Cabinet Decisions

Date: May 26, 2026 Important decisions were taken today in the cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mr. Vishnu Deo Sai at Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhawan here - 1. The Council of Ministers has decided to extend the term of the Selling Agency Agreement with Metal Scrap Trading Corporation Limited (MSTC), an undertaking of the Government of India, for transparent and systematic disposal of scrap and unserviceable materials accumulated in various departments, public sector undertakings, corporations, boards, and local bodies of the state, for the next three years. This agreement has been effective since November 2019 and was expiring on May 31, 2026. Through MSTC's state-of-the-art e-auction platform, buyers from across the country can purchase scrap material by bidding competitively, ensuring transparency and fetching better prices for the state. This arrangement has made the scrap disposal process in the state more streamlined, technology-based, and revenue-oriented. This decision will eliminate the need for departments to conduct separate tender and advertisement processes, saving administrative time and resources, and also improving cleanliness and space management in office premises. 2. The Chhattisgarh Staff Selection Board will be brought under the purview of the General Administration Department, a proposal for which was approved in the Council of Ministers meeting. Amendments will be made to the "Chhattisgarh Government Business (Allocation) Rules" for this purpose. It is noteworthy that after the implementation of the "Chhattisgarh Staff Selection Board Act, 2026", the erstwhile Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board has been merged into the new Staff Selection Board. Along with this, all its assets and liabilities have also been included in the new Board. 3. Considering the extraordinary and unexpected increase in the prices of bitumen after April 01, 2026, in road construction works, the state cabinet has taken a significant decision to provide limited and partial price relief (compensation) to contracted contractors for the period from April 01, 2026, to June 30, 2026, with the objective of protecting the state's interest and maintaining continuity in construction works. This relief will be provided only on the basis of a predetermined formula to mitigate the impact of the extraordinary increase in bitumen prices, while the escalation rules already provided in the contract for other construction components will remain applicable as before. Due to global circumstances and the rise in prices of petroleum products, bituminous works had started getting affected, raising concerns about a slowdown in road construction and maintenance works. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, has also issued similar relief directives for National Highway projects. The state government's objective is to ensure that road construction works are not affected and the pace of development works continues, so that the public can benefit from road construction projects within the stipulated time.