training in crafts or jobs of their choice and a monthly stipend of ₹10,000 for three years.
Minister Rai said, “The resolute implementation of the policy has resulted in a consistent decline in violence and the constriction of geographical spread.” He also pointed out that the number of LWE-related violence occurrences has dropped by 81% and the number of deaths among civilians and security forces has dropped by 85% since 2010.
Jharkhand’s Amazing Change
In response to a specific question about Jharkhand, the Minister pointed out how much better the LWE situation is in the state. He said that violent crimes committed by LWE dropped by an amazing 92% in Jharkhand, going from a high of 742 in 2009 to only 69 in 2024.
There were 103 violent occurrences due to LWE in Jharkhand between January 1, 2024, and July 15, 2025. During this period, security forces were able to kill 25 LWE members, arrest 276, and see 32 people give up.
The number of districts in Jharkhand affected by LWE has also gone down a lot, from 21 in 2013 to just two in 2025. Rai also said that seven districts are still classified as “Legacy and Thrust Districts,” which means that the government is continuing helping areas that were once under LWE control but are now mostly under control.
The continued drop in Naxal violence is a big step forward for India’s efforts to bring peace and prosperity to areas impacted by Left Wing Extremism.