With a growth figure in double-digit, development at its peak and infrastructure revolution in the offing, Chhattisgarh has presented itself as a classic State to be followed by others and the credit goes to Raman Singh who completes second year of his successive third term as its Chief Minister on Saturday.
Chhattisgarh which carved its niche as a model State in PDS as well as power surplus State, Raman has turned the tables in 12 years and put the State as one of the fastest developing States.
Ayurvedic doctor-turned-politician Singh who launched his political career in 1983 as a councillor in his home town Kawardha, has never looked back since December 2003 when he led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to power in the first ever election in the State.
Experts say that in a rarity for a politician, that too after 12 years in office, Raman Singh has only a handful of hardcore critics in the State.
A sober and accessible politician who has ruled the hearts and minds of many in Chhattisgarh, has led from the front in 12 years and ensured development in all regions whether it is insurgency-laden poverty-hit but iron ore rich Bastar or coal abundant vast northern Surguja.
A father of a son and daughter (the son assists him in politics as lok Sabha MP), Raman Singh is widely seen as a workaholic and has focussed in 12 years mostly on welfare of downtrodden and hunger-stricken people.
It is a sheer coincidence that Singh took oath as Chief Minister for the second and third time also on December 12. He took his first oath as Chief Minister on December 7, 2003 at the Police Parade Grounds Raipur after the first Chhattisgarh State Assembly elections.
Singh took oath for the second time as Chief Minister on December 12, 2008 at the same grounds and again he took oath for the third term on December 12, 2013.
Singh brought in radical changes in the administration and launched various social welfare schemes.
He waived off the loans of lakhs of farmers in his first tenure as Chief Minister and reduced the interest on farmers' loans from 14-15 per cent to Zero rate of interest at present.
Singh launched Gram Suraj Campaign, Nagar Suraj Abhiyan, lok Suraj Abhiyan and Quality Education Mission.
He took administration to the doorsteps of the villagers. Chhattisgarh is the first state to have 'No Power Cuts' distinction.
Singh enforced Food Security Act 2012 and introduced `1 a kilogram rice to the poorer sections. 'livelihood Colleges' have been started in all the 27 districts to impart skill development programmes to the youth.
Free footwear have been provided to Tendu patta collectors, gave implements free-of-cost to unorganised labour, Sewing machines free of cost to mahila workers, Saraswati cycles' distribution, establishment of medical colleges at Bastar, Rajnandgaon and Raigarh are some of the progressive policies of Chief Minister Raman Singh administration.
Chhattisgarh had bagged several National-level awards in many of the fields. The State has bagged national awards thrice for maximum production of rice.
The State has achieved a lot in literacy, Public Distribution System, Information Technology, Energy conservation, National Health Insurance Scheme, Horticulture and in many other sectors ‘Chhattisgarhi’ language has been accorded the status of National language.
Amar Shaheed Veer Narayansingh International Cricket Stadium and Sardar Vallabhbhai Astro-turf Hockey Stadium have brought profound changes in sports arena in Raipur. An International Hockey Stadium has also come up at Rajnandgaon.
Chhattisgarh has developed its own identity on sports map at national level.