Raipur, On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hoisted the national flag and took the salute of the parade at the Police Parade Ground in Raipur. Addressing the people, he said that the state is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the ‘Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav’. On the occasion of Independence Day, he formally announced the commencement of the celebrations and declared that a Police Commissionerate system would soon be implemented in Raipur.
The Chief Minister paid homage to freedom fighters and armed forces personnel, calling on citizens to work towards a developed Chhattisgarh with public participation. “Goswami Tulsidas’s words ‘Ramkaaju keenhe binu mohi kahaan bishraam’ are our guiding motto, and Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay’s principle of ‘Antyodaya’ is our pathfinder,” he said.
Focus on Swadeshi and Self-Reliance
The Chief Minister urged the public to embrace Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ initiative, calling it the resolve of 140 crore Indians. He said Chhattisgarh would lead the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign, working on a “Local for Global” vision to provide a global platform for locally made products. He added a new dimension to the national motto, saying, “Now, with the motto of ‘Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyan’, we will also move forward with ‘Jai Anusandhan’ (hail research).” He also highlighted the importance of natural farming, which benefits farmers’ incomes and health by reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers.
Progress in Maoist-Affected Areas
CM Sai praised the state’s security forces for their successes against Maoist insurgents. Under the leadership of the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the state is on a rapid path to be free of Maoist terror by March 2026. In the last 20 months, forces have “neutralised” 450 Maoists and arrested 1,578. He said 1,589 Maoists have surrendered, influenced by the government’s attractive rehabilitation policy. He cited examples of development in these regions, including the reopening of 50 closed schools and the provision of electricity for the first time in several villages. He also mentioned that a bank branch has opened in Pamed, a former Maoist stronghold, and a health centre in Chintagufa has received national quality certification.
Key Government Initiatives
The Chief Minister detailed several welfare and development schemes:
• Housing: In its first cabinet meeting, the government approved 18 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
• Women’s Empowerment: The ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojana’ provides ₹1,000 monthly financial assistance to 70 lakh women, with ₹11,728 crore disbursed so far.
• Farmers’ Welfare: Under the ‘Krishak Unnati Yojana’, a record 149 lakh metric tonnes of paddy were procured in the last Kharif season. The scheme’s scope has been expanded to provide input assistance of up to ₹11,000 per acre to farmers who diversify from paddy cultivation.
• Infrastructure: The state plans to form a State Capital Region Development Authority on the lines of the National Capital Region (NCR) to ensure systematic development. The new industrial policy has attracted investment proposals worth ₹6.65 lakh crore, including the state’s first semiconductor unit.
Education and Healthcare
CM Sai said Chhattisgarh’s teacher-student ratio is better than the national average. An ‘Education City’ is being developed over 100 acres in Nava Raipur, along with a ‘Medicity’ with national-level super-speciality hospitals. The state has also launched the ‘Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship’ to involve youth in public policy.
Tribal Welfare and Heritage
The government has increased the tendu leaf collection remuneration from ₹4,000 to ₹5,500, benefiting 50 lakh people from 12.5 lakh families. The ‘Charan Paduka Yojana’ has been revived to provide footwear to collectors. A memorial-cum-museum dedicated to tribal freedom fighters is being constructed in Nava Raipur. The Chief Minister also highlighted the state’s success in forest conservation, noting that Chhattisgarh recorded the highest increase in combined forest and tree cover in the country, at 683 sq km.
Vision for 2047
Concluding his speech, CM Sai said the state has prepared the ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision’ document, a roadmap to realise the goal of a developed Chhattisgarh by 2047, aligning with the Prime Minister’s vision for a developed India.