Raipur, Dec 16 (Representative) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday hailed the Bastar Olympics saying that the games have initiated the transition from “changing” to “completely changed”. Attending the closing ceremony of the Bastar Olympics in Jagdalpur, he said that the positive energy of the Bastar Olympics will prevent millions of tribal youths from straying down the wrong path, connect them with the process of building India, and become a means for the welfare of millions of rural and tribal people. The Bastar Olympics will lay the foundation for peace, security, development, and new hopes in the region, he averred. He said that the Bastar Olympics is not merely limited to the 1.50 lakh children present here, but will become a symbol of hope for all seven districts of Bastar. In coming days, the Bastar Olympics will become a saga of Bastar’s development and will deal a decisive blow to Naxalism, the Minister further said in an official statement. Emphasizing that half of the medals won by India in international competitions were brought by children from tribal families, Shah expressed confidence that the Bastar Olympics and the development initiated through them will open the horizons of the world for the tribal children of Bastar in the coming days.
He said that the wheelchair race for differently abled people affected by Naxal violence will become a symbol of pace of Bastar’s development. The Home Minister recalled a time when Bastar lacked basic amenities like electricity and water, faced famine, and saw schools being burned and dispensaries and hospitals closed.However, he highlighted that in the past year, the state government has launched a massive campaign to transform the villages of Bastar.He mentioned that although the central government did not receive support from the state government over the last five years but when his party formed the government, the campaign against Naxalism again intensified. He noted that within just one year, 287 Naxalites were neutralized, nearly 1,000 were arrested, and 837 surrendered. Shah further stated that the Chhattisgarh government is committed to implementing over 300 public welfare schemes from both the central and the state governments in every village across the state.
He highlighted the ‘Niyad Nellanar’ scheme as an initiative aimed at transforming villages into a paradise.Shah expressed confidence that when the Olympic Games will be held in India in 2036, one of the children present at this Bastar event will win a medal for the country, and the entire nation will be proud. He emphasized that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s core mantra is “Sports for All, Sports for Excellence,” and the government is committed to realizing this vision in Bastar. He assured that Bastar will achieve 100 percent saturation in development, tourism, peace, and the implementation of all public welfare schemes, and that Chhattisgarh will soon be completely free from Naxalism. Shah stated that once Naxalism is eradicated, Bastar will attract more tourists than Kashmir due to its abundant natural beauty. He highlighted that the government is focused on promoting tourism, small-scale industries, and the dairy sector within the cooperative framework in the region.
He mentioned that the government has approved the construction of 15,000 additional houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for the families of those who surrendered, or were disabled due to Naxal violence, or were killed in Naxal attacks. Of these houses, more than 9,000 houses are being built in Bastar, he informed. The Home Minister stated that in the past, the District Mineral Fund was primarily used for industrial purposes but now, a significant portion of this fund has been redirected towards the development of tribal villages. Shah stressed that it is the collective responsibility to establish peace in Bastar, foster its development while preserving its natural beauty, and attract tourists from around the world. This can only be achieved through the construction of roads, the introduction of railways, the provision of electricity and water, and, most importantly, the establishment of peace, which he noted, will only be realized once Naxalism is completely eradicated.Present on this occasion were Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, and several other dignitaries.