RAIPUR : Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday met Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi and sought special provisions under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY-IV) and adoption of Arunachal Pradesh model to improve road connectivity in remote and inaccessible areas of Bastar division, officials said.
During the meeting with the Union Rural Development Minister, Sai said several villages in Bastar region are located in dense forests, hilly terrain and geographically challenging areas, but under PMGSY guidelines, only habitations within a 500-metre radius are treated as a single cluster, leaving many small and remote villages outside the ambit of the scheme.
The chief minister urged the Centre to allow Bastar to follow the Arunachal Pradesh model, under which habitations located within a 10-km radius are considered a single cluster, enabling a larger number of remote villages to be connected by all-weather roads, an official statement said.
“Bastar has been rapidly moving on the path of development after emerging from decades of Maoist violence, and improved road connectivity would play a crucial role in providing access to education, healthcare, agriculture, employment opportunities and government welfare schemes,” the statement quoted him as saying.
Roads are not merely a means of transportation but the foundation of development, security and prosperity, he said while urging the Centre to accord priority to the proposal in view of Bastar’s unique geographical conditions.
Chouhan assured Sai that the proposal would be examined positively, and said the Centre is committed to the development of remote and tribal regions such as Bastar and would take necessary action on the state’s request, the release said.
The Union minister also praised the Chhattisgarh government’s rural development initiatives, including the VB-G RAM G scheme under which cremation grounds and toilets are being constructed, it said.
Chouhan appreciated the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Chhattisgarh, noting that around 1,500 houses were being built every day, which he described as a significant achievement, it added.
Chouhan expressed confidence that coordinated efforts by the Centre and the state government will accelerate development in Bastar and across Chhattisgarh.
Deputy CM Vijay Sharma, who also holds Home portfolio, and the CM’s Principal Secretary Subodh Singh were present during the meeting.
Sharma briefed Chouhan on the progress of rural development, expansion of basic infrastructure and various development initiatives, the statement added. (Source: PTI)
