Union Home Minister Announces Development Initiatives for Bastar Region

Raipur: The Bastar Pandoom 2025 festival, a grand celebration of tribal traditions, folk art, and cultural heritage, concluded today in Dantewada with a spectacular closing ceremony. Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced significant development initiatives for the Bastar region, marking a new era of growth and empowerment.

The festival saw the participation of 47,000 artists from 1,850 gram panchayats, 12 nagar panchayats, 8 municipal councils, and one municipal corporation. The event was held across seven categories and will be expanded to twelve categories next year.

Amit Shah announced that villages contributing to the surrender of Naxalites will be declared “Naxal-Free Villages” and receive Rs 1 crore in development funds. He also revealed that the government is now directly procuring tendu leaves at Rs 5,500 per standard sack, eliminating middlemen exploitation and weakening Naxal influence.

The Union Home Minister emphasized that every village will have access to primary schools, small hospitals, Aadhaar card services, ration cards, and health insurance. He also highlighted plans to promote Bastar’s tribal crafts through the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign, showcasing them in national and international markets.

Amit Shah envisioned a new Bastar where young people become doctors, collectors, lawyers, and civil servants, rising through education and empowerment. “Real development,” he said, “is when Bastar’s youth rise through education and empowerment — not guns, but pens and computers will shape the future of Bastar.”