Raipur, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai on Wednesday chaired the first meeting of the reconstituted Central Region Tribal Development Authority in Korba, announcing an increase in its budget from ₹50 crore to ₹75 crore to accelerate the holistic development of tribal communities.
Addressing the meeting at the Korba Collectorate, Chief Minister stated that the government is committed to ensuring there would be no shortage of resources for development works. He highlighted that the restructuring of tribal and other development authorities, which now include MPs and local public representatives, aims to enhance accountability and transparency.
Sai said the previous government’s lack of oversight had hampered the progress of development schemes in tribal areas. He said that including two social workers and experts in the field of tribal welfare would provide valuable guidance for development planning. The Chief Minister stressed that the state’s focus is on improving education, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities for tribal communities, particularly under the PM Janman Yojana. He said these initiatives are strengthening infrastructure like housing, roads, electricity, and digital connectivity in remote areas.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, emphasising the need to preserve the state’s rich tribal culture, said the authority would focus on the nutrition, health, and education of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs). He also suggested setting up de-addiction centres and providing permanent pump connections to farmers from these groups.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said holding the meeting in a Scheduled Area demonstrated the state government’s commitment to tribal welfare. The previous such meeting was held in November 2019. The Vice-Chairman of the Authority, Shri Pranav Kumar Marpachchi, said the enhanced budget would boost development works in tribal-dominated areas.
In a series of new initiatives, CM Sai sanctioned ₹10 crore each for two sports complexes for boys and girls in Korba, with an additional ₹10 crore each for two more dedicated to PVTG players. He also sanctioned ₹5 crore for a residential school for PVTG students. To ease urban traffic, the Chief Minister announced ₹9 crore for the construction of the Sunalia Bridge in Korba city. He also directed officials to expedite work on the Buka-Satrenga tourism project and submit a report within two months.
On irrigation, Chief Minister Sai said that ₹2,800 crore has been sanctioned to complete 115 pending irrigation projects that will irrigate about 76,000 hectares of land. He also reviewed the progress of ongoing development works, instructing officials to complete all pending projects at the earliest. The meeting was attended by other ministers, Lok Sabha MP Shri Santosh Pandey, and senior administrative officers.