New Delhi/Bijapur, Oct 5: The CRPF has distributed more than 10,000 radio sets in remote Naxal violence-affected areas of Bastar in Chhattisgarh as part of a special public campaign to spread national thought and wean locals away from Maoist ideology in the region that is witnessing a decline in violent Left Wing Extremism (LWE).
The paramilitary force completed the about four-month-long exercise recently after it held hundreds of small and large public events in villages.
The special civic action programme for the seven districts of the Bastar region was initiated by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) at the beginning of this year with a budgetary allocation of Rs 1.62 crore, a senior official told PTI in Delhi.
A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commander based in Bijapur district said a total of 10,800 radio sets were distributed by 180 companies of the paramilitary deployed in the remote and interior locations of the region.
The special programme has aimed to link almost 54,000 individuals, considering each family to be a five-member unit, he said.
“The aim of the mega radio distribution drive is to connect the locals, tribals and villagers with the mainstream of the country.
“While the force is working to achieve the Union government’s declared target of ending Naxalism from the country by March 2026, these measures are part of engaging with the local community to wean them away from Maoist ideology so that the gains achieved by armed operations are anchored by awareness and welfare initiatives,” a second officer said.
The force has informed the locals about the various government and entertainment programmes that are relayed on the radio, apart from the monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ address by the prime minister, he said.
The force has also been asked by the Union government to provide space for erecting more radio towers in the remote locations so that the residents of these areas can listen to what is happening in the state and the country, the second officer said.
Each of the earmarked 180 companies of the CRPF was given 60 radios for distribution.
The CRPF was chosen for this drive as it is the lead force that has created forward operating bases for conducting specific anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh and is deployed well inside the most Naxal-violent areas, according to the officials.
These radio sets, procured for the special campaign, can be operated by deploying dry batteries or directly through a power board connection. The cost of each radio set is about Rs 1,500 and supports FM, MW and SW modes, they said. (PTI)
