Nagpur: After years of violence, Gadchiroli is moving towards rehabilitation and a normal life. On Tuesday, 14 surrendered Maoists, most of them from the now fallen den at Abhujmarh straddling the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, received land plots under Gadchiroli police’s Project Sanjeevani scheme.Senior officials handed over allotment certificates to the former cadres and urged them to follow family and social life. They were also presented cheques from the rehabilitation fund of Centre and state govts. The children of surrendered Maoists received cycles and school material. Some surrendered cadres, who completed driving training, were given four-wheeler licences.The Reds used to groom their People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) at Abhujmarh. Maoist influence in the district is a thing of the past and people are slowly coming out of fear, according to Gadchiroli police.Many hardcore cadres, including senior leaders, had laid down arms before Gadchiroli police after govt’s surrender scheme in 2005, coupled with disenchantment with violence.“The aim is not only surrender but full return to the mainstream. Under the Maharashtra surrender policy, former cadres get help for land, housing, jobs, health and education. District administration and police have together sanctioned 174 plots so far. Of these, 153 were already given and 14 more were given on Tuesday,” said Gadchiroli SP M Ramesh.Gadchiroli collector Avishyant Panda urged the surrendered members to take benefit of the govt schemes. “The state govt is committed to all-round development of former Maoists and will provide every support so that they can live an independent life in the mainstream,” he said.Panda also pointed out that Gadchiroli police, through different rehabilitation programmes, are providing facilities linked to employment, education, health, farming and self-employment. SP Ramesh praised those who left the path of violence and chose peace, development and progress. The programme was also attended by Additional SP (Administration) Gokul Raj.PI Narendra Piwal, in charge of the surrender cell, Asst PI Pratiskha Rathod and other police staff worked and ensured the surrendered Maoists got the documents and records in their names.
