The first phase of theVikas Yatra 2018 was held from 12 May to 11 June, and the second phase will be organised from 16 August to 30 September. Similar Vikas Yatras had been organised in 2008 and 2013.
Every five years, the Chhattisgarh government, under the dynamic leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh, organises a “Vikas Yatra”. The first phase of theVikas Yatra 2018 was held from 12 May to 11 June, and the second phase will be organised from 16 August to 30 September. This year, the Chief Minister launched the Vikas Yatra from Dantewada on 12 May 2018. Addressing the media, the Chief Minister said, “This yatra is to tell people about the development the state has witnessed. We will also work to further increase the growth of the state in coming days.”
Similar Vikas Yatras were earlier organised in 2008 and 2013. In every locality, large numbers of farmers, labourers, students and people from all walks of society meet the government machinery during such Vikas Yatras. The occasion is used to discuss the common man’s problems in the presence of public representatives. A blueprint for a new scheme is also prepared on the spot.
During Vikas Yatra 2013, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said: “Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr Raman Singh, is the first Chief Minister of the country who is presenting the record of his past five years under the hard sun to the public in the village. I am proud to see the development of Chhattisgarh. Here, the Chief Minister is serving the public with great skill and humility. I never saw bitterness in his voice. I am proud to say that Dr Raman Singh is my friend.”
This year, during the first phase of theVikas Yatra 2018, the Chief Minister said: “I had started Vikas Yatra from Dantewada after seeking the blessings of Maa Danteshwari on 12 May. I have reached Chhuikhadan. As soon as I reached here, I inquired about the temperature today. In 45-degree temperature, no one leaves his home. Braving the heat today, this crowd of 50,000 people has broken all records of public meeting here.”
Government college will be named after late freedom fighter Shaheed Kamlu Kumhar
“People want development. They want roads, bridges, schools, colleges, hospitals and even water, electricity and irrigation facilities,” Chief Minister Raman Singh said while addressing a huge gathering at Durgukondal in Kanker district during the first phase of his “Vikas Yatra 2018”.
The Chief Minister asserted that the state government was quickly realising these aspirations. “This is a government which is living up to peoples’ expectations; the state government is taking care of development and public well-being,” the Chief Minister said. He further said that all the schemes of the state government are focused on achieving a better quality of life for the people of Chhattisgarh.
The Chief Minister also performed the bhumipujan of 18 developmental works worth Rs 37.32 crore. He also transferred bonus of Rs 65 crore to the bank accounts of 48,000 farmers in Kanker. Raman Singh announced that the Government College in Durgukondal will be named after late freedom fighter Shaheed Kamlu Kumhar. He also approved funds for construction of the boundary wall around the Durgukondal community health centre. He also assured the locals that the tender process for the construction of a bridge on Kotri River at Kode-Kurse road worth Rs 6 crore will be completed very soon. Singh approved Rs 25 lakh for the construction of waiting hall at Durgukondal bus stand and a gymnasium at Bhanupratappur.
“In the past 15 years, our government has implemented public welfare schemes with full energy. In tribal-dominated regions, educational centres like ‘Prayas’ have been developed for tribal children. Children from these regions are also entering into higher medical and engineering educational institutions, even IIT, and becoming doctors and engineers,” he said, adding that in past 15 years, different kinds of amenities have been developed in this region. In his address, the Chief Minister detailed about different schemes of the state and Central governments. He reminded that in Chhattisgarh, the state government had started and implemented the scheme under which beneficiaries are getting rice @Rs1 per kg, free salt and gram @Rs 5 per kg. “No one can stop this scheme,” he said.
High public turnout record at Chhuikhadan
The first phase of Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh’s “Vikas Yatra 2018” in Chhuikhadan, Rajnandgaon, not only witnessed a record high temperature, but also a record public turnout. The temperature in Chhuikhadan was around 44-45 degrees while the assembly witnessed a crowd of more than 50,000 people. Apart from the meeting venue, a large number of people were spotted listening to his address on the roads of Chhuikhadan.
The Chief Minister told the locals that he had a very old relation with Chhuikhadan. Since he was an MLA, he was in touch with Chhuikhadan.
People from every village in the region had a direct connection with him, the Chief Minister said. “I always say that the Vikas Yatra is a pilgrimage for me because this helps me connect directly with people and get their blessings,” Dr Singh said. The development process of the region has started, the Chief Minister added, and pointed out at the railway expansion in Rajnandgaon as a remarkable achievement and gave its credit to Rajnandgaon MP Abhishek Singh. “I could not think that such a big project could be carried out in such a simple manner,” the Chief Minister said.
Chief minister inspects solar pump at Keshkal Ghati of Bastar region
During the Vikas Yatra, Chief Minister Raman Singh suddenly stopped before the house of Titri Bai and inspected the solar pump installed in her farm.
His cavalcade was passing through the winding roads of “Keshkal Ghati” of Bastar region and had reached Murgaon village situated at the bottom of the valley. Passing through the village on his “Vikas Rath”, the Chief Minister saw a solar pump in the fields nearby and asked to stop the cavalcade.
He then visited Titri Bai’s farm where the solar pumps were installed. Titri Bai demonstrated the pump function before the Chief Minister. “Titri Bai is a big example of how a government scheme can change lives,” Raman Singh remarked. Titri Bai informed the Chief Minister that her husband had died four years ago and now she lives with her son. She has about 5 acres of land and due to good irrigation facility through solar pump, the crop productivity has also improved. Titri Bai has planted Bhaji in a part of her filed.
Gandai will soon have the status of a Tehsil: CM
Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh made the announcement that Gandai shall soon have the status of a tehsil in the scheme of things. This has fulfilled the long pending public demand.
The CM made the announcement after reaching Gandai during the first phase of his “Vikas Yatra 2018”. He was accompanied by senior state government officials and party leaders in his “Vikas Rath”. The Chief Minister was accorded a hearty welcome at Chhuikhadan. Once he reached the public meeting venue, he was welcomed with garland and flowers. As soon as his “Vikas Rath” reached Chhuikhadan, people on the spot started shouting slogans in his praise. He dubbed the residents of Gandai as hardworking and said that he had a long relationship with Gandai. “My political life has many strong memories attached with Gandai and if I am Chief Minister today, then it is due to the support of people from this region,” he said.