With the view of making parts of Maharashtra naxal-free, the Gadchiroli Police have set up 71 libraries across the district. The libraries have been set up under the 'One Village, One Library' initiative. This initiative aims at countering Naxal influence by providing youth with education and employment opportunities, a police official said on Saturday.

Earlier, the initiative, which was launched on January 18, 2023, began in Kotgul, a remote village near the Chhattisgarh border. It aims to establish one library in each village under the jurisdiction of a police station or outpost.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Neelotpal, who is leading the project, told the media, "Two years ago, we started with just one library under the One Village One Library initiative. Today, 71 libraries are functioning across the district, and over 8,000 youth are actively using them," as cited by news agency ANI.