Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai presented a development roadmap for Bastar and sought central support for several industrial, energy, healthcare and connectivity proposals during a meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on July 31.
The proposals included connecting 461 remote villages to the permanent electricity grid, setting up a gas-based urea plant in Rajnandgaon and establishing an All India Institute of Ayurveda in either Raipur or Bastar. Sai also briefed the Prime Minister on railway, road, aviation and irrigation projects under consideration in the state.
According to the Chhattisgarh government, the proposed urea plant in Rajnandgaon entails an estimated investment of ₹10,500 crore. The Chief Minister informed Modi that land had been identified for the project and the clearances required at the state level had been completed. He requested the Centre to facilitate the remaining approvals.
The state expects the proposed plant to increase fertiliser availability in Chhattisgarh and adjoining regions. It could also support employment and associated activities in transportation, logistics, maintenance and supply services. These outcomes, however, would depend on the project securing the required central approvals, investment and commissioning.
Sai also sought special central assistance for providing permanent grid connectivity to 461 villages that currently depend on off-grid electricity arrangements. Many of these settlements are located in Bastar and other areas affected by geographical and security-related constraints.
{{/usCountry}}Sai also sought special central assistance for providing permanent grid connectivity to 461 villages that currently depend on off-grid electricity arrangements. Many of these settlements are located in Bastar and other areas affected by geographical and security-related constraints.
{{/usCountry}}The state government said reliable electricity could improve the delivery of healthcare, education, telecommunications and administrative services. It could also support agricultural operations, local enterprises and livelihood activities in remote communities.
Government outlines expansion of public services in Bastar
Sai briefed the Prime Minister on programmes being implemented across Bastar under the state’s regional development plan. These include the ‘Niyad Nella Nar 2.0’ and ‘Bastar Munne’ initiatives, which, according to the government, cover 5,542 villages with a combined population of nearly 39 lakh.
The programmes are intended to improve access to food rations, Ayushman Bharat benefits, Jan Dhan accounts, housing assistance, forest rights and other central and state schemes. The government said its administrative outreach was being expanded in villages where residents had previously faced difficulties in accessing public services.
Education projects formed another part of the discussion. The Chief Minister said 421 schools that had remained closed in areas affected by Left-Wing Extremism had been reopened. The state is also planning education cities in Orchha and Jagargunda, drawing on a similar initiative in Dantewada.
The proposed centres are expected to provide academic and residential facilities for students from tribal and remote communities. Support for competitive examination preparation is also proposed as part of the model.
On healthcare, Sai said more than 34 lakh people had undergone screening under the Mukhyamantri Swasth Bastar Abhiyan. The state is working on expanding super-speciality services in Jagdalpur and developing medical education facilities through a medical college in Geedam.
The proposal for an All India Institute of Ayurveda in Raipur or Bastar was presented in the context of the state’s medicinal plant resources and traditional systems of healthcare. The government said such an institution could support medical education, research and treatment while creating opportunities linked to the cultivation and processing of medicinal plants.
The Chief Minister also discussed the Jagdalpur-Raoghat railway line, estimated to cost approximately ₹3,513 crore, and sought the expansion of regular flights from Jagdalpur. The final stage of the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway was reviewed as part of the state’s efforts to improve regional connectivity.
A proposed barrage on the Indravati river was also raised during the meeting. According to the state government, the project could provide irrigation to nearly 32,000 hectares if approved and completed. The eventual coverage would depend on its detailed design and implementation.
The government also plans to develop tourism infrastructure around Chitrakote and Tirathgarh and increase the visibility of Bastar Dussehra. It said the initiatives would seek to generate local livelihood opportunities while taking the region’s cultural and environmental characteristics into account.
Investment pipeline and digital public services reviewed
Sai informed the Prime Minister that Chhattisgarh had received investment proposals estimated at nearly ₹8 lakh crore following the introduction of its Industrial Development Policy 2024-30.
The proposed investments span artificial intelligence data centres, semiconductors, hyperscale data centres, business process outsourcing, garments, food processing, electronic equipment and intraocular lens manufacturing. Since these are investment proposals, their contribution to employment and economic activity will depend on individual projects securing financing and approvals and progressing to commercial operations.
The Chief Minister also discussed the state’s proposed ₹500 crore artificial intelligence mission. The government is examining possible applications of AI in education, healthcare, agriculture and administration. The initiative is intended to improve public-service delivery and administrative monitoring, according to the state’s statement.
Sai said the Sewa Setu portal had brought 528 services offered by 36 departments online. He also referred to the Chief Minister’s Helpline 1076, the automatic mutation of land records following property registration and the provision of registration services using Aadhaar and video-based know-your-customer verification.
The Chief Minister told Modi that the state had recorded an 18% increase in Goods and Services Tax revenue. He also cited growth in mineral revenue and referred to the auction of tin and lithium blocks in Chhattisgarh. The figures were provided by the state government in its account of the meeting.
Women’s livelihood programmes were also discussed. Sai said 10.42 lakh women had been included in the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ category in Chhattisgarh and that the state had set a target of supporting another 14 lakh women in increasing their income. He invited the Prime Minister to a proposed Lakhpati Didi conference in Raipur in 2027.
Sai sought continued assistance from the Centre for the state’s pending industrial, healthcare, electricity, irrigation and transport proposals. No project-specific approval was announced in the state government’s statement following the meeting.