Chhattisgarh Meets PM Modi: Seeks Central Support For Bastar Vision, Urea Project, And Grid Expansion
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai held a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Parliament House in New Delhi, presenting a comprehensive roadmap for the state's rapid development. During the detailed discussions, Chief Minister Sai sought the central government's special backing for key infrastructural and industrial projects, including the expedited approval of a major gas-based urea plant, permanent grid connectivity for remote villages, and the establishment of an advanced healthcare institute, all aimed at accelerating socio-economic growth across the region.
Key Central Approvals And Projects Sought By The State
The Chief Minister placed three primary requests before Prime Minister Modi to boost industrialization and infrastructure. First, he urged the speedy approval of the proposed Rs 10,500 crore gas-based urea project in Rajnandgaon, noting that land and state clearances are already secured to benefit farmers and industry. Second, he requested special central assistance to connect 461 off-grid villages—previously deprived of electricity due to security challenges—to a permanent power grid. Third, he pitched a proposal for setting up an All India Institute of Ayurveda in either Raipur or Bastar to enhance specialized medical education and patient care in the state.
Transforming Bastar: From Naxal Challenges To Comprehensive Development
Detailing the ambitious "Bastar Vision" under initiatives like "Niyad Nella Naar 2.0" and the "Bastar Abhiyan," the Chief Minister highlighted that governance and welfare schemes are now reaching 5,542 villages, benefiting approximately 3.9 million people. Significant milestones include reopening 421 closed schools in Naxal-affected zones, establishing new education cities in Orchha and Jagargunda modeled after Dantewada, and screening over 3.4 million individuals through the Healthy Bastar Campaign. Furthermore, improved connectivity via the Rs 3,513 crore Jagdalpur-Raoghat railway line, expanding air services, the Raipur-Visakhapatnam Expressway, and tourism branding for Chitrakoot and Bastar Dussehra are reshaping the region's identity.
Surging Investments, AI Governance, And Women Empowerment
Highlighting the state's economic momentum, Chief Minister Sai noted that since launching the Industrial Development Policy 2024-30, Chhattisgarh has attracted investment proposals worth approximately Rs 8 lakh crore, spanning AI data center parks, semiconductor plants, and electronics manufacturing. Chhattisgarh also secured the top rank in NITI Aayog's Investment Friendliness Index and enacted the pioneering Ease of Doing Business Act-2026. On the social welfare front, the state has successfully empowered over 10.42 lakh women as Lakhpati Didis, set sights on scaling up to 14 million more, and initiated governance reforms through a Rs 500 crore State AI Mission.
