Initiative to bring electricity to 461 former Naxal-affected villages in Bastar, seeking special assistance from the centre

Initiative to bring electricity to 461 former Naxal-affected villages, request for special assistance from the centre Chief Minister Shri Sahay met the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs New Delhi – Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sahay met Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram and, under the Dharti Aba Gram Utkarsh Scheme, requested a special financial assistance of Rs 435 crore from the central government to provide grid electricity to 461 remote and former Naxal-affected villages in the seven districts of Bastar division. The Chief Minister, while handing over a detailed proposal, said that in villages where development could not reach for years due to Naxal violence, providing basic facilities such as electricity is now the highest priority of the state government. The Chief Minister said that the total cost of the project is Rs 973 crore. Assistance has been sought from the centre for three financial years: Rs 85 crore in 2026-27, Rs 250 crore in 2027-28 and Rs 100 crore in 2028-29, amounting to a total of Rs 435 crore, while the remaining amount will be borne by the state government. Chief Minister Shri Sahay requested the Union Minister to consider this proposal as a special case under Article 275(1) of the Constitution and grant swift approval so that even the remote villages of Bastar can be linked to the mainstream of development. He said that the arrival of electricity will bring a big change in the lives of tribal families and will give new momentum to education, health, employment and small industries. Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Shri Jual Oram assured the Chief Minister that once the proposal is received under the Dharti Aba Gram Utkarsh Scheme, the process of immediate approval will be started. He said that no financial obstacle will be allowed for this project and the central government will give full cooperation for the development of Bastar. The Chief Minister said that Bastar is becoming a symbol of development, confidence and new possibilities. Supplying electricity to these 461 villages will be an important step in that direction of transformation.