Raipur.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai hoisted the flag. After this, he took the salute of the parade. CM Sai hoisted the flag and took the salute of the parade in the state level celebration of Independence Day organized at the Police Parade Ground in the capital Raipur this morning. He congratulated and wished the people of the state on the 78th Independence Day.
Chief Minister Sai said that in view of climate change, it is our duty to contribute to the protection and conservation of nature… In this direction, I urge everyone to plant trees. In view of the crisis of climate change, it is the duty of all of us to contribute to improving the environment. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has started the campaign “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam”. I have planted a Rudraksha plant under this campaign in my native village Bagiya. I have planted a Dahiman plant in the Chief Minister’s residence in Raipur. You must also plant a tree. Chhattisgarh is playing an effective role in the resolution of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed country by the year 2047. Our government is preparing new schemes for the all-round development of the state with the resolution of developed Chhattisgarh. While congratulating and wishing the people of the state on the 78th Independence Day, he said that we have got independence due to the hard struggle and sacrifice of our ancestors. For independence, our ancestors fought a long struggle against British imperialism. We have to keep the freedom obtained as a result of their sacrifices and struggles intact. Democratic forces have to be strengthened. Chief Minister Shri Sai was addressing the people of the state after hoisting the flag at the main Independence Day function held at the Police Parade Ground in the capital Raipur today. The Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, along with the freedom fighters of the entire country, the freedom fighters of Chhattisgarh worked tirelessly to break the shackles of slavery of Mother India, and as a pleasant result of this, we are breathing in a free environment today. Like other parts of the country, in Chhattisgarh, many of our historical heroes like Shaheed Gend Singh, Shaheed Dhurva Rao, Shaheed Yadav Rao, Shaheed Venkat Rao, Veer Gundadhur, Shaheed Debari Dhur, Shaheed Aaytu Mahara, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh displayed indomitable courage to overthrow the British rule and awakened the spirit of freedom in the minds of the people. The freedom we are enjoying today is the result of the sacrifices of our forefathers.
He said that Baba Saheb Ambedkar’s constitution is showing the way forward for democracy today. It is a beacon for us. Years ago, Baba Guru Ghasidas ji had put forward the ideal of an egalitarian society in front of all of us, which came to fruition in the constitution made by Baba Saheb. His constitution also contains the essence of Kabir’s words, which provides equality along with freedom of expression to the citizens of India. The crisis of trust is the biggest crisis in democracy. This system certainly runs only when the public maintains trust in its representatives. After taking over the reins of the Chhattisgarh government, our biggest challenge was to restore this trust. We are satisfied to say that our government has reestablished trust by fulfilling most of the promises made to you. The dream of our constitution makers was of such a strong democracy, where the public and its elected government remain tied in such a strong bond of trust. In fact, this is a strong protective thread of democracy, which should never be weakened by any public servant. Sai further said that our state maker Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister late Atal ji created Chhattisgarh for the comprehensive economic development of the state and preservation of the beautiful culture of the state. It is our responsibility to make Atal ji’s dream come true by working with full dedication in the reconstruction of the state with the resolve of ‘We have built it, we will improve it’. By contributing to the construction of a developed India, we can achieve the glory of taking forward this tradition of our ancestors, this is also our duty. On this day, we also express our gratitude to those ancestors who did not let the torch of the Constitution extinguish during the difficult period of Emergency. Thousands of democracy fighters across the country opposed the Emergency and suffered jail sentence and other tortures in its resistance. Next year on 25 June, fifty years of Emergency will be completed. This year on the occasion of ‘Emergency Memorial Day’ on 25 June, we have received the blessings of the democracy fighters of our state. I am happy to say that to express gratitude towards our democracy fighters, their Samman Nidhi which was stopped for the last five years has been restarted by our government. The Chief Minister said that today we also express our gratitude towards our soldiers who are fighting the anti-democracy, Naxalite terror in our state with full courage and passion. In the last eight months, our soldiers have shown indomitable courage and killed 146 Naxalites. During this time we have opened 32 new security camps and in the coming days we are going to start 29 new camps. Today after many years, the people of the area are feeling safe, the reason for which is the hard work and valor of our brave soldiers.
Now Bastar is ready for rapid development
We have formed State Investigation Agency (SIA) to make investigation and prosecution action more effective in dealing with Naxalite incidents. The people of Bastar are fed up with Naxalites and are ready to gallop on the path of development. He said that along with freeing people from terror by expanding new camps in the interior areas, the work of ensuring basic facilities in these areas is also being done on war footing. For this, we have started the “Niyad Nellnar” scheme. This word means – “Your good village”. Like the “PM Janman Yojana” started for the beneficiaries of special backward tribes, under this scheme, people are being given the benefit of 53 beneficiary-oriented schemes of 17 departments and 28 community facilities in the villages within a radius of five km near the camps. For the first time, Ayushman cards have been made for the people in these villages. They are now taking advantage of the government’s public welfare schemes related to education and health. A new dawn of good governance has come in his life.
Record paddy purchase in the state
The Chief Minister said that we are proud of our farmers along with our soldiers. Chhattisgarh Mata’s rice bowl remains full due to their labour. As per the guarantee of Prime Minister Modi, we have given top priority to the happiness and prosperity of the farmers. On the occasion of ‘Good Governance Day’, the birthday of former Prime Minister and our inspiration Atal ji, we transferred the outstanding paddy bonus of Rs 3716 crore to the bank accounts of 13 lakh farmers of the state. Fulfilling our promises, we purchased paddy from farmers at the rate of Rs 3100 per quintal and at the rate of 21 quintals per acre. A ‘record’ 145 lakh metric tonnes of paddy was purchased in the state.
The splendor returned to farming
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that along with the support price of Rs 32 thousand crores to the farmers, the difference amount of Rs 13 thousand 320 crores was transferred to 24 lakh 75 thousand farmers of the state under the Krishak Unnati Yojana. In this way, the government transferred about 49 thousand crores rupees including paddy purchase and outstanding bonus to the accounts of our food providers. We have decided to give an annual assistance of Rs 10 thousand to landless farmers under the Deendayal Upadhyay Krishi Mazdoor Kalyan Yojana. Due to agriculture-friendly policies in the state, farming has returned to its glory and smiles are visible on the faces of farmers. Today our villages look economically prosperous. There can be nothing more satisfying than this for a welfare government.
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Women power plays an important role in the development of the state
Women power has an important role in shaping and beautifying Chhattisgarh. We salute their contribution. There is a tradition of festivals in our Chhattisgarh. On the occasion of Teej, brothers give gifts to their sisters. We are providing this gift to the mothers and sisters of the state in the form of ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojana’. On March 10, 2024, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi transferred an amount of one thousand rupees each to the accounts of 70 lakh mothers and sisters as the first installment of the Mahtari Vandan Yojana in a virtual ceremony. So far six installments of this scheme have been released. He said that our mothers and sisters have become financially capable and self-reliant due to this. They are using this amount to organize the education of children and household budget as per their wish, which is giving them financial support. When we strengthen our daughters, the entire family becomes strong and a strong family leads to the creation of a strong society and a strong nation. The economic and social empowerment of women is definitely strengthening the foundation of developed Chhattisgarh.
upliftment of the last person in the society
Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, the pioneer of integral humanism, has set before us the ideal of working for Antyodaya. We are working tirelessly in accordance with this goal of ensuring the upliftment and development of the last person in society. Our government has decided to distribute free food grains to 68 lakh Antyodaya and priority ration card holders for the next five years. Providing basic facilities to economically backward families is our top priority. In this, the first responsibility is to ensure housing for everyone. I have been in close contact with the special backward tribe Pahadi Korwa for the last three decades, by staying close to them I have seen the pain of those living in thatched houses.
The dream of housing for 18 lakh people will be fulfilled
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that when our illustrious Prime Minister brought the PM Awas Yojana, the hopes of lakhs of families of the state were raised but in the last 5 years the dream of housing for 18 lakh needy families of the state could not be fulfilled. We pledged that we will remove the pain of these 18 lakh families. The very next day of taking oath, our government opened the way to fulfill their dream of housing. Along with this, we have also taken the decision to approve housing for 47 thousand 90 homeless families identified in the socio-economic survey under the “Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana”.
39 lakh families have tap water
Along with providing housing to everyone, Hon’ble Prime Minister Modi Ji has also started Jal Jeevan Mission to provide pure drinking water to everyone. We are working fast towards its implementation in the state. For this, we have kept a budget of Rs 4500 crore. The work of supplying drinking water has started through Multi Village Scheme under Jal Jeevan Mission in the villages of the state having ground water problem. At present, work on 70 Multi Village Schemes has started in 18 districts of the state. We had set a target of providing tap connections to 50 lakh rural families in Chhattisgarh. I am happy that out of this, we have provided tap connections to 39 lakh 31 thousand families.
77 lakh families get medical facility through Ayushman Bharat
In our scriptures, there is a wish for “Sarve Santu Niramaya”. When any kind of illness occurs, the economically weaker people have to worry the most. In view of this, it has been decided to implement “Ayushman Bharat”-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana” as well as “Shaheed Veernarayan Singh Health Scheme” in the state. Through these two schemes, 77 lakh 20 thousand families of Chhattisgarh are getting the benefit of free health services up to Rs 5 lakh.
Now forest rights will be transferred
The process of transferring the forest rights certificate to the heirs of the forest rights holders after their death was not mentioned in the forest rights rules. Due to this, revenue related works like transfer, demarcation, division of accounts were not possible. We understood the pain of our tribal and forest dweller brothers. Our government has made a provision to transfer the forest rights certificate to their heirs. Now works like demarcation, transfer, division of accounts have become easy for our tribal and forest dweller brothers holding forest rights certificates. These forest rights certificates have also been digitized.
Increased remuneration rate for tendu leaf collectors
Sai said that through Vandhan Kendras in tribal areas, the Prime Minister has opened a new path for the economic progress of forest produce collectors. Our government has increased the remuneration rate of tendu leaf collectors of the state from Rs 4000 per standard sack to Rs 5500. Along with this, the time limit for tendu leaf collection has also been increased, due to which our brothers and sisters are able to earn increased income by collecting tendu leaves for a longer period. This year, Rs 855 crore 80 lakh has been paid to 13 lakh 5 thousand tendu leaf collectors. Their number is 1 lakh 72 thousand more than last year.
