Deforested, tribal-dominated, mineral-rich Chhattisgarh gets special package for industrial development: Mr. Bhupesh Baghel
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel gave suggestions at the meeting of NITI Aayog Governing Council
Request not to disinvest Nagar Nagar Steel Plant
Approval for Cargaine Hub and Port facility for export;
Permission sought for ethanol production from surplus paddy
Urged to take 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh in the central pool
Cooperation with Manga Center for Bodh Ghat Multipurpose Irrigation Project
Raipur, 20 February 2021. Giving information about the schemes and policies of the state government on many topics of state interest like development of Naxalite affected areas, he requested the Prime Minister to provide additional economic resources to Chhattisgarh. Referring to the excellent performance done by the aspirational districts of Chhattisgarh on all the parameters of development, he suggested that in the concept of aspirational districts, the point of cultural uplift should also be given due importance and place. The Chief Minister suggested to give subsidy like vermicompost compost also like chemical fertilizers. He said that the NITI Aayog has appreciated the innovations in aspiring districts of Chhattisgarh through delta ranking. The Chief Minister said that Chhattisgarh is a forested, tribal-dominated and mineral-rich region, where special package is expected for industrial development.
The Chief Minister said that Chhattisgarh is deprived of coal block despite having large reserves of mineral coal in Chhattisgarh. Therefore, the coal block should be allotted for the public sector unit of Chhattisgarh. After 2014, the royalty rates of minerals have not increased due to irreparable damage to the state government. Therefore, the royalty rates should be revised soon. The Chief Minister has also requested not to disinvest the Nagarnar Steel Plant of Bastar in the meeting. He said that a government resolution in this regard has also been passed in Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly. Request for approval of Cargaine Hub and Port facility for export
The Chief Minister urged for the approval of the establishment of Karga Hub in Raipur and to provide port facilities for export to promote the development and export of industries in the state. He said that Chhattisgarh is included in the landlocked states, so Chhattisgarh should be given inland transportation grant for industrial activities for ease of transportation cost, so that Chhattisgarh can accelerate the development of exporter and agro-based industries. Mr. Baghel told in the meeting that it has been decided by the state government to buy Kodo-Kutki at the support price. Kodo-kutki are also in great demand abroad. Due to the availability of their export facility, tribal farmers of the state will benefit from it. The Chief Minister said that Chhattisgarh is one of the leading six states in the criteria of Doing Business.
In the new industrial policy of the state government, mineral resources and value addition in agriculture and forest produce are being promoted. In Chhattisgarh, farming and fisheries have been given the status of farming. The steel industry was provided with subsidized power during the Corona period. Due to which Chhattisgarh was the leader in steel production. He said that 154 MoUs have been done in last two rains for a capital investment of 56 thousand crores.
Demand to allow ethanol production from surplus paddy
The Chief Minister said in the meeting that the state should be allowed to produce ethanol from surplus paddy. This will save the country’s foreign exchange, farmers will get good prices for their produce and employment opportunities will increase. He said that transportation and milling costs would be saved if ethanol was allowed from paddy instead of rice. He also said that for the first time the rate of ethanol has been fixed by the Central Government at Rs 54.89 per liter, which should be further increased. An MoU has been signed in the state for ethanol production from sugarcane.
Chief Minister requested to take 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh in the Central Pool
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that 92 lakh metric tonnes of paddy has been purchased from 20 lakh 58 thousand farmers in Chhattisgarh this year at the support price. An amount of Rs 17 thousand 322 crore is being paid to the farmers for this. He said that the Center had earlier announced to take 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice from Chhattisgarh in the Central Pool. But it was cut by 1.6 million tonnes. FCI used to get the permission to give rice only in October, November. In this season, only 24 lakh metric tonnes were allowed in the month of January. The Chief Minister has requested to take remaining 16 lakh metric tonnes of rice in the Central Pool.
Cooperation with Manga Center for Bodh Ghat Multipurpose Irrigation Project
Chief Minister Mr. Baghel said that Indravati is the lifesaving river of Bastar region, but due to not having a single dam on it, the percentage of irrigation in many districts of Bastar region is zero to seven percent. Bodhghat multipurpose irrigation project on Indravati has been proposed by the state government, this will expand the irrigation facility in Bastar region. The Chief Minister also requested the Prime Minister to provide assistance for this. The Chief Minister informed that under Narva Yojana, in the last two years, the work of recharging 5000 drains has been started. So far 80 lakh structures have been built in 2500 drains.
Vermi compost products also get the benefit of subsidies like chemical fertilizers
Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel urged the Prime Minister to provide subsidy like vermicomposting farmers of the state like chemical fertilizers. He informed that under the Godhan Nyaya Yojana in the state, cow dung to vermi compost is being prepared by women self-help groups. Ten thousand Gothan have been sanctioned in the state, in which 60 thousand vermi stitches have been made. These are expected to produce 9 lakh quintal vermi compost in near future. Chhattisgarh is moving towards organic farming by promoting the use of vermi compost.
Relaxation of conditions for infrastructure development works in Naxalite affected areas
The Chief Minister said that in-principle approval for works worth Rs 392 crore has been given for the construction of roads and culverts in Phase 3 of RPLWE scheme in Naxal-affected areas. But the Ministry of Rural Development has made a condition that only 50 percent of the earlier sanctioned works will be approved. The Chief Minister urged to relax these conditions and said that it is very difficult to work in Naxalite areas due to security reasons. The Chief Minister said that Chhattisgarh has 44 percent forest. Due to this, there is a problem in getting electricity in some villages of the forest areas. Solar panels should be allowed to be installed for irrigation in these areas by giving exemption in Forest Act. He said that due to increase in irrigation facilities in Naxal affected areas, people will leave guns and catch plows and move towards agriculture. This will reduce Naxalite activities.
The Chief Minister said that in the monitoring indicator of the Transformation of Aspirational District Program, education in local dialect, reduction of malaria and anemia, purchase of forest produce on support price, promotion of folk art, folk dance and archeology, organic farming, forest rights lease Etc. should be included. Regarding the development of digital infrastructure, the Chief Minister informed that work is in progress in 75 development blocks out of 85 blocks in the second phase of BharatNet project. The proposal of CSC (Common Service Center) in these panchayats has been sent to the Central Government.
Under the PDS, the demand for providing a total amount of Rs 13 thousand 440 crore for the state’s entitlement, including the balance of rice under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana at the earliest, and the amount of excise duty to be received by the state should be kept undone. The Chief Minister said that in the year 2020-21, the state is yet to receive an amount of Rs 3700 crore from the Central Government under GST compensation. Similarly, an additional levy of Rs 4140 crores on coal is to be received from private coal mines operating in the state before 2014. Apart from this, an amount of 5600 crores of rice has not yet been received under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana under the Public Distribution System. The Chief Minister said that due to the imposition of agricultural infrastructure development cess in the Union Budget for the year 2020-21, the state is likely to suffer an additional loss of 900 to one thousand crore rupees in the coming financial year. He said that agriculture The decision to set up the Infrastructure Development Fund is welcome, but the state will face unprecedented financial losses due to the reduction in the amount received as excise duty. Therefore, the amount received as excise duty is requested to be retained.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Mr. Amitabh Jain, Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Subrata Sahu, Principal Secretary, Commercial Tax Department Mr. Gaurav Dwivedi and Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. Siddharth Komal Singh Pardeshi, Deputy Secretary Ms. Soumya Chaurasia.
