(Special on the birthday of Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai)
• Chhagan Lal Lonhare
(Deputy Director Public Relations)
Born on February 21st in the village of Bagiya in Jashpur district, nestled in the beautiful valleys of Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai is an exemplar of gentlemanliness and kindness. During his two-year tenure as Chief Minister, he has shaped a new dimension of development in Chhattisgarh and captured the hearts of the state’s citizens. He is today at the pinnacle of his popularity. He is a popular Chief Minister whose benevolence and far-sighted plans have paved the way for development and progress in the state. Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai comes from a tribal background.
The Cabinet meeting also made an important decision to make a lump sum payment of the difference of Rs. 3,100 per quintal to farmers selling paddy at the state’s support price before the festival of Holi. In the 2025-26 Kharif marketing year, 141.04 lakh metric tons of paddy was procured from 25,24,339 farmers. The Chhattisgarh government will make a lump sum payment of approximately 10,000 crore rupees before the Holi festival as a difference in the price of paddy under the Krishak Unnati Yojana. The Chief Minister, himself a farmer’s son, understands the plight of farmers well.
Under the Krishak Unnati Yojana, the Chhattisgarh government has purchased 21 quintals of paddy per acre from farmers in the state at a rate of ₹3,100 per quintal, the highest in the country. Over the past two years, over ₹25,000 crore has been paid to farmers as a difference in the price of paddy under the Krishak Unnati Yojana. This year, with ₹10,000 crore to be paid to farmers before Holi, this amount will increase to ₹35,000 crore. This farmer-friendly government decision will also stimulate markets, directly impacting the urban economy and increasing tractor sales.
The state’s new industrial policy has already garnered investment proposals worth ₹783,000 crore. During his two-year tenure, the Chief Minister has taken Chhattisgarh to new heights across the country. Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai has not only won the trust of the people of the state but has also implemented schemes with their interests in mind, enabling Chhattisgarh’s overall development. This can only be made possible by a sensitive, hardworking and energetic Chief Minister like Shri Vishnudev Sai.
Under the good governance of Shri Vishnu Dev, women’s empowerment is being promoted. The year 2026 has been declared the Mahtari Gaurav Year. Honoring the mother power, the state government is providing monthly assistance of ₹1,000 to 70 lakh women under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana. So far, 42,878 women self-help groups in the state have been provided with easy loan benefits totaling ₹129.46 crore. Under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, 4.81 lakh women have been provided with ₹237 crore in assistance. Supplemental nutrition has been ensured for over 19 lakh women in the state. Sakhi One Stop Centers and Women’s Helpline 181 have been established for women’s safety. To empower women with self-reliance through employment-oriented activities, 179 Mahtari Sadans are being constructed at the Panchayat level at a cost of ₹52.20 crore. A Unity Mall will be constructed in Nava Raipur at a cost of 200 crore rupees to sell products from women’s groups. On the initiative of the Chief Minister, under the Deendayal Upadhyay Landless Agricultural Labourers Welfare Scheme, 5.62 lakh landless agricultural labourers in the state are being provided financial assistance of 10,000 rupees per year.
Keeping housing and social security in mind, the state government has approved Prime Minister’s Housing Schemes for 26 lakh families so far. Clean drinking water is everyone’s right. Clean drinking water is reaching more than 41 lakh households in the state. 77 water testing laboratories have been established in the state for quality water supply. 3208 villages of the state are benefiting from 70 group water supply schemes. Apart from this, 100% villages of the state are being electrified.
Under the double-engine government, Bastar is being connected to the rail network map with the Raoghat-Jagdalpur rail project. The new Jagdalpur-Visakhapatnam and Raipur-Visakhapatnam road projects are opening up new avenues for development. An initiative is underway to build lighthouses for knowledge-based societies in 32 urban bodies across the state.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai has taken on the responsibility of engaging with all sections of the state’s population. He has launched schemes such as the PM Housing Scheme, the Krishak Unnati Scheme, the Niyada Nella Nar, and the Akhara Nirman Scheme, addressing the basic needs and amenities of every segment of the population, and has cultivated a distinct image among the public.
Chief Minister Shri Sai knows how to build bridges between the public and every community, allowing everyone to connect with each other and fulfill their respective responsibilities for the benefit of the state. By dedicating precious time of his life to the people of the state, he has proven that his life is not solely his own, but is dedicated to the selfless service of the people of the state. He is truly a people’s leader for whom the people are everything. There are very few such selfless and popular public servants for whom public development and support are of paramount importance.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnudev Sai’s tenure so far is proof that if leadership is honest, dedicated, and connected to the aspirations of the people, the path to development will not be difficult.