Chhattisgarh: With an eye on developed State by 2047, government proposes doubling of GDP in next 5 years

The Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh government on Friday, February 9 presented its budget for the year 2024-25 in the State assembly. While thanking the 3 crore people of the State for the historic mandate, Chhattisgarh’s Finance Minister OP Chaudhary said that budget is not a mere statistical figure of income and expenditure but a vision document for the future.

The minister further asserted that “it’s a matter of fortune for the current generation that on the one hand, it has just witnessed a grand consecration ceremony of Ram Lalla after 500 years of struggle while on the other hand, they are also witnessing revolutionary steps taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make Bharat a super power.”

The country is stepping forward with new goals and new beliefs in this Amritkal; the world is looking towards us; the vivid goal of a developed Bharat is before us; and the people of Chhattisgarh have paved the way for the journey of the development of the State by exercising their democratic power.

There is a darkness of challenges all around; the womenfolk of the State were infested by the poor law and order, while the youths were gripped by the speculations in recent years. We also have received an empty State treasury but we believe in our capacity to light the lamp in darkness, said the Minister further.

The minister further informed the house that the State government will dedicate the “Amritkal Chhattisgarh Vision 2047” document by November 1st, 2024, which will include a clear vision, strategy, and roadmap to build a developed Chhattisgarh by the year 2047.

Chaudhary further emphasised that to make Chhattisgarh a developed State by the year 2047, there is a need to achieve mid-term targets. He further disclosed that the Sai government intends to double the GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product) of the State i.e from 5 lakhs crore to 10 lakh crores in the next five years. The minister also informed the house about the 10 fundamental strategic pillars to double the economy within the next five years, here are the details: –

1.    Focused on economic development centred on ‘GYAN’ (Garib, Youth, Anndaata and Naari)

2.    Rapid economic development through technology driven governance

3.    To ensure maximum Capital Expenditure (CapEX)

4.    Optism utilisation of Natural Resources

5.    Focus on service sector of economy

6.    To ensure private investment

7.    Focused on Bastar, Surguja

8.    DDP Decentralise Development Pockets

9.    Promotion of Chhattisgarhi culture

10. Importance of Implementation

While briefing about the strategic pillars, the minister further disclosed that the government is committed for the economic growth of the State which will centre around the garib (Poor), youth, aannadata (Farmers) and naari (Women), gyan (Knowledge)

Chaudhary further claimed that the previous government has done injustice to all these sections of society in the past few years. He further, while referring to the alleged PSC scam, shared a quote of the former South African President Nelson Mandela and emphasised that allowing cheating or malpractices in competitive exams could led to the destroying of a nation.

While hinting about the government’s resolve to stop corruption in governance, the finance minister further disclosed that the government has allocated a fund of Rs 266 crores to stop manual intervention, initiated by the previous government and to replace it by implementing technology intervention to ensure good governance and transparency.  The finance minister also informed that the government has set a target of increasing the Capex by 20 per cent, surpassing the overall average of the last five years i.e. around 12 per cent

Furthermore, while asserting that the Sai government is committed to focus on service sector, Chaudhary informed that eco-tourism circuit will be established alongside the development of Shaktipeeth corridor with an aim to improve religious tourism. The government will also work to develop the State as health and wedding destination alongside promoting the Information Technology (IT) sector paving way to improve the contribution of service sector in the State economy from 31 per cent to something around the national figure of 55 per cent.

The finance minister further disclosed that the State government will also collaborate with prestigious institution like IIMs to replace red tapism with a red carpet for investors while promoting ease of doing business, a single-window system, and public-private partnerships.

The minister informed the assembly that the Sai-led government will look towards the tribal-dominated regions of Bastar and Surguja and will work to improve air connectivity, eco-tourism and naturopathy destinations there.

A decentralised development pocket will also be established according to the specific specialties of the geographical regions of the State while a State Capital Region comprising cities like Bhilai, capital Raipur and adjoining regions will also be developed as IT hub, education, healthcare and wedding destination, for which a fund of Rs 5000 crore has been allotted. A centre of excellence and livelihood will also come up in Nava Raipur while a centre of entrepreneurship will be established in Durg, added the minister.

Chaudhary further claimed that since 1956 to the year 2000 the State has been subject to exploitation under the rule of the Congress party and it was the Bhartiya Janata party (BJP) who created the state of Chhattisgarh and took steps to promote the Chhattisgarh language. He further claimed that the previous government had given a slogan of Gadhvo Nava Chhattisgarh but failed miserably; we will focus on ‘Karbo’ (Act of doing).

Furthermore, the minister informed that his government will constitute the “Chhattisgarh Economic Advisory Council” to discuss, brainstorm on the adaptation of best practices of economic growth across the globe.

The Finance Minister informed that the State government has allotted a whopping fund of Rs 8369 crore to build 18 lakh pending houses under the Pradhanmantri Aaawas Yojna, fulfilling one of the “guarantee of Modi”, he further informed that Rs 3716 crore pertaining to the pending bonus of 12 lakh farmers has also been made by the State government.

Chaudhary disclosed that Rs10000 crore has been allocated for the agriculture growth scheme while the budget allocation for the agriculture department has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs13348 crore. He further informed that Rs 8500 crore has been allotted for loans of the farmers while an additional arrangement of Rs317 crore has also been made for donation on interest. Additionally, colleges pertaining to agriculture will also come up in Balrampur, Shilfili and Kunkuri of Chhattisgarh, informed Chaudhary.

A significant increase of 70 per cent  in the budget of Panchayat and Gramin Vikas department has been made which now stand at around Rs17529 crore while Rs4500 crore has been allotted to Jal Jeevan mission to fulfil another guarantee of Modi i.e. “Har Ghar Nirmal Jal Abhiyan”, added Chaudhary.

The minister also informed us about the establishment of “Mahila Sadan” (Women Parliament) in rural areas while disclosing that five additional women police stations will setup in separate areas of the State.

Further, while emphasising the Vishnu Deo Sai led government’s commitment towards ‘Cultural Nationalism’, Chaudhary said that cultural nationalism is in our veins, he further asserted that Bhagwan Sri Ram is the biggest flagbearer of our cultural nationalism; one cannot find a better module of good governance than Ram Rajya established by Bhagwan Ram itself, hence we will work idealising the Ram Rajya.