• Special Correspondent

December 17, 2018, will always be remembered as a ‘Historic Day’ in Chhattisgarh; not because its Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel took oath and charge of Chhattisgarh on this day, but largely because, the foundation of ‘New Chhattisgarh’ started from this day itself. When he took over the reins of the state, he also inherited problems of the state - poverty, malnutrition, farmer suicides, Naxalism, plight of tribals, unemployment, economic plight, along with ever-spreading frustration. There were many challenges before the government led by Shri Baghel in Chhattisgarh. The promises made before the elections had to be fulfilled and an example had to be set as well. The vision of ‘Nava Chhattisgarh’ was to be realized by fulfilling every need - from basic needs, livelihood-based resources to employment, education and health. The work was started to fulfil the promises made and one-by-one, many options were prepared to strengthen the income of the strong pillars of society - farmers, landless agricultural laborers, laborers, youth and women. A better environment has been created and strong pillars have been promoted for traders, industrialists and those who promote employment. Employment-related activities and group empowerment work strengthened ‘Unity’ and ‘Harmony’ among the society and people, along with, economic progress. The BJP government, which ruled for 15 years, had pushed Chhattisgarh towards poverty, illiteracy, Naxalism and increasing crime. Farmers were being forced to commit suicide and leave farming due to low income and neglect. ‘Chit fund’ companies were being promoted. Let alone re-opening the schools that were destroyed by the Naxalites, even basic things were not reaching those remote areas. The farmers were deep under debt burden. Instead of earning their due income, they were facing such huge losses that they started considering other options instead of farming. It was right from here that the fulfilment of promises started. First of all, agricultural loan worth Rs. 9 thousand crores was waived which brought great relief to the farmers and raised a new hope for them. After this, the emphasis was laid on increasing their income. The paddy of the farmers was being purchased at the rate of Rs.2500 per quintal. As input subsidy, they started transferring the remaining amount to their accounts. Right then, the Central Government placed obstacles in our path. The Narendra Modi government at the centre tried to create disturbance by saying that the state government cannot give farmers more than the amount decided by the centre. No later, the Chief Minister Shri Baghel fought for it and insisted on giving the amount of Rs.2500 to the farmers. He took many tough decisions and for the last five years continuously, paddy is being bought from the farmers at Rs.2500 per quintal.

This was the significant step which brought smiles back on the faces of the farmers. The farmers started to have greater faith in Bhupesh government and their number started increasing continuously. As a result, the amount of paddy procured on support price, which used to be only 56 lakh metric tonnes under the BJP government, increased to 107 lakh metric tonnes after the Congress came to power. The figures didn’t stop there. In the last five years, the number of farmers selling paddy has increased from 12 lakh 60 thousand to about 25 lakhs. This was the result of that better system, which the farmers had been looking forward to for years. In addition to the amount given to farmers under the Rajiv Gandhi Nyaya Scheme, it was decided to increase the quantity of paddy to be purchased from them from 15 quintals per acre to 20 quintals per acre. In the year 2023-24, purchase would be made according to this announcement. To give relief to the farmers, Rs. 342 crores were also waived on irrigation tax so that they could be relaxed.

Chief Minister Shri Baghel had said that ‘Farmers are the backbone of the country’. If they are strong, the whole country will be strong. That is the reason for him giving many options to double the income of the farmers of Chhattisgarh and strengthen them. Along with the farmers selling paddy, cash was also given for food grains, millets, horticulture, tree plantation etc. Due to these decisions and schemes taken one after the other, an amount of more than 20 thousand crore rupees was deposited in the accounts of the farmers in these five years. Along with the farmers, their families became stronger and they started looking at alternatives for improved farming. The figures of purchase of tractors in the last three-four years show that the farmers of Chhattisgarh have moved towards prosperity. The amount of purchase in the support price of sugarcane, maize, soyabean and gram was also increased.

Not only did he walk the talk, but because of delivering more than what was promised, the trust of the farmers and tribals increased on the Bhupesh government. The BJP had not taken any concrete steps for the tribal farmers and they were being deprived of their original farming. Their future generation would also be deprived of it. That’s why, the Congress government of Chhattisgarh decided to buy the produce of Kodo, Kutki and Ragi crops too at the support price. This decision was a boon for 14 districts as well as the best option for strong income for tribals. Now, even milling of these crops is also being done and their products are being sold across the country. It has proved to be a better source of employment. Similarly, a decision was taken to give the status of agriculture to lac farming and fish farming, which the BJP had never even thought of. Even the Chhattisgarh Tea-Coffee Board was formed so that their income could be increased by giving the tribals an option of coffee production in the high hills like Jashpur, Darbha. Presently, coffee is being cultivated in 102 acres in Jashpur and about 80 acres in Bastar. The Congress government not only made schemes for farmers, tribals, but also laid the foundation for the future. It has started working for establishment of more than 20 colleges for horticulture, forestry etc. including 6 new agriculture colleges.

BJP’s schemes were taking people away from nature. Tribals and farmers were being deprived of water and forests. At that very moment, the promise of return of the tribal land given to industry in Lohindiguda of Bastar, was fulfilled. Moving ahead, Chief Minister Shri Baghel started Suraji Gaon Yojana to increase people’s connection with nature and to provide more employment. This was a result of his thinking, which is being praised fiercely in the country and the world today. Chhattisgarh seems to be a better example of organic revolution. Thousands of drains and channels have been treated to increase the water sources of rivers and fields. ‘Gauthans’ were made in every block and employment was made available there. More than 1 lakh acres of land was preserved in the state for ‘Gauthans’, from where more than 7 thousand pastures were approved. More than 10,000 ‘Gauthans’ were built in the state, from where employment activities started. The women of the house started getting work and the youth got a chance to become skilled. No matter how many questions BJP started to raise regarding ‘Gauthans’, but the truth is that today about 6 thousand ‘Gauthans’ have become self-reliant. That means that they no longer need the government and they are themselves giving employment to women and earning profits by doing their own operations. The system of rural economy that Shri Baghel had created is visible on the ground. An amount of more than Rs. 1300 crores was spent in the construction of ‘Gauthans’.

The BJP kept raising questions about the fact that Rs. 40 lakh per cow was spent through Rs. 1300 crores, while the BJP does not even know for whom these ‘Gauthans’ were built? ‘Gauthans’ are being operated by groups and committees. There, an amount of more than Rs. 542 crores was given to cattle-rearers and members of groups selling cow dung for purchase, sale and production of its vermicompost. Not only this, more than five lakh people got employment through these ‘Gauthans’. At the same time, the animals are started to be taken better care of through these ‘Gauthans’ and due to monetary significance of cow dung and urine, they are cared for in a better way. Now these ‘Gauthans’ are being transformed into rural industrial parks, from where the whole structure of the rural economy is taking Chhattisgarh on the path of increasing employment, progress and prosperity.

In 15 years, the BJP had not paid attention to any such infrastructure in Chhattisgarh, through which employment or livelihood activities could be run. Instead of spending on useless buildings, the Bhupesh government started spending money on greater schemes and facilities, so that the economic activities of the people could be conducted. Also, Chief Minister Shri Bhupesh Baghel changed the rules for the use of DMF funds and removed them from the system of arbitrariness of administrative officials and included them in the rights of panchayats and people’s representatives. After this, the DMF money was spent on basic facilities like hospitals, schools, roads, electricity.

Delivering more than promised, Shri Baghel laid the foundation stone for the establishment of Mahatma Gandhi Rural Industrial Park (RIPA). This is proving to be the strongest option to take forward the future of Chhattisgarh. Promoting the revolution of rural industries, 300 RIPAs were established, in which direct employment was provided to 11,000 people. Moving forward, this plan is also being prepared in Mahatma Gandhi Urban Industrial Park. In the coming time, this scheme will make every person skilled and take them towards self-employment.

Not only this, going a step ahead of the promise made to the farmers, justice was also done to the agricultural laborers. Rajiv Gandhi Landless Agricultural Laborers Justice Scheme was started for landless agricultural laborers and an amount of Rs. 590 crores has been given. Going a step ahead in MGNREGA too, employment days were increased for even more than 100 per cent i.e. 110 per cent. 1 thousand 335 lakh employment days were created which was much more. Similarly, increasing employment options, more than 32 lakh women were also given employment through Chhattisgarh State Rural Livelihood Mission, BC Sakhi, community-based agriculture scheme, which is way more than what was initially promised.

While the BJP government has worked to weaken institutions and rights across the country, Chhattisgarh is currently presenting a better example of the strong foundation of democracy. Many major decisions were taken to create new opportunities for livelihood, to improve the standard of living, to create new dimensions of progress and prosperity in the tribal areas. Earlier governments had limited tendu leaf collection and purchase of minor forest produce, the scope of which was increased. The remuneration of Tendupatta workers was increased from Rs. 2 thousand 500 to Rs. 4 thousand per standard bag and the work to increase 7 minor forest produce to 67was done. A record was also prepared for this. By collecting minor forest produce worth Rs. 388 crores, Chhattisgarh became the state that procured more than three-fourth of the country’s total minor forest produce. C-Mart is being operated for their value addition, processing and marketing, where 1 thousand 512 types of products are sold. When Prime Minister Shri Manmohan Singh was in power at the centre under the leadership of UPA, then the plan to give ‘forest rights pattas’ to the tribals for their rights was started. Later, the BJP government of Chhattisgarh started playing the game of cancelling the claims of the tribals here under the conspiracy of not giving them rightful land. When the Congress government came to power here, those claims were reviewed again and the hearing was held. Now in these five years, 1 crore 4 lakh 21 thousand acres of land has been distributed through forest rights letters of 5 lakh 18 thousand 617 individual, community and forest resources category.

Before 2018, where governments spent crores of rupees on unnecessary infrastructures, now attention is being paid to essential and basic infrastructures. In the last five years, all the basic infrastructure like roads, bridges, culverts, schools, colleges, hospitals, electricity, water, means of employment were developed in the scheduled areas, which has increased peoples’ faith in the administration there.

There has been a rapid improvement in the law and order and security conditions. Along with this, very sensitive efforts have also been made to preserve the original culture of the tribal society with all due respect. An amount of Rs. 5 lakh is being sanctioned for the conservation, renovation and construction of each Devguri and Ghotul.

The development of Bastar tells the saga of how trust grows with trust. While the incidents increased during the BJP’s tenure and an atmosphere of mistrust was seen, on the other hand, 600 villages in Bastar (being Naxal-free) are moving forward on the very foundation of trust. While there has been a reduction in the incidents, the re-opening of 300 new schools in Naxalgarh shows that people have reposed faith in the politics of trust.

During the tenure of the BJP, where the hard-earned money of the people was being looted by the companies by increasing the chit fund companies, this government has worked to return the money of such victims. This promise was fulfilled by giving relief to about 1 thousand 400 people. An amount of Rs. 34 crores has been returned to 46 thousand investors. Chhattisgarh has become the first state in the country to do so. Along with recruitment and promotion on various posts in police, formation of Bastar Fighters Force, recruitment of third gender constables, welfare schemes for policemen have also doubled this trust.

The main promise of universal PDS has also been fulfilled by the Bhupesh government. Moving forward, by taking PDS to 2 crore 66 lakh people, according to the 2011 census, 100 percent people have been brought under this ambit. Rice is being given free of cost to 64 lakh needy ration card holders.

A ground campaign was launched in Chhattisgarh against malnutrition. It is not just to say. The figures bear witness to this. 2.75 lakh children have become free from severe malnutrition and 1.75 lakh women have become free from anaemia. Fulfilling more than what was actually promise, the honorarium of Anganwadi assistants, Anganwadi workers, Mini Anganwadi worker sisters who help these children, mothers and daughters, has been doubled. Not only this, by increasing the budget of Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh and the loan limit given to them, the interest rate is also reduced. The Baghel government gave utmost importance to health facilities. From haat-bazaars of remote tribal areas, remote settlements to tight settlements of cities, mobile health facilities were provided. Dr. Khubchand Baghel Health Assistance Scheme also provided relief to those sections who were in need of it. Relief was provided to more than 2 crore people through Haat-Bazar Clinics, Urban Slum Health Assistance, Dai-Didi Clinic Scheme, Humar Lab, Free Dialysis Programme etc. Under the Shree Dhanvantari Generic Medical Store scheme, 71 lakh people have got 70 percent cheaper medicines, saving more than Rs. 124 crores. Due to various efforts, the rate of institutional delivery has increased from 73.8 to 86.7 percent.

The dream of providing education to the children of economically weaker sections in expensive schools used to break millions of families since earlier, governments promoted privatization. But the Bhupesh government has taken initiative to make government schools so advanced in terms of infrastructure, education and basic facilities that these schools are becoming centres of self-respect and dignity, along with education. Now 377 English medium and 349 Hindi medium schools are being run under the Government Swami Atmanand Excellent School Scheme, where 4 lakh 21 thousand children are studying. Government Swami Atmanand English Medium Colleges have also been started in 10 districts to provide excellent facilities of higher education in English medium to the youths who have passed out from here. So far, 10 thousand 834 teachers have been recruited in the respective field, while now the recruitment process of 12 thousand 489 teachers is in vogue for Bastar and Surguja divisions.

Where the BJP insists on imposing its mind, Chief Minister Shri Baghel tried to reach every section of every assembly through meet programmes and worked for them after knowing their mindset and needs. Taking forward the field of arts, there started 71 new colleges along with 4 new music colleges. 1 thousand 553 appointments were made on the posts of assistant professor, librarian, sports officer. For the convenience of the students, the examination fees for competitive examinations were waived, due to which fees of about Rs. 33 croreswas waived off for 22 lakh 28 thousand youth. About 42 thousand youths have got jobs due to recruitment in Vyapam, Public Service Commission, Chhattisgarh State Electricity Companies and Swami Atmanand Schools. The number of recruitments done in various corporations, boards, committees, departments funded by the government is in thousands. This is the reason why the unemployment rate of Chhattisgarh had reached 0.1 percent. An amount of about Rs. 113 crores is being given as unemployment allowance to more than 1 lakh 22 thousand youths who remained unemployed.

‘Congress is spreading love in the atmosphere of hate.’ In Chhattisgarh, this love has been personified in the form of ‘Rajiv Yuva Mitan Club’. Youth is the foundation of the country and to connect them with social work, to make them the facilitator of cultural upliftment, 13 thousand 242 ‘Rajiv Yuva Mitan Clubs’ have been formed in the state, whose more than 4 lakh members add colours of ‘Love, Solidarity and Progress’ in the atmosphere of the state.

To strengthen the administrative system of the state, 6 new districts, 32 revenue subdivisions and 100 new tehsils were formed, through which the facilities of the people have increased. During the BJP government, only 7 percent of the houses in the state had domestic tap connections, which has now increased to 55 percent.

The poor are getting electricity free of cost and the rest of the houses are being lighted at half the cost. Fulfilling the promise of the ‘Half Electricity Scheme’, 43 lakh domestic electricity consumers were given a rebate of about Rs. 3 thousand 900 crores. And it continues. Where the earlier governments had made life difficult for the people, now efforts have been made to make their lives simple and pleasant. To encourage work in government offices through transparent process and to promote home delivery services, ‘Tuhar Sarkar, Tuhar Duar’ scheme was launched. More than 22 lakh smartcards-based registration certificates, driving licenses etc. have been delivered to the applicants at home.

Bhupesh Sarkar worked to save the culture by further strengthening ‘Chhattisgarhiyat’. Holidays were declared on occasions like Hareli, Teeja-Pora, Mata Karma Jayanti, Chher-Chhera Punni, World Tribal Day and Chhath Puja and food, folk-art, Madai-Mela were honoured and encouraged. ‘Chhattisgarhia Olympics’ are being organized every year to promote rural sports, in which a large number of people are becoming participants.

Instead of doing politics on religion, Bhupesh Government has done the work of giving recognition to Lord Shri Ram’s maternal home in the country and the world. Work is being done to preserve the footprints of ‘Maryada Purushottam Ram’ and the symbols of public faith in an area of 2 thousand 260 kilometres in the form of ‘Ram Vanagaman Tourism Circuit’. Construction works have also been inaugurated at many such places. The ancient temple complex of Mata Kaushalya has been renovated and beautified at Chandkhuri, 15 km from Raipur. Along with this, the organization of ‘Mata Kaushalya Mahotsav’ has also been started. National Ramayana Festival, under the State Level Ramayana Mandali Promotion Scheme, the organization of ‘Manas Mandali’ competition has also been started. The Tribal Folk Dance Festival has started getting recognition and appreciation at the international level. This has given them respect at the trust level.