As the Vishnu Deo Sai-led Chhattisgarh government completes its three months in office, the political galleries of the State is buzzing with the debate over the functioning of the incumbent government in the last three months.
Although the period of three months is a relatively short period to judge a government that is bound to govern till late 2028 given the absolute majority in the State assembly, the fact that the Lok Sabha election is just round the corner has made the last three months of the Sai government a significant one.
Now that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, on behalf of the flagship schemes launched by the government, has been claiming that the Sai-led government has showcased a model of good governance that the State will witness in the next four and a half years, the main opposition Congress Party on the other hand, has been wooing the voters with promises while accusing the government of vendetta politics and alleged corporatisation.
It must be noted that the tribal dominated State has as many as 11 seats in the Lok Sabha where leaders from both political streams will be locking horns. Further, the Congress party has also fielded some of its heavyweights, including former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, indicating that the party is adamant about giving the Narendra Modi led party a run for their money.
In such a scenario, let us delve into the significant steps taken by the Vishnu Deo Sai-led government to keep their voters intact in the upcoming Lok Sabha, where the saffron party is eyeing a clean sweep, especially after their impressive success in the tribal dominated seats of the State which ultimately led them to choosing Vishnu Deo Sai as the first Vanvasi (tribal) Chief Minister of the State.
Mahtari Vandan Scheme
One of the significant schemes launched by the incumbent State government is the flagship Mahtari Vandan Yojna (Scheme) under which a monthly allowance of Rs 1000 has been provided to the women residents of the State.
Recently, the State government released the first installment of the scheme, under which a whopping sum of over 655 crores were transferred to more than 70 lakh women residents of the State through DBT.
The scheme launched by the government has further solidified the women centric approach of governance as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and could be a game changer in attracting the women voters of the State towards the BJP.
Niyad Nellanaar Scheme
Another significant scheme launched by the Vishnu Deo government is the “Niyad Nellanaar” scheme, which is aimed at providing basic facilities along with the benefits of government schemes to the residents of Maoist affected regions of the state.
The scheme will include the residents of the villages that fall within the 5-kilometre radius of the security camps in the core Maoist zone of the State. Recently, the CM after launching the scheme, also interacted with the residents of the core Maoist zone when the latter arrived on an educational tour in the State’s capital.
During the interaction, he has emphasised that the Nelanaar scheme should reach every citizen residing in the remote regions infested by the left wing insurgency. Further, the CM has time and again dropped hints that the State government will leave no stone unturned in ensuring the full fledged development of the region.
Krishak Unnati Yojna
Another initiative taken by the Sai government that will further their reach in the farming community of the State, is the “Krishak Unnatti Yojna” under which a difference over the Minimum Support price (MSP) was given to farmers as input assistance at the rate of Rs917 per quintal.
Launching the scheme from Balod, the CM announced that Rs 13,289 crore was paid to 2.4 million farmers who had sold paddy this year in the 2023-24 season at MSP, while 31 crore was paid to those farmers who are associated with the paddy seed production.
Notably, the Sai government had earlier done procurement of 145 lakh mitric tonne paddy in the season on MSP and had also released the outstanding bonus of two years to the farmers on the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
CBI enquiry into alleged irregularities in CGPSC and Biranpur incident
Apart from launching schemes focused on farmers, women, and tribal groups, the incumbent State government has also recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities in CGPSC and the Biranpur incident, in which a Hindu youth was killed following a communal scuffle.
Additionally, the incumbent government, through bulldozer actions, has also dropped hints that the government will follow a strict policy on the matter of the law and order, a pre poll promise of the party which played a pivotal role in securing a majority in the State assembly.
Sri Ramlala Darshan Yojna and law against illegal conversion
Significantly, the incumbent government has also launched the Sri Ramlala Darshan Yojna under which devotees from the State are being taken to pilgrimages to Ayodhya. The scheme was announced in the wake of consecration ceremony of Bhagwan Ram at Ayodhya on January 22, this year, a day observed as a “dry day” by the State government.
Furthermore, the government has announced several other projects, such as the Shaktipeeth Corridor and others aimed at cultural rejuvenation, suggesting that the government will remain intact with the party’s commitment to cultural nationalism, as asserted by the state’s finance minister during his budgetary address to the state assembly.
In between, the government has also announced that it will soon introduce a fresh anti-conversion bill to deal with the issue of illegal conversion in the state. The announcement came amidst CM Sai’s recent remarks that widescale conversion takes place in the State in guise of providing education and healthcare facilities.
It must be noted that the State has a significant population of tribals, where illegal conversion through means of lure and inducement has been a regular phenomenon. Significantly, the State has also witnessed a surge in communal scuffles due to conversion and issues associated with it.
Promise of doubling the economy with a focus on tribal participation
Further, the State government has vowed to double the State Gross Domestic Product (SGDP) in the next five years by turning it into a 10 lakh crore economy. The ambitious goal set by the government has its focus on Garib, Yuva, Annadata and Naari i.e GYAN.
Additionally, the Sai government has also formed a look towards Bastar and Surguja, the tribal dominated regions of the State, suggesting that the government will focus on ensuring the rightful participation of the tribal community in the development.
On the LWE front
Despite an overall impressive start, there is no denying that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) has turned out to be the biggest challenge for the Sai led government, as surge in cases of violence against civilians and even against their own party cadre has given the opposition a chance to encircle the newly formed government.
The challenge posed by the Maoists can be better understood by the fact that the incumbent government has been forced to ramp up the security of its leaders of Bastar division, the most LWE affected region of the State triggering a sharp reaction from the Congress party.
Although the Sai government has maintained that it will leave no stone unturned in battling the LWE with all its might, undoubtedly, the current scenario on the Maoist front doesn’t look promising for a party that has been training the guns on the Congress party for its administrative incompetence in dealing with the Maoists.
All the steps taken in the initial three months of the Sai government suggest that the party will be approaching the Lok Sabha elections with a promise to women, farmers, and tribal centric development, alongside protecting and rejuvenating the cultural identity of the state. However, at the same time, navigating through the surge of violence pertaining to LWE still poses a significant challenge for the party.
Now whether the initiatives taken by the Vishnu Deo Sai government could fetch a grand victory for the saffron party, which performed exceptionally well in the last general election despite having a Congress government in the State, only time will reveal.
