Raipur | Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai participated in the closing ceremony of the three-day state-level open Panthi dance competition and Guru Ghasidas Lok Kala Mahotsav 2024 held at Nawagarh, the development block headquarters of Bemetara district. He offered prayers at Baba Guru Ghasidas Jaithkham in Nawagarh and prayed for the prosperity of the state. On this occasion, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai performed the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony of 74 different development works worth ₹209,12,57,000. He announced the establishment of 40 seats each for M.Com and Science subjects in Koduram Dalit Mahavidyalaya, Nawagarh, and the construction of 10-lakh rupee CC roads in 10 Scheduled Caste-dominated villages. The Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh, Union Minister of State Shri Thokhan Sahu, Food Minister Shri Dayal Das Baghel, and Revenue Minister Shri Tankram Verma were present on this occasion.
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that Chhattisgarh’s society is egalitarian, reflecting Baba Guru Ghasidas’s ideals of equality. His message of “Manakhe-Manakhe Ek Saman” (all humans are equal) promotes unity, countering divisive elements threatening national integrity.
Chief Minister Shri Sai further mentioned that Chhattisgarh is the “rice bowl” of India, and to ensure the prosperity of farmers, the government is procuring paddy at ₹3100 per quintal with a yield of 21 quintals per acre. He highlighted the procurement of 145 lakh metric tonnes of paddy last year, with an expected increase to 160 lakh metric tonnes this year. He also emphasized Baba Ghasidas’s message of gender equality, which is being addressed through the Mahatari Vandana Yojana, providing ₹1000 per month to women beneficiaries. The scheme has already disbursed ten installments to 70 lakh women within three months of implementation.
He also spoke about efforts to provide employment opportunities for youth and ensure transparency in examinations, citing the CBI investigation of the PSC examination as an example. He mentioned increased seats at the Tribal Youth Hostel in Delhi and plans for establishing 13 libraries on the lines of Nalanda University in urban areas to support youth.
Chief Minister Shri Sai reiterated the government’s focus on the development of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, with increased budget provisions and special provisions in the new industrial policy for SC/ST entrepreneurs. He expressed satisfaction in upholding Baba Guru Ghasidas’s vision of a peaceful and egalitarian society. He reaffirmed the commitment to building a developed Chhattisgarh.
Chief Minister Shri Sai also inspected the development exhibition stalls set up by various departments and distributed keys of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana houses to beneficiaries. He also awarded participants who excelled in the state-level open Panthi dance competition.