Raipur Jun 24 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh government on Tuesday said the next session of the Central Zonal Council will be held in the Bastar region of the state, which will mark a significant stride in integrating India's remote and sensitive regions into the national development discourse.
The Bastar region, which comprises seven districts - Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada - remains a hotbed of Naxalism. However, the Centre has set the target of wiping out the menace of Naxalism from the country by the end of March 2026.
In a statement, the Chhattisgarh government said in a momentous announcement during the 25th meeting of the Central Zonal Council held in Varanasi, it was confirmed that the next session of the council will take place in Bastar.
This decision marks a significant stride in integrating India's remote and sensitive regions into the national development discourse, it said.
The Central Zonal Council comprises the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
"Hosting such a high-level policy forum in Bastar stands as a powerful symbol of the inclusive and transformative governance vision championed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah," the statement said.
Officials expressed hope that by the time the next council convenes, Bastar would have witnessed decisive progress in the ongoing efforts to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), it said.
With this forward-looking approach, the region is being envisioned as a future model of peace, resilience, and inclusive growth. The announcement reflects the deepening synergy between the Centre and state, and their collective resolve to ensure last-mile development and lasting peace, it added.
Welcoming the move, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the decision to hold the council meeting in Bastar is not only a matter of immense pride for the region but also a transformative opportunity.
With the unwavering support of the central government, Bastar is set to redefine its identity not as a land of conflict, but as a land of possibilities and progress, the CM added.