Maharashtra: 1,600 youth buy bikes in Naxal-hit Gadchiroli

The Surjagarh Mining Project, which was lying dormant for decades, has resumed in the Naxalite-affected Etapalli tehsil of South Gadchiroli in Maharashtra, bringing hope for many in the region as it has employed 3,500 local young men as security guards who have now bought bikes.

Gadchiroli Assistant Collector Shubham Gupta said, "Ever since the Surjagarh project started, many local people have got jobs, due to which the economic condition of the people has also improved. About 1,600 people have bought bikes within one year of getting the job."

Gadchiroli is known as a paddy-producing district. Apart from farming, the people of this region earn their living from the forest produce, and thousands of youths are unemployed due to the lack of employment in Gadchiroli. But since mining started in this area, local people have started getting employment.

Gadchiroli's mining project has always been on the Naxalites' hit list. In December 2016, the Naxalites threatened to stall the project by burning a large number of trucks engaged in it. The project could not be started due to repeated Naxalite activities. Despite heavy opposition in the last year, now this mining project is running in full swing.

Gupta said that the company has set up a training academy where people are being trained for various tasks. In collaboration with Government ITI, local people are getting employed and being trained.

A Road Security Guard of Todsa Village Rakesh Gawde said to ANI, "Earlier we were entirely dependent on agriculture. When a company came to our area, I got a job in road security there. I am still working. We are farming as well. Earlier we had to cover 20-25 km by auto or jeep and we had to pay a lot of money. Within one year of getting a job, I bought a bike worth about Rs 1 lakh. A lot of my expenses are getting saved now. I never thought that I would buy a bike with my own money one day. Every month, I could save money from my salary now."

( With inputs from ANI )