Our Bureau/

“My children  now have the opportunity to read and write like others, hope there would no need for them to venture in forests with arms and ammunitions  in future. We also could now join in the main steam of the society,” hopefully said Koushalya Devi (38) the wife of noted self-styled Maoists area commander, Surang Yadav (42). Surang Yadav was carrying the reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head and surrendered before the police recently.

It is perhaps for the first time in the history of Maoists ravaged Eastern Bihar districts when Koushalya Devi has started dreaming ; the dream automatically started generating with surrender of her husband and the quick response of Jamui district administration to take initiative in arranging the rehabilitation packages for the family members.

Surang Yadav (spectacle) with his daughters before surrender.

Ajodhya Yadav (76) native of Nawaaha village of Rajoun Panchyat under Charka Patthar PS in Jamui and also happens to be the father of Surang Yadav, called on Pankaj Kumar, block development officer (BDO), Sono block in Jamui with family members, expressed his desire for immediate arrangement of education for his grandchildren. The BDO with the help of Ramashanker Sha, block education officer (BEO), Sono and official concerned of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya, Sona, managed to enroll Kajal Kumari (11), elder daughter of Surang Yadav to the school.

Ajodhya Yadav was assured by the officer concerned that soon proper educational arrangements for the two sons of Surang Yadav, Kundan and Pawan along with the younger daughter, Karishma would be done. All the three children are  in 6-9 age groups.

According to Pankaj Kumar, wife of the surrendered Maoists has also made the beneficiary of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna and the first installment was transferred into her bank account so that she could start the construction works of her house. Besides she was permitted to construct latrine, shade for cattle and safety tank under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Gurantee Act ( mgnrega). She was also allowed to plant different tress in her own plot at Nawaaha, her native village. Under the scheme the rehabilate family would enjoy 100 days employment opportunity while plantation of trees.

Ajodhya Yadav also requested the BDO to arrange one grosser shop for him, BDO directed district industry officer to recommend for it. If the district industry department will approve, he would have received Rs 2 lakh for his proposed grosser shop. Local administration also asked the circle officer (CO), Sono to allot a piece of government land after Koushalya Devi requested some land as she wants to settle down at Sono. The family also would enjoy Bihar Shatabdi Niji Nalkup Yojna, a drinking water scheme for rural areas now.

The family members, especially  Koushalya Devi narrated how she was active for the surrender of her husband, one a ferocious hardcore rebel.

But this surrender episode in Jamui had some bitter memories. In 2013-14 over a dozen of hardcore rebels who wanted to join in the mainstream and surrendered subsequently, had to returned back to the forests after the district administration failed to arrange rehabilitation packages for them. The than inspector general of police, Bhagalpur range,  A K Ambedkar personally persuaded for the packages, failed due to hostile attitude of upper level bureaucracy in state headquarters.

District magistrate, Jamui Koushal Kishore however this time personally monitoring the rehabilitation packages for the family members  of surrendered rebels. During the meeting of  district level Puranvas Yojna Samitee (relief and rehabilitation committee), he instructed official concerned not to delay in providing relief to the beneficiaries under the scheme.

Last time due to failure of the scheme many persons even after surrender, they had returned back. But after we managed to provide the facilities to the family of Surang Yadav, many rebels would surrender as a positive massage reached to the family members,” said a top ranking district officer at Jamui.