Lok Sabha to debate government’s push to end Naxal problem on March 30

The Lok Sabha will take up a debate on Monday on the Centre’s efforts to eliminate Naxalism , a decades-old challenge that has affected large swathes of central and eastern India. The discussion comes just days before the government’s March 31, 2026 deadline to end Left Wing Extremism nationally.

Listed under Rule 193 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business , the debate allows members to discuss pressing issues without formal motions or voting. The notice was moved by TDP MP Byreddy Shabari and Shiv Sena’s Shrikant Shinde .

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has set the goal of completely eradicating Naxal influence by March 31, underscoring it as a top internal security priority . Over the past decade, the Naxal-affected districts have shrunk sharply, with the once-extensive “Red Corridor” reduced from over 120 districts to around a dozen today .

Security sources and state officials say the insurgency has been largely weakened, confined to small, isolated pockets in forested regions of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra. In Bastar, long considered a Maoist heartland, nearly 96% of the area is reported to be free from insurgent control . Thousands of cadres have surrendered or been neutralised, and development initiatives have intensified in previously affected districts.

However, experts caution that while violence has declined drastically, residual groups still operate in remote areas , meaning complete elimination by the deadline may remain aspirational rather than absolute. In response, security forces have stepped up operations , including deploying elite CoBRA units to dismantle the last remaining armed clusters.

Monday’s debate is expected to centre on the progress made so far, the remaining challenges on the ground, and the path ahead, balancing security measures with development and rehabilitation in affected regions.