New Delhi: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday presented a comprehensive action plan to double tribal family incomes in Bastar through dairy development, expand irrigation facilities across 32,000 hectares and attract investments in sectors such as AI and semiconductors.
At the 11th meeting of the NITI Aayog Governing Council chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sai said Bastar, once a hotbed of Naxal activity, is now poised to emerge as a model of economic resurgence, driven by employment, education, tourism, and agriculture-based development.
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A comprehensive action plan is ready for doubling the income of tribal families in Bastar, expanding irrigation facilities, developing tourism, and attracting investment in Artificial Intelligence and semiconductors, he said.
Rapid progress is being made towards transforming Chhattisgarh into a developed state in line with the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047', according to an official statement.
Sai said Bastar is acquiring a new identity, with efforts underway to boost milk production, water being brought to farmlands, digital health facilities reaching villages, and continuous initiatives being taken to connect the youth with employment opportunities.
He said the government has set a target of raising the average monthly income of families in Bastar to Rs 30,000 over the next three years.
Currently, around 85 percent of families in the region earn less than Rs 15,000 per month. The government is working to strengthen the economic status of rural families through agriculture, animal husbandry, forest produce, small-scale industries, and various welfare schemes, he said.
The chief minister said a dairy development model is being rapidly implemented in Bastar, under which tribal families will be provided milch cows and buffaloes to create sustainable sources of income.
This initiative will generate employment opportunities for women and youth while fostering new economic activities such as dairy centres, milk collection, transportation, and local market development.
He said two major projects worth over Rs 2,000 crore are being launched to bring an area of 32,000 hectares under irrigation coverage.
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The year-round availability of water in the Indravati river region will improve agriculture and boost production, enabling farmers to cultivate vegetables, fruits, and other cash crops alongside paddy, he said.
The chief minister said digital health profiles of approximately 36 lakh people are being created to strengthen healthcare services in remote areas of Bastar.
This will ensure the secure maintenance of records regarding patient treatment, illnesses, and medications, while also providing doctors with accurate and timely information, he said, adding rural populations, women, and the elderly stand to benefit the most from this initiative.
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