nChhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said neither construction of skyscrapers nor laying a network of roads defines development. Parameters of development are education health and employment, he added.

Baghel said this with special reference to Bastar at Intellectuals Meet held here at a private hotel on Saturday.

Citing that after North East and Jammu and Kashmir, the largest number of paramilitary forces is deployed in Chhattisgarh, the CM said, “The security officials want                construction of roads and other infrastructure development only for their movement to tackle the red menace”.

This has nothing to do with the development of the affected region, especially the Bastar, he said.

“The people of Bastar don’t want these. They are happy living freely without any stress. They are happy with their earning from minor forest produce. Only they need is the education, health and employment”, he said.

The development of Bastar could be achieved only by fulfilling these parameters, he further added.

Underlining the need to curb the red menace and showing his commitment towards it, the CM further said, “Recently I met the affected tribals in the Bastar region and realized that there is an urgent need to develop trust among them, give them the feeling that the forces are with them”

Baghel further interacting with the leaders of industrial sector expressed his view that apart from mining-oriented industries, agriculture, horticulture and forest produce based, food processing and other industries should come up.

He assured that the state government would provide such industries every possible help in the interest of farmers of the state.