Foundation stone laid for 774 roads simultaneously, 781 settlements to get permanent road connectivity
Raipur, April 17, 2026/Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for 774 roads sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (Phase-04) at a state-level program organized at Ranjeeta Stadium in Jashpur. The total length of these roads is 2426.875 kilometers, with an estimated construction cost of ₹2225.44 crore. On this occasion, Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai also announced a grant of ₹80 lakh for the renovation of the Vashisht Community Hall located at the Jashpur district headquarters.
In his address, Chief Minister Shri Sai said that the foundation stone for such a large number of roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana reflects the government’s commitment to rural development. He informed that the construction of these roads will provide all-weather permanent road connectivity to approximately 781 settlements, giving a new impetus to transportation, education, health, and economic activities in rural areas.
He stated that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana was launched along with the formation of Chhattisgarh state by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which is a result of his visionary thinking, and today this scheme has become the lifeline of rural India.
Chief Minister Shri Sai said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, there has been unprecedented acceleration in the expansion of the road network in the last decade. Through the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and PM Janman Yojana, most of the villages in the state have been connected by road. He added that under the Bharatmala project, road construction is underway from Raipur to Visakhapatnam and from Raipur via Jashpur to Dhanbad, which will provide a new direction to the connectivity and economic activities of the Jashpur region.
Mentioning the cooperative sector, Chief Minister Shri Sai informed that 515 Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Societies (PACS) have been virtually launched recently, increasing the number of societies in the state to 2573. These societies will provide facilities like fertilizers, seeds, and short-term loans to farmers near their homes and simplify the paddy procurement process. He informed that the state government is purchasing paddy at ₹3100 per quintal and more than ₹10,000 crore has been transferred to the accounts of 25.28 lakh farmers before Holi, providing them with financial support.
Chief Minister Shri Sai appealed to the citizens to actively participate in the upcoming census, stating that accurate data forms the basis of precise development plans. He also informed that problems are being resolved by organizing camps across the state under the Electricity Bill Payment Settlement Scheme, and electricity bills worth ₹757 crore are being waived. He said that under the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, significant progress has been made in resolving the Naxal problem in the state, enabling rapid development work even in remote areas.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma said that the construction work for the 774 roads whose foundation stones were laid today will commence soon. He informed that more than 1300 roads have been constructed in the state in the last two years. He stated that road construction is also being expedited in particularly backward tribal areas under the PM Janman Yojana, which will connect these areas to the mainstream. He also mentioned that stringent provisions have been made to effectively control illegal religious conversions by implementing the Freedom of Religion Act in the state.
In the program, Secretary of the Department of Panchayat and Rural Development, Ms. Niharika Barik, informed that 3065 roadless settlements have been identified in the state under Phase-04 of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. Proposals for 975 roads with a length of 2684 kilometers for 1000 settlements in Batch-2 have been sent to the central government, while DPRs are being prepared for the remaining 1284 settlements.
She informed that under the PM-Janman Yojana, approval has been received for the construction of 807 roads with a length of 2902 kilometers and 123 major bridges for particularly backward tribal groups, at a cost of ₹2477 crore, which will benefit 871 settlements. So far, 356 roads with a length of 1735 kilometers have been completed, connecting 356 settlements.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, a total of 10,119 roads with a length of 47,847 kilometers and 581 major bridges have been approved so far, out of which 8713 roads with a length of 42,250 kilometers and 444 bridges have been completed.
In Jashpur district, a total of 77 roads will be constructed under this scheme, with a length of 197.26 kilometers and a cost of ₹196.20 crore. The construction of these roads will be carried out in a phased manner in various blocks, strengthening transportation facilities in the remote areas of the district and accelerating local development.
Several public representatives, officials, and a large number of citizens were present on this occasion.
