Odisha revises maoist policy, widens eligibility

The Odisha government has revised its surrender and rehabilitation policy for left-wing extremists, narrowing its scope and tightening eligibility norms to remove ambiguities, a senior official said on Wednesday.

According to a notification issued by the Home Department on February 9, the policy will now apply exclusively to Maoists and their banned frontal organisations , or to known and identified cadres of the banned CPI (Maoist) surrendering with or without firearms. The clarification is intended to prevent misuse of the rehabilitation scheme by individuals not directly linked to banned outfits.

The revised policy also makes it clear that persons involved in Maoist activities in Odisha will be eligible irrespective of their native state . At the same time, Odisha natives engaged in Naxal activities outside the state can avail benefits only after certification by the concerned Superintendent of Police and submission of a no-objection certificate from the respective state , confirming that they have not availed similar rehabilitation benefits elsewhere.

Officials said the changes have strengthened the verification mechanism , making police certification mandatory to establish the identity, rank and role of surrendered cadres.

Since November 27, 2025, 45 Maoists have surrendered following the announcement of a revised rehabilitation package offering graded financial incentives linked to organisational rank . Under the policy, a central committee or politburo member is entitled to ₹1.1 crore, a state committee or special zonal committee member ₹55 lakh, a regional committee member ₹33 lakh, and a divisional committee secretary or military platoon commander ₹27.5 lakh. Other cadres are eligible for benefits ranging from ₹22 lakh to ₹1.65 lakh.

The policy also reiterates fixed incentives for surrendered firearms , with ₹4.95 lakh for a light machine gun, ₹3.30 lakh for an AK-47 rifle and ₹1.65 lakh for INSAS or SLR rifles, besides rates fixed for other arms and ammunition.

A senior official said ₹6.5 crore has been disbursed so far , including ₹4.5 crore as rewards on surrendered Maoists and ₹2 crore for surrendered weapons. Of the 45 surrenders, 23 were from Malkangiri , 15 from Rayagada , four from Kandhamal , two from Rourkela and one from Koraput .

Officials said the revised surrender policy works alongside ongoing security operations such as Operation Khagar , which focuses on intelligence-based counter-insurgency action against active Maoist networks. While Operation Khagar increases pressure through combing operations and arrests, the revised surrender policy provides an exit route , making surrender a more attractive option for cadres seeking to abandon violence.

This dual approach, officials said, has contributed to a rise in surrenders and has enabled the government to declare Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Malkangiri, Koraput and Boudh districts as ‘Naxal-free’ since January 19 .