The Chhattisgarh Government has electrified 19,050 villages out of 19,567 so far, Governor Balramji Das Tandon said in his address on the first day of the Chhattisgarh Assembly's Budget session  on Monday.

The Governor in his brief address amid interruptions created by Opposition Congress members said that the State Government with a view to expanding power transmission network has decided to invest `6,000 crores for setting up of 34 High Tension (HT) Sub Centers besides 194 33/11 Kv sub centers and a large number of transformers in the State.

He said that a Plastics Park had been proposed in 40 hectares of land at Khaijhitti villages at a project outlay of `100 crores in Rajnandgaon district in which investment of `300 crores is being expected.

The Governor said that under the BASTARNET project, the State government would be creating its own ‘digital highway’.

Under the project, 836 kms of fibre optic cable would be laid at a cost of `65 crores in the remotest parts of Bastar, Tandon said.

The completion of the project would enable total mobile connectivity in the Bastar region, he said.

On civil aviation front, the Governor said that helipads had been constructed in all the important locations of all the districts of the State.

The Jagdalpur Airport is being developed for ‘2-C VFR’ caregory while Raigarh Airport is being developed in the 3-C VFR category. The State Government has provided land for air base of the defence forces in Bilaspur  at Chakrabhata while a civil airport is also proposed in Bilaspur, Tandon said.

The State Government is also setting up a Food Park at a cost of `45 crores at Kurud in Dhamtari district where an investment of `500 crores in expected once the facility is ready for use, the Governor said.

During the current financial year, the Government  has completed construction of 34 large bridges and roads measuring 2024 kms, he said.

Tandon said that a total of 179 bridges are under construction besides 8 railway under and over bridges.

 This apart, 95 roads comprising part of National Highway had been constructed and around 1200 kms of roads are under construction.

In the insurgency infested regions, a total of 721 kms of roads had been constructed and work is underway for 1,061 kms of roads. During the next three years, the State Government has targetted to complete construction of roads costing `2900 crores in the insurgency infested regions, the Governor said.

He said that the State Police has intensified its Anti-Naxal operations in association with Central paramilitary forces and  there had been 223 encounters between the police and Maoists between January 1, 2016 to January 26, 2017 in which 145 insurgents were killed besides seizure of 323 weapons and 327 land mines.

 On State's preparation to enter the GST regime, the Governor stated that 30 circle offices and 90 other locations now have help desks established to assist the traders get registered.

He said that 75 per cent of the trader registration for GST regime had been achieved so far.

The State government has made available `194 crores from the District Mining Fund to affected areas in the

mining blocks of the State  during the last financial year, Tandon said.

On Agriculture front, Tandon said that during the last 13 years, there had been rise of 39 per cent in paddy production, wheat ( 24 per cent), oilseeds ( 13 per cent), seeds ( 21 per cent) and rise of seeds distribution by 11 per cent.

Milk production had gone up by 58 per cent and egg by 98 per cent during the past 13 years, he said.