ADB's support for 'Anjor Light' technical assistance project receives cabinet approval

ADB's support for the 'Anjor Light' technical assistance project has been approved by the cabinet. The project will give new momentum to the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047. It is a fully grant-based project of Rs 15 crore, so the state government will not bear any additional financial burden. Special focus will be on public financial management, PPP, green finance, AI-based capacity building and institutional reforms. In a ministerial council meeting chaired by Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai in Raipur, the finance department's important proposal was approved, under which a grant of Rs 15 crore will be received from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the Anjor LIGHT (Anjor Linked Implementation & Guidance for Holistic Tracking) technical assistance project. The project will strengthen the effective implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the priority agenda of Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047. The multi-sectoral technical assistance project will run for three years from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2029. Coordination will be through the Economic Affairs Division, Ministry of Finance, Government of India, while the state finance department will be the nodal department. Implementation responsibility will be assigned to the Directorate of Institutional Finance and a Project Monitoring Unit (PMU) will be set up for effective monitoring and coordination. The objective is to institutionalise the implementation of Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047 and promote inclusive and sustainable development in the state. Public Financial Management will be strengthened, project pipelines will be prepared for priority areas identified in the vision document, and institutional and policy reforms will be assessed. Outcome budgeting, concessional climate funds, AI-based institutional capacity building, promotion of public-private partnership, and technical support for environmental restoration and climate-resilient resource management will also be provided. Under the project, priority-based pipelines of construction and development projects will be prepared for various departments. Budgeting and procurement reforms will make public finance management more effective. The state government will receive continuous macro-fiscal analysis for policy decisions. Technical assistance will be provided to strengthen the financial health, debt sustainability and profitability of state-owned enterprises and to expand access to hybrid financing through necessary policy reforms. Concept plans, feasibility studies and new PPP projects will be developed for priority areas of Vision-2047. The state will gain numerous long-term benefits. Quality project pipelines will be ready for priority areas aligned with Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047. Public finance management will be more robust, green and blended finance will be promoted, and outcome-based budgeting, green budgeting and climate-compatible development projects will gain momentum. Policies, guidelines, frameworks, capacity building and feasibility studies for PPP will create an investment-friendly environment in the state. The most important feature of the project is that it is entirely grant-based from ADB, so neither the state government nor the Government of India will have to make any financial contribution. Consequently, there will be no additional financial burden on the state, while institutional capacity building, investment promotion, green and sustainable development, and achievement of the goals of Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision-2047 will receive new impetus.