- The Chief Minister engaged in a warm conversation with Meera, who was selling earthen lamps at Telibandha Marine Drive, and honored her hard work and self-reliance by giving her one thousand rupees.
- The Chief Minister inquired if she was benefiting from government schemes; Meera replied that she has a Jan Dhan account and is receiving funds under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana.
- The Chief Minister personally purchased an earthen lamp for the ‘Aashirwad ka Diya’ program and called upon people to join the resolve of service and public participation.
- The Chief Minister’s approachable manner conveyed a message of respect for local labor and self-reliance.
Today turned into an unexpectedly special day for Meera, who was selling earthen lamps at a roadside stall at Telibandha Marine Drive in the capital, Raipur. Like any other day, she was waiting for customers with her lamps arranged at her small stall. Suddenly, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s convoy stopped right next to her stall.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai examined the earthen lamps displayed at Meera’s stall and purchased one for the ‘Aashirwad ka Diya’ program, organized under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ (Service Pledge Campaign). He gave the woman one thousand rupees. This spontaneous gesture by the Chief Minister sent a beautiful message of respect for the hard work, dignity, and self-reliance of Meera, who earns her livelihood through a small local business.
The Chief Minister’s surprise visit to the small roadside stall came as a pleasant surprise to the people nearby. Without any formality, the Chief Minister asked Meera about her work and the well-being of her family.
During the conversation, Chief Minister Sai asked Meera whether she was receiving the benefits of public welfare schemes run by the Central and State governments. In response to the Chief Minister’s query, Meera mentioned that she had opened a bank account under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. She also informed the Chief Minister that she is receiving a sum of ₹1,000 every month under the state government’s ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojana’.
Chief Minister Shri Sai expressed happiness upon hearing from the woman about the benefits she was receiving from these schemes. He remarked that government schemes are truly meaningful only when their benefits reach the needy directly, providing them with support and helping to improve their lives. The government’s priority is to ensure that the benefits of public welfare schemes reach eligible beneficiaries with ease and transparency.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the ‘Pradhan Mantri Jan-Dhan Yojana’ has laid a strong foundation for financial inclusion by connecting poor, marginalized, and needy families to the banking system. Thanks to this integration with the banking system, funds from various schemes are now reaching beneficiaries’ accounts directly.
He noted that in Chhattisgarh, financial assistance of ₹1,000 per month is being provided to the state’s mothers and sisters through the ‘Mahtari Vandan Yojana’. This amount not only helps cover their daily expenses—both small and large—but also boosts their financial self-confidence.
Chief Minister Shri Sai remarked that the strength of a self-reliant Chhattisgarh lies in the hard work of all these individuals—whether they are small roadside vendors, potters, artisans, or the mothers and sisters producing local goods. It is our collective responsibility to encourage those who earn their livelihood through their skills and hard work.
He added that embracing local products is not merely about purchasing an item; behind it lies the labor of a family, the skill of an artisan, and the livelihood linked to a small businessperson’s self-respect. When we buy goods from local vendors and artisans, this small effort of ours provides support to their families and their livelihoods.
- ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ to become a symbol of service and public participation
The earthen lamp purchased by Chief Minister Shri Sai from Meera will become part of the ‘Aashirwad Ka Diya’ (Lamp of Blessing) program, organized under the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ (Service Pledge Campaign). Through this program, an effort is being made to link the collective resolve for service, public welfare, and development with public participation.
Chief Minister Shri Sai stated that in our culture, the diya (earthen lamp) is not merely a source of light but a symbol of hope and positive resolve. When a small earthen lamp is lit, it dispels the surrounding darkness. Similarly, when every individual in society steps forward with a small resolve to serve, collective effort paves the way for significant and positive change.
He remarked that the ‘Aashirwad ka Diya’ (Lamp of Blessings) embodies this very sentiment. It symbolizes our commitment to service and development, as well as the power of public participation. As the citizens of the state connect with this spirit, this resolve to serve will reach every household and every individual.
- A Campaign to Make Service a Collective Resolve
Chief Minister Shri Sai noted that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has dedicated 25 years of his public life to the service of the nation and its people. The ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ (Campaign for the Resolve to Serve) is being organized from September 17—the Prime Minister’s birthday—to October 17. This campaign offers an opportunity to further strengthen the commitment to service, good governance, the welfare of the poor, and development through public participation.
The Chief Minister called upon the people of the state to join the ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ with great enthusiasm and wholeheartedness, and to ensure cleanliness in their villages, cities, and neighborhoods.Participate in such initiatives, step forward for environmental conservation, help the needy, and—commensurate with your capacity—make a firm resolve to engage in public service.
He remarked that no act of service is insignificant. Helping someone in need, maintaining cleanliness in your surroundings, planting and nurturing a sapling, purchasing an item from a local artisan, or even a small effort made for the greater good of society can serve as a meaningful medium for public service.
- A profound message embodied in a humble earthen lamp
This earthen lamp, purchased by Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai from a small roadside stall at Telibandha Marine Drive, has become special in many ways. On one hand, it honors the hard work and self-reliance of a woman earning her livelihood; on the other, a casual conversation revealed the grassroots impact of public welfare schemes like Jan Dhan and Mahtari Vandan. Furthermore, through the ‘Aashirwad ka Diya’ (Lamp of Blessings) initiative, this very lamp will now symbolize the resolve for service, public participation, and development.
MLA Shri Purandar Mishra was present on this occasion.