Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde has said that the Naxalite movement in Gadchiroli district has slowed down since the Surjagarh iron mines project became operational.
Speaking during Question Hour in the state Legislative Council, the chief minister assured that local people would be given jobs in the project on a priority basis.
Since the project was operationalised, the Naxalite movement in the district has slowed down, he said, replying to a question by Jayant Patil, Ramdas Ambatkar and Abhijeet Wanjari.
Shinde said the project, started in 1993, was stalled due to Naxalite activities for some time, but when he became the guardian minister of Gadchiroli he instructed the police to crack down on Naxalites in the area.
The project has now been resumed and the company management has been instructed to give preference to locals in jobs, the chief minister said.
Now, more than 5,000 locals have been given employment in this project. A training centre will be set up to train them for skilled work…a security academy will also be started, Shinde said.