I congratulate you all in the first session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly of New Year 2021. I am glad that all of you are working unitedly to realize the vision of Garhbo Nava Chhattisgarh. The Corona epidemic had accidentally pushed the entire world into the darkness of uncertainty last year. I offer my gratitude to all of you for your cooperation in dealing with this historic crisis faced by humanity, for the ground help in providing relief to the people of the state. The New Year began, with the dark period of the Corona Crisis and hopes of breaking out of the jungle. I wish you all the best for successfully fulfilling the dual responsibilities of meeting new goals with Corona-influenced development work.
- The past year was filled with many challenges, such as the food and livelihood of daily earning families, continuous nutritious diet to families fighting malnutrition, safe return and rehabilitation of migrant laborers, prevention of corona infection and infected people. Remedies, arrangements to maintain public morale, to maintain the natural pace of economic activities, to live the life of people out of fear and live cautiously. I am happy that my government has stood up on all these fronts and the state could achieve new achievements in many areas even during the Corona period.
- My government has worked with caution to get the state out of this difficult phase, so that more than 67 lakh ration card holders families have food grains, sugar, salt, kerosene, jaggery in Bastar division, fortified rice in Kondagaon district as per their eligibility. Delivery became possible with security measures. 57 lakh Antyodaya, priority, Annapurna, single destitute and disabled card holders were given free rice and gram as per eligibility for 8 months. Migrant workers and others returned home safely. For the food security of every village, 2–2 quintals of rice were made available in more than 11 thousand panchayats. Many such efforts yielded positive results.
- The flame of the Alakh which my government raised as the Chief Minister’s Suraksha Abhiyan on 2 October 2019 kept burning in the Corona period, for this, more than 3 lakh 62 thousand beneficiaries as well as 24 lakhs of more than 51 thousand Anganwadi centers Ready-to-eat nutritional material was provided to all the beneficiaries from house to house. More than 29 lakh beneficiary school children of Mid-Day Meal Scheme were also provided with ready-to-eat dry rations safely home. Not only this, Anganwadi centers for hot food and health facilities were restarted on 7 September 2020 with Corona prevention measures.
- With the commitment of my government, 99 thousand children have got freedom from malnutrition and 20 thousand women from anemia in one year. Mahtari Jatan Yojna, Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao Yojana, Saksham Yojana, Mukhyamantri Kanya Vivah Yojana, Swavalamban Yojana, Nava Bihan Yojana, Swadhar Aadhar Yojana, Ujjwala Griha Yojna, Mahila Police Volunteer Scheme for better care and development of women and children , Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh Yojana, Mahila Shakti Kendra Yojana etc. were implemented smoothly, which has increased the morale and independence of the mother power.
- My government has once again kept the promise made to the farmers. Paddy was purchased at support price with improvement and resolution amidst challenges. This year maximum 21 lakh 52 thousand 980 farmers were registered, out of which 20 lakh 53 thousand 483 farmers sold their paddy. In this way, Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the country to purchase paddy of 95.40 percent farmers with the new system and new resolution. A new record has been made on every aspect of paddy procurement such as total registered acreage, total paddy purchase area, the total amount of paddy acquired, crossing 92 lakh metric tons is nothing short of a miracle. With these achievements, a new phase of agricultural production and prosperity has started not only in the lives of farmers but also in the entire state.
- Due to the new steps taken by my government in the interest of farmers, this year a new record has been made for disbursing Rs 4 thousand 755 crore as interest-free agricultural loan. Kisan Credit Cards have been given to about 16 lakh farmers. 725 new societies have been registered by restructuring Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society, now the total number of societies has increased from 1 thousand 333 to 2 thousand 58. While the sugarcane-based ethanol plant is being set up, on the other hand, my government’s innovative thinking of setting up a paddy-based ethanol plant has also received support and acceptance at the national level. My government wants that despite the bumper yield of paddy in the state, the value of paddy should be maintained, so paddy should be used in other profitable ventures. Food parks and forest produce processing centers are being set up in each development block to have value addition to different crops in different regions of the state.
- My government has pledged to provide direct financial assistance to farmers who are taking 14 crops including paddy, sugarcane, maize under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. In the first year, an amount of Rs 4500 crore has been deposited in the farmers’ account in three installments, while the remaining installment of about 1200 crore rupees will be paid in the same financial year.
- Apart from agriculture, forest resources also generate livelihood for large population of the state. Therefore, my government has increased the number of minor forest produce purchased from the minimum support price from 7 to 52. Even in this difficult period