Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai Inaugurates ‘Pandum Café’

Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated ‘Pandum Café’ in Jagdalpur, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the socio-economic transformation of Bastar. This café is an important initiative of the Chhattisgarh government for the rehabilitation of victims of Naxalite violence and surrendered members. It is a significant step towards providing a respectful and sustainable livelihood to those who have abandoned violence and returned to the mainstream. This unique initiative reflects an inspiring journey from conflict to cooperation. ‘Pandum Café’ is located in the Police Lines premises of Jagdalpur.

Chief Minister Interacts With Café Staff

During the inauguration, Chief Minister Sai interacted warmly with Fagni of Narayanpur, Pushpa Thakur and Birendra Thakur of Sukma, and Ashmati and Premila Baghel of Bastar, who are working at the café. He encouraged them for their new beginning and congratulated them for the smooth functioning of ‘Pandum Café’.

A Symbol of Hope and Transformation

The Chief Minister said that the inauguration of Pandum Café is an inspiring symbol of the positive change taking place in the effort to eliminate Naxalism in the Bastar region. He stated that Pandum Café represents hope, progress, and peace. The youth working at the café—victims of Naxal violence and former members who left the path of violence—are now moving ahead on the path of peace. With the support of the district administration and the police, they have been provided intensive training in hospitality services, café management, customer service, hygiene standards, food safety, and entrepreneurship.

Emotional Reflections From Rehabilitated Members

A woman working at the café, who returned to the path of peace after abandoning violence, emotionally expressed how this rehabilitation initiative changed her life.
A former Maoist cadre said:

“We had seen darkness in our past. Today, we have been given this opportunity to serve society—this is a new life for us. Serving coffee instead of gunpowder and living on our honest earnings gives us peace and dignity.”

Another team member shared:

“Earlier, we could not even dream of giving our family a respectable life. Now, with our hard-earned income, we can shape the future of our family. This has become possible because of the administration and this café.”

Another member emphasized community support:

“We thought returning to the mainstream would not be easy. But the police and district administration trained us and won our trust. The most important thing is that we are now working alongside victims, giving us an opportunity to correct our past mistakes and help establish peace.”

They also explained that ‘Pandum’ represents the cultural roots of Bastar, and its tagline—“Where every cup tells a story”—signifies that every cup of coffee served here carries not just flavor but also a story of courage, victory over struggle, and a new beginning.

Leaders and Officials Present

On this occasion, Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Education Minister Shri Gajendra Yadav, MP Shri Mahesh Kashyap, Jagdalpur MLA Shri Kiran Singh Deo, Chitrakot MLA Shri Vinayak Goyal, Beverage Corporation Chairman Shri Srinivas Rao Maddi, ST Commission Chairman Shri Roopsingh Mandavi, Jagdalpur Mayor Shri Sanjay Pandey, District Panchayat Chairperson Smt. Vedvati Kashyap, Commissioner Shri Doman Singh, Inspector General of Police Shri Sundarraj P., Collector Shri Haris S., Superintendent of Police Shri Shalabh Sinha, along with other public representatives and senior administrative officials, were present.