Chief Minister Shri Sai said that this region, famous for attractions like Chitrakot and Teerathgarh waterfalls, Kanger Valley National Park and ancient caves, offers amazing landscapes and rich biodiversity. Chief Minister Shri Sai directed to start preparations now to promote Bastar Dussehra at the international level.
In the meeting, it was informed that tourists can visit vibrant tribal villages, experience traditional festivals like Bastar Dussehra and enjoy local crafts and cuisines. Google mapping services will be improved with the cooperation of private agencies to improve the visibility and accuracy of tourist places.
Information was given in the meeting that the new Chhattisgarh Tourism Policy 2025 will be published soon. There are plans to lease the existing tourism assets to private hotel businessmen under the Public-Private Partnership model. Approximately Rs 6 crore has been proposed from the revolving fund for the construction of a glass bridge near Teerathgarh waterfall. A proposal of approximately Rs 40 lakh has been kept in the state plan head of the financial year 2025-26 for the implementation of Homestay cum Traditional Healing Center in village Pedawad.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai said that the government is working to promote industrial development in Bastar. Many special provisions have been made in the new industrial policy. Creating employment and self-employment opportunities for the people of Bastar division is included in our priority. We can increase the income of local people by making maximum use of forest resources. Various types of minerals and food grains worth approximately Rs 102 crore are exported from here every year, in which iron ore has the highest share.
The Chief Minister said that in the new Industrial Policy 2024-30, there is a provision for royalty reimbursement for the steel industry for 15 years. There is a provision of 40 percent subsidy on the salary of surrendered Naxalites for five years to industries and institutions for providing employment. There is a provision of 10 percent additional subsidy for Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Naxalism-affected people and up to 25 percent subsidy for new MSMEs established by Scheduled Castes, Tribes and Naxalism-affected individuals.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the pace of development in Bastar will be further accelerated with the aim of making the country Naxal-free by March 2026. Many special provisions have been made in the new Naxalite surrender victim, relief and rehabilitation policy 2025, so that Naxal-affected families and surrendered Naxalites can be brought into the mainstream through incentives, compensation, education, skill development and self-employment. The Chief Minister said that a concrete action plan for the development of Bastar has been prepared from today’s discussion. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that this action plan will give a new impetus to the development of not only Bastar, but the entire Chhattisgarh. He called upon all the stakeholders to work together in this direction.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma, Forest Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, MP Shri Mahesh Kashyap, MLA Shri Kiran Singh Dev, Shri Vinayak Goyal, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Shri Subodh Kumar Singh, Secretary Shri Rahul Bhagat, Secretaries of concerned departments, Collectors of all districts of Bastar division, stakeholders of institutions related to agriculture, industry, tourism and skill development were present in the discussion towards Bastar organized in Jagdalpur.
