Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed over the reins of Chhattisgarh to Vishnu Dev Sai in view of the 32 percent tribal population in the state. After 23 years of the formation of the state, he is the first tribal leader who has been given the command as the head of the state. With the formation of the new government in the state, he started schemes to advance farmers, women and deprived groups. He is working for the progress and betterment of all sections with the motto of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas.
The rich tribal culture of Chhattisgarh has a distinct identity in the country and abroad. The tribal areas of the state are covered with forests on one hand. On the other hand, these areas also have valuable mineral wealth. The picturesque hills, waterfalls, and the swaying rivers attract people. After the formation of the new government under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, many innovative schemes are being implemented to bring rapid changes in the lives of people in the tribal areas of the state and to include them in the mainstream.
The ambitious scheme Pradhan Mantri Janman Yojana, being run to provide all kinds of basic facilities to the tribal community, is providing important basic facilities like roads, electricity, housing, drinking water in tribal dominated areas. Along with this, better implementation of the schemes of the central and state government is being done.
To ensure rapid development of tribal areas, a large steel plant has been set up at Nagarnar in Jagdalpur at a cost of about Rs 23 thousand 800 crore on the initiative of the central government, this will change the entire picture of Bastar region in the coming years. People will get employment in large numbers and new employment opportunities will be created.
The Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan Yojana has been included in this year’s central budget. This scheme will provide various basic facilities to the villages included in about 85 development blocks of the state. Apart from this, priorities like promoting organic farming will also change the condition and direction of tribal areas.
To ensure rapid development of tribal areas, Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway is being built under Bharat Mala Project. It will be a 464 km long and six lane wide expressway. It will pass through Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. This expressway route will be built 124 km in Chhattisgarh, 240 km in Odisha and 100 km in Andhra Pradesh. This new corridor being built from Odisha to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh will accelerate economic activities. At the same time, the establishment of new industries will increase employment opportunities.
On one hand, the number of security camps is being increased to provide security from Maoist terror in Bastar. At the same time, innovative schemes like Niyyad Nellnar have been started to provide the benefits of welfare schemes of the Central and State Government to the villages falling within a radius of 5 km around the security camps. This scheme is getting better and meaningful results. People’s trust in the administration has started returning again.
The government is working rapidly to increase the income of the tribals and provide them basic facilities. The state government has continuously taken such steps, which have strengthened the relationship of the tribals with the forests again. Along with the purchase of minor forest produce at the support price in the forest areas, the purchase of tendu leaves is also being done more systematically than before. The state government has sanctioned Rs 131 crore 52 lakh for the construction of buildings and hostels of 36 colleges. This will strengthen the infrastructure of 36 colleges of the state and will help in improving the educational environment. At the same time, the youth will get high level educational facilities and they will be able to move towards a better future.
The state government has increased the tendu leaf remuneration rate from Rs 4000 per standard sack to Rs 5500. About 13 lakh tribal families are benefiting from this. In these areas, collection of minor forest produce is also being done through women self-help groups. Vandhan centers have been established for processing of minor forest produce.
75 Eklavya Adarsh Residential Schools are being run to provide better education to the children of tribal community in the state. Apart from this, 15 Prayas Residential Schools are being run for the children of Maoist affected areas. In these schools, meritorious students are being prepared for All India Medical and Engineering Entrance Examination. The number of seats in the Youth Hostel run for preparation of Union Public Service Commission examination in New Delhi has been increased from 50 to 185.
To make the functioning of Bastar, Surguja, Central Area Tribal Development, Scheduled Caste Development Authority and Chhattisgarh State Rural Other Backward Classes Development Authorities organized and effective in the state.
