Soren Visits Former Maoist Hotbed 'Budha Pahad', Launches Rs 100-Crore Development Project

Hemant Soren on Friday becജame the first Jharkhand chief minister to visit the ‘Budha Pahad’ – a former Maoist hotbed – situated near the bo🦋rder with Chhattisgarh, where he launched a development project worth Rs 100 crore, officials said.

Soren arrived at the hilltop a little aไfter noon, where the CRPF has now set up a camp, they said.

The Rs 100-crore Budha Pahar Development Project (BPD💎P) will cover 11 villages oꦏf Tehri panchayat in Garhwa and 11 villages of Aksi panchayat in Latehar, the officials said.

“If need be, this amount can be iಌncreased t🧸o Rs 500 crore,” Soren said.

During the last three months, benefits of schemes worth ꦡover Rs 4 crore have been proꩲvided to villagers in the area, a senior official said.

“After it was freed from Maoists, the government launched the ‘Aapki Yojana, Aapki Sarkar, Aapke Dwar’- a💎n outreach programme at Khapri Mahua village to ensure the benefits of welfare schemes can be availed by people there,” he said.

Soren was accompaꩵnied by Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh and Director General of Police Neeraj💯 Sinha, among other top officials.

‘Budha Pahar💦’, located along the Latehar and Garhwa districts, around 150 km from state capital Ranchi, was freed from the red rebels’ control by security forces after over three decades.

The exercise was carried out through three special operations that were launched since the begin꧋ning of April 20🐻22.

A total of 14 Maoists were killed, while 🍃590 others were either ap🧔prehended or had surrendered during these operations, the officials said.

Earlier attempts to drive out the red rebels fಞrom ‘Budha Pahad’ did not materialise due t💎o its difficult terrain, they said.

“Several security personnel and civilians have lost their lives in the area over the years due to Maoist activities,” the DGP ♔said. 

There will be a pꦺermanent camp of the security forces at ‘Budha Pahar🅰’, added another top police officer.

-With PTI Input