Launching the flagship Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park Scheme (RIPA) on Sunday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said it will fulfil the dream of Mahatma Gandhi of a self-reliant             village.

Baghel virtually laid the foundation stone of 300 rural industrial parks in            different districts of the state from here. He also released the logo of RIPA.

He said the first phase will have 300 RIPAs. One to three acres of land have been reserved in Gauthans for it.

Two Gauthans in each development block will be developed. A budgetary            provision of Rs 600 crore has been made. Rs 1 crore has been given to all approved parks.

The funds will be            utilized for training youth along with ensuring electricity and water facilities, construction of sheds and approach roads, he added.

Apart from vermicompost, poultry, agriculture and horticulture crops and mills for flour, pulse and oil will be established. This will provide employment to women and youth, he said.

Baghel said the government was making all efforts to make the dream of ‘Gram Swaraj’ of Gandhiji a reality.

RIPA will be a livelihood and service centre, he said. The work to manufacture gunny bags will also begin.

He added C-Mart has been opened in each district to sell products from the Gauthans. The production line will be based on demand.

Youth entrepreneurs will be given space in RIPA to start their own industry, the Chief Minister said.

State-of-the-art             technology will be used for processing and value addition of agricultural, horticultural produce and minor forest produce, he added.

Panchayat and Rural Development and Agriculture Minister Ravindra Choubey said 8,600 Gauthans have been prepared in the state.