Raipur, Sep 18: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday inaugurated the three-day ‘India Industrial Fair-2026’ organized by Laghu Udyog Bharati at the Science College Ground in the state capital, inviting entrepreneurs and investors from across the country to partner in the state’s expanding industrial landscape.

Addressing the inaugural session of the 14th edition of the national trade expo, Chief Minister Sai stated that Chhattisgarh is rapidly expanding beyond its traditional coal, steel, and cement base to emerge as a prominent destination for futuristic sectors, including information technology, semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and green energy.

Highlighting the state’s newly introduced Industrial Development Policy 2024–30, Chief Minister Sai emphasized that the state government has transitioned from a mere regulatory body to an “accelerator and facilitator” for industrial growth. He reiterated that the state mechanism aims to ensure transparent, simplified, and time-bound clearances through an upgraded single-window system to ease the execution of investment proposals.

The Chief Minister highlighted that a ₹1,100-crore semiconductor project has already commenced operations in the state, serving as a testament to the changing industrial landscape. He added that Naya Raipur is being aggressively developed as a modern technology and industry excellence hub, equipped with world-class infrastructure to support high-tech enterprises and startups.

Underlining the state’s natural advantages, Chief Minister Sai noted that with 44 per cent forest cover, abundant mineral reserves including iron ore and bauxite, and a power generation capacity of nearly 30,000 MW, Chhattisgarh offers unmatched opportunities for value addition. He further stressed that the government is promoting the processing of non-timber forest produce (NTFP) such as tamarind, mahua, and chironji to drive rural industrialization and generate direct employment for tribal families.

Participating in the event, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated that under Chief Minister Sai’s leadership, the state is fully prepared to scale new heights in economic development. Industry Minister Lakhan Lal Devangan added that the state policies are successfully translating initial memorandum of understanding (MoU) commitments into operational ground-level units.

The three-day national fair features over 300 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) exhibitors from across 750 districts nationwide. Stalls at the Science College Ground showcase a wide spectrum of innovations, ranging from traditional Ayurvedic processing techniques to advanced industrial machinery, robotics, and IT solutions.