New Delhi/IBNS: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Tuesday said 48 Maoists were killed in the first three weeks of January during encounters with security forces in combing and strike operations.

The data, presented in line with MHA's "duty to share" directive, suggests that at least two Maoists are being killed every day in 2025.

On Monday, in a joint operation in Chhattisgarh, 14 Maoists were killed, including a core committee member, Jairam, who had a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head.

"Co-ordinated efforts between state and centre backed by political will are getting us good results," a senior ministry official explained.

The MHA has stressed in its meetings with state governments to plan a road map to eliminate Maoists by March 2026.

Security forces have now managed to reach deep inside forests and set up base camps in areas that earlier were considered no-man zones, the official said.

"As many as 290 camps have been set up since 2019 of which 58 were set up in 2024 alone and proposal of 88 to be set up in 2025 have been cleared and ground work is being done," he explained.

In 2024, the security forces eliminated as many as 290 naxals, the state revealed.

The Centre recently extended two of its most crucial schemes - Special Infrastructure Scheme (SIS) and Special Central Assistance (SCA) up to March 2026.