Raipur, June 22: Delivering a firm message in Nava Raipur of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to ending Maoism in India by March 31, 2026.

“This time,” he declared, “we will not let them sleep through the monsoon—there will be no further dialogue.” In his address, HM Shah once again appealed to Maoist cadres to surrender and return to the mainstream, assuring them that the government would uphold all commitments under the state’s surrender policy.

“Many have already chosen peace,” he said. “We will extend more than what was promised—but only if violence is forsaken and you join in shaping a new Chhattisgarh.” He also urged the youth of Chhattisgarh to embrace the growing opportunities in forensic science, describing it as a 'sunrise industry' with immense potential for purposeful careers.

His remarks came during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) campus and the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) in Naya Raipur. The Rs 268 crore initiative—Rs 145 crore for NFSU and Rs 123 crore for CFSL—is part of a national strategy to modernise the criminal justice system through evidence-based policing and forensic-led investigations.

Calling it a landmark day for Chhattisgarh’s justice infrastructure, the Home Minister said the new institutions would serve not only the state but all of central India. The NFSU transit campus will offer graduate and postgraduate courses from 2025-26 in various forensic disciplines, with HM Shah asserting that “an NFSU degree means a guaranteed job.”

The Centre aims to produce 32,000 forensic professionals annually through 26 campuses nationwide; seven have already been established, 10 are proposed, and nine are sanctioned.

He highlighted the economic promise of the forensic sector, noting that the global forensic technology market—currently valued at $20 billion—is growing at a compound annual growth rate of 13 per cent and is projected to reach $55 billion by 2036, with India contributing 9 per cent to that growth.

HM Shah further emphasised the importance of youth-led entrepreneurship in Chhattisgarh’s development. Following the inauguration of the state’s Innovation Hub (i-Hub), he pointed to the signing of a Rs 5,000 crore Memorandum of Understanding at an investment summit hosted by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. While welcoming industrial interest, the Home Minister stressed that true transformation would come only when young people become entrepreneurs and foster an industrial mindset.

He described the i-Hub as a launchpad for innovation, offering technical and financial support to aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly in the MSME sector. “Industries are arriving, but Chhattisgarh will only witness real development when its youth lead the way,” he said.

The event also marked the 25th anniversary of Chhattisgarh’s formation, which the state is observing as Atal Nirman Varsh.

“Atal ji created Chhattisgarh, and under Narendra Modi ji, we will take it to new heights,” HM Shah declared. He also praised the state government for its swift implementation of the newly enacted criminal laws—Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA)—noting that these reforms aim to ensure justice is delivered within three years of filing an FIR. The Union Home Minister is on a two-day visit to Chhattisgarh.

--IANS

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