Chhattisgarh governor hails newly elected Congress for promoting welfare of people

Governor Anandiben Patel Monday said the newly elected Congress government in the state is determined to create a 'new Chhattisgarh' and fulfil the dream of prosperous villages with public participation. Soon after assuming power last month, the Bhupesh Baghel government announced a loan waiver, fulfilling a key pre-poll promise made by the Congress, she said and added the new dispensation will hold talks with the people affected by the Left Wing Extremism (LWE).

Addressing the first session of the fifth Chhattisgarh assembly, which came into existence following the November polls, she dwelt on a host of issues, including implementation of promises made by the Congress in its manifesto. The session began on January 5. Patel said the traditional identity of Chhattisgarh has been its prosperous and self-reliant villages equipped with natural resources and rural-based culture, arts and crafts.

"Not only modern technology but traditional art, folk knowledge and skill should also play an important role in the development of Chhattisgarh," the governor said. "The government is committed to fulfilling the dream of prosperous villages with public participation backed by the resolution of 'Gadhbo Nava Chhattisgarh' (create a new Chhattisgarh)," she said. Patel said the government will work on the concept of the overall development of villages with the upliftment of 'Narva, Garuwa, Ghurwa, Baadi' (rivulet, cow, compost pit, vegetable garden). The administration will ensure the availability of water in rivulets throughout the year, she said.

"The state has an abundant number of cattle, buffalo, goat and other livestock and there is a need to take important steps towards building infrastructure for their smooth management and conservation," she said. The government will take initiative for setting up special shelter homes for housing livestock in each village, Patel said. The state administration will convert the 'Ghurva' (compost pit) of each village into a small production unit of organic manure, she said.

Similarly, appropriate steps will be taken for the upliftment of vegetable garden, she said. Honouring the mandate, the government, soon after coming to power, had started implementing the promises made in `Jan Ghoshna Patra 2018' (Congress manifesto). In the first Cabinet meeting, it approved a waiver of short-term agriculture loan to the tune of over Rs 6,100 crore covering more than 16.65 lakh farmers, she said. Besides, it hiked the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to Rs 2,500 per quintal as promised in the manifesto, Patel said.

Delivering on another pre-poll pledge, the government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the various aspects of the 2013 Jhiram Valley Naxal attack, the governor said. In another key move, the government decided to return the private land acquired for setting up a Tata Steel plant to owners in villages in Lohandiguda area of Bastar, she said. Even after ten years of acquisition, Tata Steel was not interested in setting up the plant and therefore, it was decided to return the land to farmers concerned, she said.

"The industrial policy will be amended keeping in view the available resources, skills, local needs and employment generation," the governor said, adding emphasis will be laid on setting up small-scale units. Setting up of village-level units will be encouraged, for processing of agriculture and forest produce, she added. The government has decided to constitute a high-level committee to draft a law for the protection of journalists, the governor said. The state administration will be holding talks with the victims of LWE to restore peace in Naxal-affected areas, she said.

"The government will provide basic amenities in tribal-dominated areas, resolve pending problems and carry out development works as per the requirement of the local populace," she said. All criminal cases lodged against tribals will be reviewed and the necessary steps are taken to provide relief to innocent people, Patel added.

(With inputs from agencies.)