Chhattisgarh CM Requests Central Funding for Bastar Development

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in New Delhi on July 31, 2026, to secure central support for a comprehensive development roadmap for Chhattisgarh. Sai requested funding for three primary projects: a Rs 10,500-crore gas-based urea plant in Rajnandgaon, the connection of 461 security-sensitive villages to the permanent electricity grid, and the establishment of an All India Institute of Ayurveda in either Raipur or Bastar.

Sai presented the 'Bastar Vision', emphasizing that the region has become Naxal-free after several decades. He highlighted the reopening of 421 schools in previously affected areas, the progress of the Rs 3,513-crore Jagdalpur-Raoghat railway line, and the operational status of a super-speciality hospital in Jagdalpur. He also briefed the Prime Minister on the state's economic growth, citing Rs 8 lakh crore in investment proposals and the launch of a Rs 500-crore State AI Mission.

In a separate meeting with Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma sought relaxations in Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) funding norms. Because Bastar's low population density often fails to meet standard funding thresholds, Sai argued that special connectivity measures are crucial. Chouhan agreed to consider a different type of road network tailored to the region's unique conditions.