- Why in news
- On 1 August 2026, PIB published a note saying India became effectively free of Left Wing Extremism on 31 March 2026, with no LWE-affected district left.
- What it is
- Left Wing Extremism (Naxalism) is a Maoist armed movement that began in the Naxalbari uprising of 1967 in West Bengal. It sought power through armed revolution and fed on tribal alienation and poor state presence in forest areas. India countered it with security operations, special infrastructure and road schemes, surrender and rehabilitation policy, and tribal welfare.
- Origin
- LWE grew out of the Naxalbari uprising of 1967 in West Bengal, inspired by Maoist ideology.
- CPI (Maoist)
- Several extremist groups merged into CPI (Maoist) in 2004.
- National Policy and Action Plan
- Approved in 2015 as a whole-of-government framework replacing the ad hoc approach.
- Three-pronged strategy
- The approach rested on Dialogue, Security and Coordination, under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
- Affected districts
- LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to zero by March-April 2026.
- Road schemes
- 15,189 km of roads were built under the Road Requirement Plan and the Road Connectivity Project for LWE Affected Areas.
- Constitutional basis
- Police and Public Order are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule. The Centre only supplements State efforts.
- Jan Suvidha Kendras
- One-third of security camps in LWE-free areas are being converted into service centres; the first is at Netanar, Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.
Don’t confuse with Security Related Expenditure vs Special Infrastructure Scheme: SRE reimburses operational costs, training, surrender rehabilitation and ex gratia. SIS funds police infrastructure such as Fortified Police Stations and special forces.
Don’t confuse with Road Requirement Plan vs RCPLWEA: Both are LWE-specific road schemes; the release counts the combined 15,189 km under the two.
Don’t confuse with SRE vs SIS vs ACALWEMS: SRE funds operations, training and rehabilitation. SIS builds State special forces, intelligence and fortified police stations. ACALWEMS funds camps and helicopters for central agencies.
Don’t confuse with SCA vs SIS: Special Central Assistance fills public infrastructure gaps in LWE districts. The Special Infrastructure Scheme strengthens police and security.
Why it matters
- Ends India's longest-running internal armed insurgency, restoring state presence in tribal and forest areas.
- Frees resources and opens remote regions to roads, banking, schools and mobile connectivity.
- Removes what was once seen as a major internal security threat after nearly six decades.
- Frees forest and tribal regions for governance, roads, services and investment.
- Shows a Centre-State model that combined security, development and rights.
Problems
- Sustaining gains in Legacy and Thrust districts and the one District of Concern, so that cadres do not regroup.
- Addressing root causes: tribal land and forest rights, displacement and weak last-mile governance.
- Risk of relapse if development gaps and tribal grievances persist.
- Policing is a State subject, so success depends on Centre-State coordination.
- Surrendered cadres need lasting rehabilitation, and security camps need a civilian role.
Way forward
- Convert security camps into service centres and keep welfare delivery steady, as in Bastar.
- Ensure durable rehabilitation of surrendered cadres and effective panchayat and tribal participation.
- Continue surveillance and development in Legacy & Thrust and concern districts.
- Saturate welfare schemes, implement forest-rights titles and strengthen local self-governance.
- Convert camps into service centres and protect tribal identity and culture.
Put in your answer
Fortified police stations: 663 fortified police stations were built, against 66 before 2014.
Remaining districts: 37 districts are Legacy and Thrust Districts and one is a District of Concern.
District decline: Affected districts fell from 126 (before 2018) to zero by March/April 2026.
Forest rights titles: 21,26,268 title deeds were distributed, including 1,06,000 community titles.
- 2015Mains GS3 · Q19Corrective strategies to reintegrate LWE-affected tribals into mainstream development
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q20Discuss emerging issues and multilayered strategy against Naxalism as development issue
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q10Define LWE, its impact on affected people, and government elimination measures
- 2018Mains GS3 · Q10Explain government's approach to countering challenges posed by LWE
- 2018Prelims Q51Measures after Santhal Uprising: Santhal Paraganas, land transfer ban
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
Prelims practice · Pairs
Ours, not from a UPSC paper
Consider the following pairs about Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in India:
- 1.Naxalbari uprising — 1967, West Bengal
- 2.Merger of extremist groups into CPI (Maoist) — 2014
- 3.Dedicated vertical to disrupt Naxal financing networks — National Investigation Agency
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
True or false?
1 of 11
Statements the way Prelims prints them. Say first, then see the fact.
1.The Naxalite movement originated in the Naxalbari uprising of 1967 in West Bengal.
True. Naxalbari, West Bengal, 1967.
2.The National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE was approved in 2015.
True. Approved in 2015 as a structured whole-of-government framework.
3.The government's three-pronged strategy against LWE comprised Dialogue, Security and Coordination.
True. Dialogue, Security and Coordination.
4.The number of LWE-affected districts fell from 126 in 2014 to zero by March-April 2026.
True. 126 in 2014 to zero by March-April 2026.
5.The Special Infrastructure Scheme under the LWE policy funds Special Forces, Special Intelligence Branches and Fortified Police Stations in affected States.
True. SIS sanctions support these police capacity items, with projects worth ₹1,761 crore.
6.A dedicated vertical to disrupt Naxal financing was set up within the Enforcement Directorate.
False. The dedicated vertical was set up within the National Investigation Agency.
7.The number of LWE-affected districts stood at 38 in April 2024 and fell to 70 by December 2025.
False. It was 38 in April 2024 and 8 in December 2025; 70 was the July 2021 figure.
8.Districts categorised as 'Legacy & Thrust' are still classed as LWE affected and receive security support.
False. They are no longer LWE affected but need continued security and development support to consolidate.
9.The Centre reimburses States for rehabilitation of surrendered LWE cadres under the Security Related Expenditure scheme.
True. SRE reimburses States for rehabilitation of surrenderees.
10.Under the surrender policy, higher-ranked cadres receive an immediate grant of Rs 2.5 lakh and other cadres Rs 5 lakh.
False. Higher-ranked cadres get Rs 5 lakh; other cadres get Rs 2.5 lakh.
11.The Special Infrastructure Scheme is a sub-scheme of the Modernization of Police Forces scheme.
True. SIS is a sub-scheme of Modernization of Police Forces.
Written by us from the release, not by UPSC; checked by a second model.
Mains practice
15 marks · 250 words
India has been declared effectively free of Left Wing Extremism, with no LWE-affected district left as of March 2026. Examine the factors behind the decline of Left Wing Extremism in India. Critically analyse the challenges that remain in consolidating these gains in the formerly affected areas.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.