Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has redefined the concept of development. Going beyond industries and investments, the central Indian State is laying stress on social development and rural progress. With innovative programmes, it is scripting a new chapter in inclusive development.   

The Chhattisgrah chief minister recently said that his government was committed to empower villages and cities financially, bring justice to the underprivileged, make people of the State prosperous, capable and self-reliant and help them develop entrepreneurial skills. Mr Baghel was addressing a programme in State capital Raipur after implementing a number of government initiatives. All across Chhattisgarh, such programmes have ceased to be mere photo-ops and instead become platforms for implementing various government initiatives.

The chief minister added that every sector in the State was rapidly progressing. New avenues of employment had been opened and innovations had taken place. Unemployment rate in Chhattisgarh had shrunk to 1.7 per cent, way less than the national average of 7.4 per cent.

At the programme, Mr Baghel transferred a total of Rs 1,124.92 crore to bank accounts of farmers, rural landless agricultural labourers, tendupatta-collecting families, cattle-rearing villagers, women’s groups directly. He also launched a web portal to review the redress of revenue-related complaints. Mr Baghel dedicated 60 new medical mobile units for expansion of the Chief Minister’s Urban Slum Health Scheme in municipal councils and nagar panchayats of the State.

The chief minister also transferred Rs 1,029.31 crore to accounts of 20. 58 lakh farmers as the fourth instalment under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. It is noteworthy that a total of Rs 11,180.97 crore has been paid under this scheme into the accounts of farmers in the last two years.

In order to provide financial support and justice to rural landless families, the chief minister deposited an amount of Rs 71.8 crore in the bank accounts of 3.55 lakh landless families under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana. The chief minister added that Suraji Gaon Yojana, Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Bhumiheen Krishi Mazdoor Nyay Yojana and Godhan Nyay Yojana were proving to be helpful in financially strengthening the rural economy. Under the guidance of MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, a provision has been made to provide an annual assistance of Rs 7,000 to the rural landless agricultural labourer families in the State.

During the programme, Mr Baghel made a payment of Rs 13.62 crore to the cow dung vendors, Gauthan committees and women’s groups under the Godhan Nyay Yojana. Under this scheme, Rs 226.18 crore has been paid by the State to cattle rearers, self-help groups and Gauthan committees. Under Shaheed Mahendra Karma Tendupatta Collectors Social Security Scheme, an insurance amount of Rs 10.91 crore has been paid to 728 tendupatta collector families.

The chief minister also expanded the scope of the Chief Minister’s Urban Slum Health Scheme in the State. After the municipal corporations, this scheme has now been implemented in municipalities and nagar panchayats as well. In a bid to provide home access health facilities to people, Mr. Baghel flagged off 60 new mobile medical units for urban bodies.

Strengthening administration

The Chhattisgarh government has rightly been empowering local administration down to the last level across the State for effective execution of social development programmes at the grassroots level. During the same programme, Mr Baghel inaugurated four new sub-divisions and 23 new tehsils in the State and gave a fillip for further decentralisation of power.

During the programme, the chief minister announced that the honorarium and financial powers of chairman, vice-chairman and speakers of all municipal corporations and councillors, of all municipalities would be doubled. Likewise, the amount of funds for mayors, chairmen and councillors would also be increased by one-and-a-half times.

Mr Baghel announced a sanction of Rs 579 crore to all urban bodies of the State for infrastructure development and public utility works. This includes sanction of Rs 10 crore each to municipal corporations, Rs 5 crore each to municipalities and Rs 3 crores each to nagar panchayats for development works.

Chhattisgarh model

Speaker of Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly Dr Charan Das Mahant presided over the programme. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mahant said that by following the path shown by Mahatma Gandhi, the Chhattisgarh government had brought justice to every section of society. MP P L Punia said that revolutionary schemes were being run by the Chhattisgarh government to provide direct financial help to the general public. This would improve the economy and reduce unemployment.

Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey added that the Jharkhand government had decided to implement the Godhan Nyay Yojana of Chhattisgarh. Forest Minister Mohammad Akbar pointed out that Shaheed Mahendra Karma Tendupatta Sangrahak Samajik Suraksha Yojana had been started by the Chhattisgarh government under the guidance of Mr Baghel to provide social security to families of people engaged in collection of tendu leaves.

Urban Administration Minister Shiv Kumar Dahriya said that keeping in view the success of Chief Minister’s Urban Slum Health Scheme in municipal corporation areas, the scheme had now been expanded to municipalities and nagar panchayat areas. Revenue Minister Jai Singh Agrawal noted that under the leadership of Mr Baghel, 85 new Tehsils had been announced as a part of administrative decentralisation in the State.

The Chhattisgarh government’s many innovative initiatives, such as Godhan Nyay Yojana, Suraji Gaon Yojana and collection and processing of minor forest produce, among others, have positively helped in transforming the rural economy and villages in the State. In fact, the State’s Godhan Nyay Yojana has found appreciation across the country and many State governments are looking forward to adopt this scheme in their respective States. Moreover, the State government’s programmes and schemes are being widely discussed across the country and have collectively come to be recognised as the Chhattisgarh model of development.