If the center takes 60 million metric tons of rice, it will not have to sell surplus paddy
New industry policy increases attraction for investment in Chhattisgarh
Better law and order has increased public confidence, Chhattisgarh’s policing is second in the country
Acquisition of Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College for student interest and good health system
Government is determined to not allow the disinvestment of Nagarnar Steel Plant
Motion of gratitude passed in Legislative Assembly on Governor’s address
Raipur, 26 February 2021. The vote of thanks was passed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on the Governor’s address. Earlier, responding to the discussion held in the House, Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel today said that this country and the state belongs to the donors. We will not let the farmers be deprived of their rights under any circumstances. We will not allow deceit with food providers.
The Chief Minister said that during the discussion, people who were talking about buying paddy here on support price. He has a government in Delhi. There are farmers agitating to buy crops on support price, more than 2 hundred farmers died, but even then that government did not pay attention. He said that 3 such laws are being forced on the farmers, which the farmers do not want. He said that we took full care of the interests of farmers in Chhattisgarh.
Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that I write a letter to the Center continuously about the interests of Chhattisgarh. That is why the opposition members today called me a journalist, but whenever it comes to the interests of tribals, youth, farmers, scheduled castes, tribes and Chhattisgarh, I will write letters a thousand times. We have created 263 new procurement centers to increase the convenience of farmers. There was no chaos in the paddy purchase due to the presence of 2300 paddy procurement centers in the state. Paddy procurement was carried out in a systematic manner even after the shortage of gunny bags. Mr. Baghel said that when the Central Government had agreed to deposit 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice in the Central Pool, the opposition members said that the Central Government should be thanked. On this, I said that on the day the entire 60 lakh metric tons of rice will be taken in the central pool, On that day the whole House will thank them. He said that today the center has allowed only 24 lakh metric tonnes of deposits. Now the opposition should get permission from the Center to deposit the entire 60 lakh metric tonnes of rice.
The Chief Minister said that people’s policies towards agriculture have increased due to our policies. He said that in the year 2015-16, 13 lakh 17 thousand 583 farmers were registered, out of which 11 lakh 5 thousand 556 farmers sold paddy. 16.1 percent farmers could not sell paddy. Similarly, in 2016-17, 14 lakh 51 thousand 88 farmers were registered, out of which 13 lakh 27 thousand 944 farmers sold paddy. 8.5 percent farmers could not sell paddy. In 2017-18, 15 lakh 77 thousand 332 farmers were registered, 12 lakh 6 thousand 224 farmers sold paddy and 23.6 percent farmers could not sell paddy. Whereas in the year 2020-21, 21 lakh 52 thousand 475 farmers were registered. 20 lakh 53 thousand 483 farmers sold paddy i.e. 95.38 percent of the paddy purchased from farmers. This time, farmers produced paddy in 24 lakh 86 thousand 665 hectare area in the state, which is much higher than in the year 2015-16.
The Chief Minister said that some opposition members are raising questions as to why the state government is selling surplus paddy. I want to say that you allow us to deposit 6 million metric tons in the central pool, we will not have to sell paddy or rice outside. He said that we procure paddy for the central government. There was a time when there was a shortage of food grains in the country, then there was a Green Revolution on the call of Indira ji and our farmers accepted that challenge. The country became self-supporting and today when it is overpriced, you are not able to make arrangements. He said that our Government has increased the Tendu Leaves collection rate from Rs. 2 thousand 500 to Rs. 4 thousand per standard bag, as well as raising the number of 7 minor forest produce being purchased at the support price to 52. Along with this, we are also doing value addition of minor forest produce. We have also resolved those cases of Forest Charter, Which were not dismantled in the past. Chhattisgarh is the first in the country to distribute forest rights papers of forest land to the forest dwellers. We have given 9 lakh 3 thousand 520 acres in 4 lakh 33 thousand individual cases and 37 lakh 870 acres in 41 thousand 16 community cases, thus totaling 46 lakh 4 thousand 399 acres of forest land.
The Chief Minister said that we implemented a new industry policy in 2019, after which 1249 industries were established. Capital investment of 16 thousand 986 crores was made in these industries. 22 thousand people have got employment. Similarly, 104 MoUs were signed for mega industrial projects, which would lead to a capital investment of Rs 42 thousand 417 crore. He said that we had to go nowhere to attract investment. We believed in the industrialists here. The Chief Minister said that we have targeted to set up 200 food parks. Of these, 111 places have been identified for food parks.
Responding to questions of opposition related to irrigation, the Chief Minister said that Arpa-Bhainsajhar could have been a major project, but it was made moderate. In the last two years, due to better management of water resources in the state, actual irrigation has increased from 9 lakh 68 thousand hectare to 13 lakh hectare, which is a record in itself. He said that the previous government spent Rs 18 thousand 225 crore to increase irrigation capacity during its tenure of 15 years. The actual irrigation capacity increased by only 16 thousand hectares. Speaking on the law and order of the state, Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that there is a rule of law in the state. We have been successful in providing better law and order. Naxalite incidence has come down in the state. This has reopened schools closed for 13 years. Health, education, nutrition, Achievements have been made in areas such as malaria eradication. People’s trust has increased on governance. There is law and order in the state, the proof of this is that in the India Justice Report 2020 released by Tata Trusts, Chhattisgarh’s policing has got second place in the country.
He said that we have to take 14 thousand 73 crore rupees from the center for our tenure, which is part of Chhattisgarh in central taxes. Since 2004, a total of 15 thousand 154 crores have to be collected. Mr. Bhupesh Baghel said that share in central taxes is our right.
The Chief Minister said that NITI Aayog and Prime Minister also praised the system of education in Chhattisgarh during the Corona period. 52 English-language schools have been started in the name of Swami Atmanand to prepare the students of the state for all types of competitive examinations.
The Chief Minister said that during the tenure of the old government, the sand mines were operated by the Panchayats. There were various complaints then. Today we have arranged for them to operate through tenders. Revenue of Rs 25 crores came only from the tender. 25 percent of the income generated from the operation of mines will be made available to the panchayats. The Chief Minister said that we have acquired Chandulal Chandrakar Memorial Medical College to improve health facilities in the interest of students. This college has been operated by the private sector. We acquired for the interest of the students due to not operating properly.
The resolution to not allow the disinvestment of the Nagarnar Steel Plant has also been passed in this House. We will not let the people of Bastar play with the feelings. He said that this plant should be operated by public sector companies like NMDC or CMDC. Unilateral disinvestment will not happen. The Government of Chhattisgarh is working to save this steel plant. He said that before the Corona period, there were only 151 ventilators in Chhattisgarh, which we have increased to 514. Similarly, the number of ICUs has been increased from 53 to 406, the number of oxygen beds has now been increased to 1668.
The Chief Minister said that only 3 crore people are not the responsibility of the Government of India in the vaccination case of Corona. 135 crore people should make arrangements to get free vaccines. If the central government refuses to do so, then in our state we will get the vaccination done at our expense. He said covaxine has been used for only one percent of people in 11 states. Chhattisgarh has also decided that it will be used only after the third trial.
