Chief Secretary Instructs Prioritizing Infrastructure Development and Basic Facilities in Naxal-Free Areas

Review of works under CAMPA fund

Raipur, A crucial review meeting of CAMPA was held today in Mantralaya Mahanadi Bhavan under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Shri Vikas Sheel. Several important decisions were taken in the meeting regarding forest conservation, environmental development, and expansion of basic facilities in tribal-dominated forest areas.

Development Speed to Increase in Naxal-Free Areas

The Chief Secretary gave clear instructions to the officials of the Forest and Climate Change Department to prioritize the construction of bridges, approach roads, and necessary buildings in forest areas under the CAMPA fund. He particularly emphasized speeding up infrastructure development works in areas that have become Naxal-free, so that the reach of governance and the benefits of development can be quickly delivered to these remote areas.

Annual Action Plan of Rs 713.73 Crore Approved for the Year 2026-27

During the meeting, department officials informed that the annual action plan of Rs 713 crore 73 lakh for the year 2026-27 has been approved and sent to the Central Government (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change) for final approval, out of which an amount of Rs 436 crore 19 lakh has been approved. Besides, the progress of works undertaken during the years 2024-25 and 2025-26 was also reviewed in the meeting.

Focus on Environment and Wildlife Conservation

While providing information about the works being carried out with CAMPA funds in Chhattisgarh, officials stated that works such as irrigated and unirrigated plantation, compensatory afforestation, bamboo forest restoration, silvicultural operations to increase forest density, wildlife management, pasture development, groundwater conservation through check dams and ponds, and connectivity improvement are continuously ongoing in the state.

Additional Chief Secretary of Forest and Climate Change Department Shri Manoj Kumar Pingua, PCCF Shri Arun Pandey, Principal Secretary of Tribal Development Department Shri Sonmani Bora, Finance Secretary Dr. Rohit Yadav, Housing and Environment Secretary Shri Ankit Anand, CAMPA CEO Smt. Shalini Raina, and other senior officials of the department were present in this high-level meeting.