CHIEF Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hoisted the national flag at the Police Parade Ground in Raipur on Saturday to mark the 80th Independence Day and inspected the ceremonial parade. Addressing the gathering, Sai said Chhattisgarh had achieved historic success in the fight against Naxalism under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said people in Naxal-free Bastar were now celebrating Independence Day through Tiranga Yatras, while areas once affected by violence and fear were witnessing a new era of peace, trust and development. The comprehensive development of Bastar, he said, remained a top priority of the state’s ‘doubleengine’ Government. Paying tribute to freedom fighters and martyrs, Sai said Independence Day was an occasion to honour Maa Bharati, draw inspiration from the country’s history and renew the resolve to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’. He remembered Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Dr B R Ambedkar, Veer Savarkar and other freedom fighters. He also paid homage to Chhattisgarh’s heroes, including Bhagwan Birsa Munda, Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh, Veer Gundadhur, Gend Singh, Dhurwa Rao, Yadav Rao, Venkat Rao, Debri Dhur and Aitu Mahra. The State Government is strengthening roads, electricity, transport and communication infrastructure in Bastar. Work is under way to connect 461 villages currently powered by solar energy to the grid-based electricity network. The process of linking 234 interior habitations with the main road network is also under way, Sai said. He said the Government was pursuing former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s vision of interlinking rivers. Administrative approval of Rs 3,047 crore had been granted for the Sikasar-Kodar Canal Linking Project, while more than Rs 11,000 crore had been approved for expanding irrigation facilities across the state.

 

Under the Atal Sinchai Yojana, defunct irrigation projects are being revived. Matnar and Deurgaon barrages will be constructed on the Indravati river at an estimated cost of around Rs 2,000 crore, providing irrigation to 32,000 hectares. Sai said tendu leaf collectors were being paid Rs 5,500 per standard bag and that the Charan Paduka Yojana had been reintroduced. The Chief Minister said the State Government had approved the Rs 500-crore Chhattisgarh State AI Mission. The mission envisages 100 AI data labs, five Centres of Excellence and more than 50 AI-based services. Six lakh students and 1.5 lakh government employees will be trained in artificial intelligence, he said. A Rs 100-crore startup fund has also been established under the Chhattisgarh Startup Promotion Policy. Under PM SETU, 30 industrial training institutes are being upgraded. A Forensic University campus, NIFT and NIELIT institutions are also being established in the State. Five medical colleges in Geedam, Kunkuri, JanjgirChampa, Manendragarh and Kawardha will begin functioning from the current academic session, Sai said. Sai said a strong law-and-order system was essential for good governance. Nine new cyber police stations had been established to tackle cybercrime, alongside the implementation of the new criminal laws. The Dial-112 emergency service has also been implemented across the State to ensure faster assistance during emergencies. During the function, Sai honoured officers and personnel of the Chhattisgarh Police and Home Guard with medals and state-level awards for distinguished service and exceptional performance. The programme also featured a police band performance, horse and dog shows, and a cultural presentation.