Raipur/New Delhi, Aug 01: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House in New Delhi on Thursday to discuss the state’s key development priorities, seeking central backing for major infrastructure, healthcare, and energy projects worth thousands of crores.

During the high-level meeting, the Chief Minister presented a comprehensive transformation roadmap titled “Bastar Vision” and urged the Centre for early clearance of three crucial proposals: a ₹10,500-crore gas-based urea plant in Rajnandgaon, permanent power grid connectivity for 461 remote villages, and an All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA) in Raipur or Bastar.

Praising the impact of grassroots security and development interventions, Sai informed the Prime Minister that peace and public trust have been substantially restored in formerly Naxal-affected areas. Initiatives such as Niyad Nella Nar 2.0 and Bastar Munne are currently delivering welfare benefits to nearly 39 lakh residents across 5,542 villages.

Pressing for early approval of the Rajnandgaon fertilizer plant, Sai confirmed that land acquisition and state-level regulatory clearances are already complete. He highlighted that the unit would secure fertilizer supply for farmers, generate substantial direct and indirect employment, and catalyze industrial investment in the state.

The Chief Minister also requested special Central assistance to transition 461 off-grid villages to the national electricity grid. Reliable power supply, he noted, remains critical to upgrading healthcare, education, digital communication, and economic livelihoods across remote tribal belts.

Advocating for the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Chhattisgarh, Sai pointed to the state’s vast traditional knowledge base and rich reserves of medicinal plants. The proposed premier institute would drive integrative medical research, professional education, and a plant-based rural economy.

Detailing security and social progress in Bastar, Sai reported that 421 schools previously destroyed or closed due to Naxalite violence have been successfully reopened. Dedicated ‘Education Cities’ are now operational in Orchha and Jagargunda, modeled after the successful Dantewada educational framework.

Healthcare outreach has expanded significantly under the Mukhyamantri Swasth Bastar Abhiyan, under which over 34 lakh individuals have undergone medical screenings. Tertiary medical infrastructure is being built rapidly, anchored by a new medical college in Geedam and specialized clinical facilities in Jagdalpur.

Transport infrastructure projects are accelerating regional transformation, led by the ₹3,513-crore Jagdalpur-Raoghat railway line, expanded regional air routes, and the final stretch of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway. Additionally, the proposed Indravati barrage is set to bring around 32,000 hectares of agricultural land under assured irrigation.

The state is simultaneously positioning Bastar Dussehra as a global cultural brand while safeguarding indigenous heritage. Youth engagement has received a massive push, evidenced by over four lakh participants competing in the recent Bastar Olympics.

On the economic front, Chhattisgarh has attracted investment proposals valued at nearly ₹8 lakh crore under its Industrial Development Policy 2024–30. Capital flows are targeting frontier sectors including AI data centres, semiconductors, electronics, global BPOs, apparel manufacturing, and medical technology.

Sai attributed this momentum to regulatory reforms under the Chhattisgarh Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026, which earned the state the top spot in NITI Aayog’s Investment Friendliness Index. On women’s empowerment, 10.42 lakh women have achieved “Lakhpati Didi” status, with targets set to empower an additional 14 lakh women.

Concluding the meeting, the Chief Minister invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the proposed Lakhpati Didi Conference in Raipur in 2027. He also outlined Chhattisgarh’s ₹500-crore AI Mission, digital service delivery through the Seva Setu portal, and strengthened fiscal management, expressing confidence in full central support for Chhattisgarh’s growth trajectory.