New Delhi [India], April 21 (ANI): Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met Union Home Minister Amit Shah today and discussed the eradication of Naxalism, the overall development of the Bastar region, and measures to further strengthen the security and justice systems in the state.

Many senior officials of the Union Home Ministry and the state government including Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma were present in the meeting.

The Indian Judicial Code, Indian Civil Defence Code, and Indian Evidence Act were discussed during the meeting, along with a review of the implementation and current status of various new provisions related to the police, prisons, judiciary, prosecution, and forensic systems.

Providing an update during the meeting, the Chief Minister said that both administrative and technical preparations have been completed for the effective implementation of the new criminal laws in Chhattisgarh.

A total of 27 types of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines have been formulated and put into practice across the state. Additionally, around 37,385 police personnel have been trained under the new framework. Infrastructure across courts, police stations, and jails has been upgraded with e-evidence handling capabilities and video conferencing systems. So far, 53,981 FIRs have been registered under the new laws, with charge sheets (challans) filed in approximately 50% of the cases.

In the meeting, special strategies were also discussed for a permanent solution to the Naxal problem. The Chief Minister informed that in the operations conducted in the state in recent months, many wanted Naxalites have been killed, arrested or surrendered. Efforts like Niyad Nelanar Yojana, Bastar Olympics, Women Security Centre, and the development of homestay and tourism infrastructure in tribal areas have had a significant impact in connecting the youth to the mainstream.

The Chief Minister also informed that the state government is committed to making Chhattisgarh Naxal-free by the year 2026, and work is being done rapidly towards developing Bastar as a major tourist centre of India.

The Chief Minister reaffirmed Chhattisgarh's commitment to fully adhering to the Central Government's guidelines, assuring that the state would take a leading role in the effective implementation of this nationwide legal reform initiative.

Commending the efforts made by the Chhattisgarh Government so far, Union Home Minister Amit Shah emphasized the need for 100 percent implementation of the new criminal laws in the state at the earliest. He further highlighted the importance of coordination and efficiency in this process, stating that the objective of the new legal framework is to make the judicial system simpler, faster, and more people-oriented.

Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh Amitabh Jain, Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, Additional Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Pingua, Inspector General of Police Sushil Dwivedi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary Rahul Bhagat, Principal Secretary Law Rajneesh Shrivastava, Secretary Home Neha Champawat and other officers also attended the meeting. (ANI)