Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Inaugurates ‘Pandum Café’ For Surrendered Maoists In Bastar

A surrendered Maoist couple in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district has rebuilt their lives by running a grocery shop , symbolising rehabilitation in the Bastar region. The couple, Masa Tamo and Jaymoti, recently welcomed Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai at their shop in Kondapalli village during his Sushasan Tihar outreach programme.

The Chief Minister stopped his convoy during a visit to the remote village and interacted with the couple, who had earlier been associated with the CPI (Maoist) . He also purchased a bottle of water from their store and praised their journey as a model of self-reliance and reintegration .

Officials said Masa Tamo, who joined the Maoist organisation in 2007 after a difficult childhood marked by poverty and lack of education, and Jaymoti, who was orphaned early in life, met during their insurgent years and married in 2021. Both surrendered in October 2025 under the state’s Poona Margham rehabilitation initiative , citing disillusionment with violence.

After surrender, they were housed at the Bijapur Rehabilitation Centre , where they received formal education for the first time and underwent skill training. Authorities also helped them obtain Aadhaar, ration, Ayushman Bharat cards, MGNREGA job cards, caste certificates and bank accounts.

With assistance including a ₹1 lakh loan under the Saksham Yojana , they opened their grocery shop.

Officials said such cases reflect a broader trend, with hundreds of Maoists surrendering in Bijapur since 2024 under rehabilitation policies combining incentives, counselling and livelihood support.

CM Sai said their story reflects Bastar’s transformation, where opportunities and trust are drawing former insurgents into the mainstream.

Chhattisgarh has also reported a sharp rise in surrenders across the region as part of its broader push to eliminate Maoism while strengthening rehabilitation and rural outreach programmes.