Left Wing Extremism (LWE), also called Naxalism/Maoism, has been officially declared eradicated from India after nearly six decades of insurgency, per MHA's August 2026 announcement [1].
Success attributed to a "Whole of Government" approach combining security infrastructure buildup and development interventions under the 2015 National Policy and Action Plan [1].
Police and Public Order are State subjects (Seventh Schedule), with the Centre playing a supplementing/supporting role — a key federalism angle for Mains [1].
High-yield topic bridging GS-II (governance/federalism) and GS-III (internal security).
2. Why in the News
MHA/PIB press release dated 05 August 2026 formally states India has become free from Left Wing Extremism, framing it as the culmination of the security-infrastructure and development strategy [1].
Supplementary data (as of December 2025) shows LWE-affected districts down to just 8, from 126 in 2018 [2].
3. Background & Evolution
LWE traces to the 1967 Naxalbari uprising (West Bengal); movement later consolidated under CPI (Maoist).
National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE approved in 2015 — the current operative framework, envisaging security measures + development interventions + rights/entitlements of local communities [1].
Predecessor: earlier ad hoc security-expenditure reimbursement mechanisms evolved into the formal Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme[3].
District classification exercise: MHA had categorized 106 districts across 10 states as LWE-affected, with 35 "Most Affected Districts" accounting for 80–90% of nationwide LWE violence [3].
Trajectory: LWE-affected districts fell from 126 (2018) to 8 (December 2025); LWE-linked violent incidents fell 88% — from 1,936 (2010) to 234 (2025) [2].
4. Core Static Facts
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), LWE Division [1].
Constitutional basis: Police & Public Order under Seventh Schedule (State List); Centre acts in a supplementary capacity [1].
Governing framework: National Policy and Action Plan to address LWE, 2015 [1].
Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS): works worth Rs. 1,761 crore sanctioned to LWE-affected states for strengthening State Special Forces, State Intelligence Branches (SIBs), District Police, and construction of Fortified Police Stations (FPS)[2].
656 Fortified Police Stations built under SIS [2].
406 new security camps established in core LWE-affected areas over the last seven years [2].
Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: reimburses states for transport, communication, vehicle hire, stipends to surrendered cadres, temporary force infrastructure [3].
Surrender/rehabilitation package: immediate grant of Rs. 5 lakh for higher-ranked LWE cadres, Rs. 2.5 lakh for other cadres, under SRE [3].
Rs. 3,756.38 crore released since 2014–15 to LWE-affected states for operational expenditure and training of security forces [2].
5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis
Legal/Constitutional: Police & Public Order is a State subject (Seventh Schedule); Centre's role is constitutionally one of "supplementing" state efforts — tests understanding of cooperative federalism in internal security [1].
Administrative: Success required Centre-State coordination — Central schemes (SIS, SRE) implemented via State police/intelligence machinery; illustrates federal implementation bottlenecks and solutions [1][2].
Social: Policy explicitly built in "ensuring rights and entitlements of local communities" alongside security — addresses tribal/forest-dweller grievances often cited as root causes of LWE [1].
Strategic/Security: Emphasis on fortified police stations, intelligence branches, and special forces reflects a hardened counter-insurgency posture combined with area-domination strategy [2].
Governance: Surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy (monetary grants) reflects a de-radicalization/reintegration governance tool rather than pure force-based suppression [3].
6. Recent Developments (last 12–18 months)
December 2025: LWE-affected districts reduced to just 8 (from 126 in 2018) [2].
2025: LWE violence incidents down to 234 (from 1,936 in 2010), an 88% decline [2].
05 August 2026: PIB/MHA press release declares LWE eradicated from India [1].
Ongoing "Naxalmukt Bharat Abhiyan" branding — framing former Red Zones as "Growth Corridors" [S2 search result title].
7. Prelims Hooks
Police and Public Order are State List subjects under the Seventh Schedule[1].
LWE eradication declared by MHA/PIB on 05 August 2026[1].
Rs. 3,756.38 crore released since 2014–15 for security forces' operational expenditure and training [2].
Nodal division: LWE Division, Ministry of Home Affairs[1].
8. Mains Relevance
GS-II: Federalism, Centre-State relations, role of Centre vis-à-vis State subjects (Police/Public Order).
GS-III: Internal security — "Linkages of organized crime with terrorism," Left Wing Extremism, role of external state/non-state actors.
Possible question stems:
"Discuss how India's 'Whole of Government' approach helped in the eradication of Left Wing Extremism. Examine the interplay between security and development interventions." (GS-III)
"Police and Public Order are State subjects, yet the Centre has played a decisive role in curbing Left Wing Extremism. Discuss the constitutional and administrative basis of this Central involvement." (GS-II)
"Critically evaluate the surrender-cum-rehabilitation policy as a tool for LWE de-radicalization." (GS-III)
9. Related Topics to Study Next
Fifth/Sixth Schedule and PESA Act, 1996 — tribal governance intersecting with LWE-affected regions.
Forest Rights Act, 2006 — land/rights grievances cited as root cause of LWE.
Internal Security Architecture — CAPFs, Unified Command structures in insurgency-affected states.
North East insurgency management — comparative counter-insurgency model.
Seventh Schedule / Union-State List debates — broader federalism theme.
Surrender and rehabilitation policies for insurgents — comparative across J&K, North-East, LWE.
10. Common Errors / Trap Areas
Confusing SRE Scheme (operational/reimbursement expenditure) with SIS/Special Infrastructure Scheme (capital infrastructure like fortified police stations) — they are distinct schemes with different purposes.
Assuming Ministry of Defence or Home Guards run LWE operations — it is MHA (specifically its LWE Division) that is nodal, not the Army/MoD.
Believing LWE is a Union List/Concurrent subject — it is fundamentally a State List subject (Police, Public Order), Centre only supplements.
Mixing up district counts across different years (106 total/35 most-affected vs. the 2025 figure of 8) — always note the reference year.
Treating "National Policy and Action Plan" (2015) as the first-ever LWE strategy — earlier ad hoc measures/schemes predate it.