Mundali (Odisha): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday asserted that the country is on the verge of eliminating Maoists by the end of this month, and said security forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati to Pashupati in Nepal.
Addressing a function marking the 57th Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at Mundali in Cuttack district, he said the force acts as a catalyst for the country’s economic growth by providing security to major establishments.
“Today, I want to assure the nation that the country will be Maoist-free by March 31. Our forces will defeat those who dream of building a red corridor from Tirupati to Pashupati,” he said.
It will be a big achievement for the country’s security forces under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to uproot Maoists from the country, Shah said.
“Our security forces have reached the expectations, and the country is now on the verge of eliminating red rebels,” he said.
In order to achieve the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, as aimed by the Prime Minister, the forces have ensured internal security, the most important ingredient for the growth of a nation, the home minister said.
Noting that the CISF has been providing security to major installations, ranging from reservoirs and industries to Parliament, Shah said the force “played the role of a catalyst for the economic growth of the country”.
The Union home minister emphasised that higher economic growth is achieved when “there is peace”, and said, “Our security personnel have effectively implemented their resolutions to maintain industrial peace”.
Shah on Friday also announced that the Central Industrial Security Force will now oversee the security of various sea ports across the country.
In his address at the 57th Raising Day of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) here, Shah said the force already protects 361 critical installations, including 71 airports, the Parliament complex, and the Statue of Unity near Kevadia in Gujarat.
“The CISF undertakes such a variety of tasks. You are securing the grand monument of Sardar Patel, you are protecting our Parliament complex, the largest panchayat of our democracy, and elsewhere you are securing dams and critical railway installations,” Shah said.
The home minister also detailed the strategic shift toward maritime and aerial defence, saying that, along with these established roles, the government has worked to include the security of ports for the CISF.
Shah announced that the CISF has been designated as the nodal agency for drone security and said that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to create a new vertical for this purpose.
Highlighting the force’s growing footprint over the past year, Shah listed several new locations approved for CISF protection, including the Kartavya Bhavan, Seva Teerth, Noida International Airport, Navi Mumbai Airport, and various critical energy and mining projects such as the Talaipalli coal mine project in Chhattisgarh.
“After the CISF takes over the security of the ports, our maritime safety will improve in tandem with the country’s economic growth,” Shah said.
The announcement follows a decision by the Centre to designate the CISF as a Recognised Security Organisation (RSO) under the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) code, effectively making it the new safety regulator for approximately 250 facilities along India’s maritime borders.
This role was previously managed by the Indian Register of Shipping, but the government identified a need for a professional paramilitary agency to handle core functions such as counter-terrorism and anti-sabotage operations at all export-import ports.
