Raipur, 30 September 2021. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has said that it is necessary for the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi’s concept of peace and non-violence that every hand should get work and everyone should have the right to live with dignity. Mahatma Gandhi used to talk of village Swaraj. Following their ideals, the Government of Chhattisgarh is working towards taking women and villagers forward on the path of self-reliance, empowering people and connecting them with creative works. The Chief Minister expressed his views to this effect while addressing a seminar on ‘Gandhi’s Concept and Possibility of Peace in Today’s Context’ organized at the Town Hall of the capital Raipur.
This program was organized under the joint aegis of Gandhi Vichar Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation and New Narrative Forum. The program was presided over by the senior Gandhian and founder of Ekta Parishad, Shri Rajagopal P.V. did it. Mr. Kumar Prashant, a Gandhian thinker of Gandhi Peace Foundation New Delhi was the keynote speaker of the programme. Senior Gandhian thinker Professor Balchandra Kachwah was present as the special guest.
The Chief Minister said that Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, made truth and non-violence as weapons in the freedom struggle. He brought freedom to the country and fought for the rights of the downtrodden, oppressed, downtrodden and women of the society. Bapu did the work of awakening self-respect among the common people. He said that the state government is working for the upliftment of all sections by following the ideals of Bapu.
The Chief Minister said that the Suraji Gaon Yojana has been started by the State Government to strengthen the rural economy. Under this scheme, women self-help groups are moving towards self-reliance by joining various economic activities in the Gauthans set up in the villages. Women are preparing vermi compost from cow dung. On October 2, the birth anniversary of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi, the work of generating electricity from cow dung will start in the Gauthans of Chhattisgarh. In the coming time, the Gothan committees of villages of Chhattisgarh will also have their own power plant. Rural Industrial Park will be developed in one acre of land in every Gauthan. Where self-help groups will become self-supporting by producing items like soap, slippers through small cottage industries. He said that in Gauthans, Neem, Karanj, Charauta, Oil crushing work of oilseed crops will also start. He said that the Telghani Board has been constituted by the State Government. Through this, necessary arrangements will be made to extract oil in Gauthans also.
Shri Baghel said that Gauthans are being constructed in about 10 thousand villages of the state. Out of these, the construction of 6 thousand Gauthans has been completed. About 5 to 10 acres of land has been reserved in every Gauthan. Where arrangements for pasture, water, shade have been made for the animals. Women self-help groups are producing vermi compost from cow dung purchased under Godhan Nyay Yojana. These groups are also working on making pots and diyas. So far, about 50 lakh quintals of cow dung has been procured in Gauthans, from which 12 lakh quintals of vermi compost has been prepared. Out of this, 8 lakh quintals of vermi compost has been used by the farmers. Farmers have realized the difference between the use of chemical fertilizers and vermi compost. Through this scheme, Chhattisgarh is rapidly moving towards organic farming.
Work is being done for the advancement of all sections including the poor. The state government took the initiative to provide good price to the farmers for their produce. Suraji Gram Yojana was started to strengthen the rural economy. The efforts of the state government against malnutrition and malaria have also yielded good results. In order to get the farmers fair price for their produce, the state government bought paddy at Rs 2500 per quintal. Farmers’ loans were waived. Arrangements have been made to provide input subsidy under Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana for all Kharif crops including paddy producing farmers. The state government has sought permission from the Center to produce ethanol from paddy in order to provide good price to the paddy producing farmers for their produce. Along with the production of ethanol from paddy, work should also be done on other uses of paddy. He said that 44 percent of the land area in Chhattisgarh is forested. Income and employment available to forest dwellers through minor forest produce To get this done, the state government has increased the number of minor forest produce purchased on support price from 7 to 52. Forest Rights Recognition Letters are being given to the traditional residents of forest areas after examining the canceled applications of forest rights pattas. In Chhattisgarh, the work of giving community forest rights recognition letters to villages has been done on a large scale. Shri Baghel said that Rajiv Mitan Clubs would be formed in every Panchayat to connect the youth with creative work. A club will be formed in the ward with a population of 2500. Its members will be youth in the age group of 15 to 40 years. One lakh rupees will be given to each club in a year. These clubs will contribute to the development of the state with cultural and sports activities. On this occasion, Adviser to the Chief Minister, Mr. Ruchir Garg, Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Text Book Corporation, Mr. Shailesh Nitin Trivedi and many enlightened citizens were present.
