Chouhan inaugurates ? 2,225 Cr rural road projects
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated rural road projects worth ?2,225 crore, expansion of the National Makhana Development Board, direct payment of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi and multiple development initiatives at the State-level ceremony held in Dhamtari on Wednesday.
The event witnessed the nationwide release of the 21st installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Coimbatore, along with the transfer of ?500 crore directly into the bank accounts of 25 lakh farmers of Chhattisgarh. The presence of thousands of farmers and rural representatives marked the ceremony as a defining moment in the State’s development trajectory.
The programme was attended by Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Speaker Dr Raman Singh, Union Minister of State Tokhan Sahu, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, State Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam, Ministers Dayaldas Baghel and Tankram Verma and several public representatives.
Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan presented documents related to the approval of rural road projects worth ?2,225 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. These projects will connect nearly 780 villages of Chhattisgarh with all-weather paved roads and lead to the construction of over 2,500 kilometres of new rural roads. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, infrastructure development in rural India has received unprecedented momentum, and the expansion of road connectivity will significantly empower economic activities in the region.
Chouhan announced that Chhattisgarh will now be included under the National Makhana Development Board. He said that this decision will provide major opportunities to the State’s farmers in production, processing, value addition, and access to national markets. Chouhan also underlined the decisive action taken against Naxalism in Chhattisgarh. He stated that coordinated anti-Naxal operations under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah have significantly reduced Naxal violence, bringing it to its “final stage.”
He called this a transformative step for the State’s development, investment climate, and rural peace. Addressing the ceremony, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai delivered a comprehensive statement focusing on farmers’ income enhancement, agricultural technology expansion, irrigation capacity, organic farming, and the Millet Mission. He stated that “the honour and prosperity of our farmers is the top priority of this Government.”
The Chief Minister said that the release of the PM-Kisan installment by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has today benefitted 24,70,640 farmers in the State. An amount of ?494 crore has been transferred directly into the bank accounts of farmers, forest lease beneficiaries, and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) families. The Chief Minister noted that the State Government has registered 2,75,000 new farmers under the scheme, expanding overall coverage.