Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh) [India], May 20 (ANI): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said that the entire profit generated from forest produce and agriculture in Bastar will now directly benefit the tribal communities.

Addressing a press conference, he said the goal for the coming five years is to increase Bastar's income by up to six times and credit for a Naxal-free India goes to security forces.

He said the country and the region becoming Naxal-free is not enough and the objective is to make a developed Bastar by 2031.

'In 2031, when Bastar will become fully developed, the world will witness that it was Naxalism that had hindered its progress,' he said.

He spoke of the development thrust in the region.

'A PACS and a village dairy will also be established here. Every tribal woman will be able to deliver her cattle's milk to this dairy. Using this Seva Dairy, we will provide every tribal citizen in Bastar with a cow and a buffalo, through which they can market their milk cooperatively,' he said.

Responding to ANI's question on employment generation in Bastar, Shah said currently, the goal is to create self-employment through skill development, government jobs through education, private employment through education, and also to create opportunities for private employment through skill development, and to connect both farmers and women with employment through cooperatives.

'This is an initial action plan. We will come up with a roadmap soon after the first phase is completed,' he said.

'The entire region was deprived of development due to Naxalism. They received no ration cards, no benefits of the free food grain scheme, and no health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh. Employment was virtually nonexistent,' he added.

The Home Minister also underlined the role of cooperative systems in forest produce collection to ensure tribals receive maximum profits.

Speaking about 'Bastar Pandum,' Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inspired efforts to preserve tribal heritage. 'Bastar Pandum will showcase all aspects of tribal culture, including dance, song, language, costumes, cuisine, and handicrafts, in a grand way,' he said.

'Two Bastar Olympics have been held here. I personally attended the closing ceremony of the last Bastar Olympics. Three hundred and ninety-four thousand athletes participated in the Bastar Olympics. This included a large group of Naxalite brothers and sisters who had accepted rehabilitation, and they also performed the best,' he added.

He also announced that 70 out of nearly 200 security camps in Bastar would be converted into Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Dera centres to deliver benefits of 371 Central and state government schemes at one place.

'There was no trace of employment, electricity did not reach the villages, water did not reach, and schools were not built. Through the Seva Deras, we are going to provide all these facilities across Bastar. The Veer Shaheed Gundadhur Seva Dera will become a major vehicle to transform Naxal-affected Bastar into a Naxal-free and developed Bastar,' he said. (ANI)