CM unveils post-LWE devpt plan for G’chiroli before PM

Nagpur: Unveiling the development action plan for Gadchiroli after elimination of Maoist insurgency at the 11th governing council meeting of NITI Aayog, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday, pitched the district as India's first major integrated steel hub at the Delhi meet.Fadnavis told the meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Gadchiroli was entering a new phase of development and had a historic opportunity to accelerate growth through a focused action plan built around four pillars — infrastructure, education, health and employment. The Niti Aayog meet was attended by all chief ministers, lieutenant governors and Union ministers.The Post-Left Wing Extremism Action Plan aims to connect remote habitations through construction of roads, bridges and culverts, while expanding telecom infrastructure for reliable digital connectivity in interior villages, Fadnavis said. On the education front, the plan would build additional classrooms in primary and secondary schools, set up digital classrooms, construct accommodation for teachers and upgrade school facilities, he said.Fadnavis said the health component of the plan focused on upgrading health centres, expanding Ayushman Bharat coverage, strengthening sickle cell disease screening and treatment, and improving last-mile healthcare delivery through outreach services. The plan also sought to create sustainable livelihoods through industry-linked skill development and enterprise promotion, he said.Fadnavis told the council the plan placed strong emphasis on last-mile service delivery, trust-building and social transformation. The objective, he said, was to build a "prosperous, confident, and resilient Gadchiroli, where every citizen becomes a partner in development and every village a stakeholder in peace."Gadchiroli, once one of the country's worst Maoist-hit districts, is being positioned by the state govt as a showpiece of post-insurgency development, anchored by the integrated steel hub and iron ore reserves of Surjagad and adjoining belts. The district has also recently emerged as Maharashtra's frontrunner in Census 2027 house-listing drive, completing 99.5% of entries against the state average of 86.83%.Fadnavis' broader address at NITI Aayog meeting was built around the theme of human capital development under Viksit Maharashtra 2047 vision, with the state setting targets of a $1 trillion economy by 2030, $2 trillion by 2035 and $5 trillion by 2047.