The Government of Chhattisgarh Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill (Dharma Swatantra Vidheyak) 2026 aimed at curbing forced religious conversions in State. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Vishnu Deo Sai at the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly premises in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar. Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Arun Sao said the proposed legislation seeks to effectively prohibit conversion through force, inducement, fraudulent means, undue influence or misrepresentation. The bill aims to regulate such practices and strengthen safeguards against unlawful religious conversion. The Cabinet also approved the withdrawal of 13 cases from courts following recommendations made by a sub committee constituted to examine cases related to purely political movements. In another decision, the Cabinet approved proposals relating to subsidies for projects based on non conventional energy sources. The Chhattisgarh Renewable Energy Development Agency has proposed a State grant of Rs 1.5 lakh for solar high mast plants for the financial years 2024-25 and 2025-26 and 30 percent of the tender rate or Rs 1.5 lakh, whichever is lower, for the year 2026-27 and thereafter.

 

For domestic biogas plants ranging from two to six cubic metres, a subsidy of Rs 9,000 per unit has been proposed for the years 2024-25 and 2025-26 and the same amount for all capacities from 2026-27 onwards. The Cabinet also cleared the draft of the Chhattisgarh Cess (Amendment) Bill, 2026 to abolish the cess charged during property registration. The cess had been imposed in 2023 at 12 percent over stamp duty to fund the Rajiv Gandhi Mitra Club Scheme, which is presently not operational. Among other legislative proposals approved were amendments to the Chhattisgarh Town and Village Investment Act and the Chhattisgarh Housing Board Act, 1972. The Cabinet also approved the draft of the Chhattisgarh Employees Selection Board Bill, 2026 for constituting a board to conduct examinations and select candidates for technical and non technical Class III and IV posts in government departments. Further, the draft of the Chhattisgarh (Prevention of Unfair Means in Public Recruitment and Professional Examinations) Bill, 2026 was cleared to strengthen transparency and credibility in public examinations. The Cabinet additionally approved amendments to Sections 40, 50 and 59 of the Chhattisgarh Land Revenue Code, 1959 and decided to allot five acres of Rajgami Estate land to the District Cricket Association in Rajnandgaon for establishing a modern sports ground and cricket academy.