Raipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday addressed the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav in Nava Raipur, marking the state’s silver jubilee and foundation day. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for developmental and transformative projects worth over ₹14,260 crore across key sectors, including roads, industry, healthcare, and energy.
Congratulating the people of Chhattisgarh, Modi said it was a privilege to join them in celebrating 25 years of the state’s formation. “Twenty-five years ago, Atal Bihari Vajpayee ji handed over the Chhattisgarh of your dreams with the resolve that it would reach new heights of development,” he said, adding that the state had since “grown into a flourishing tree of progress.”
The Prime Minister inaugurated the new Assembly building and the Tribal Museum and launched projects worth around ₹14,000 crore from the same platform.
Highlighting the state’s transformation, Modi said that villages once without roads now boast a 40,000-km rural road network. He announced a new four-lane highway to boost connectivity between Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand and lauded improvements in rail and air networks, noting that Vande Bharat trains now operate in the state.
Modi credited all previous chief ministers for Chhattisgarh’s progress, particularly Dr. Raman Singh, who now serves as Speaker of the Assembly, and praised Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s leadership in driving rapid development.
From a single medical college in 2000, Chhattisgarh now has 14 medical colleges and an AIIMS, with more than 5,500 Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. The Prime Minister announced that over 3.5 lakh families in the state received homes and ₹1,200 crore was disbursed to nearly three lakh families under the government’s housing initiative.
Modi further noted that electricity has reached every village, and even remote tribal areas now have internet access. He announced the dedication of the Nagpur–Jharsuguda gas pipeline, which will provide affordable piped gas to households.
Emphasizing Chhattisgarh’s rich tribal heritage, Modi inaugurated the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum, showcasing over 150 years of tribal contributions to India’s freedom struggle. He said the government’s Van Dhan Kendras and improved tendu leaf procurement have significantly increased incomes for forest produce collectors.
Lauding the decline in Maoist violence, Modi said, “Eleven years ago, over 125 districts were affected by Maoist terror; today, only three remain. The day is not far when Chhattisgarh and the nation will be completely free from Maoist terrorism.” He highlighted recent mass surrenders of Naxalites in Bastar and Kanker as signs of change.
“The red flag has been replaced by the national tricolour,” he remarked, noting that villages like Puvarti, once strongholds of terror, now host cultural events like the Bastar Olympics.
During his visit, Modi also inaugurated the Shanti Shikhar building of Brahma Kumaris and interacted with over 200 children treated under the ‘Dil Ki Baat’ initiative at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital. The day concluded with a grand roadshow in Nava Raipur, where he received an enthusiastic welcome from cheering crowds.
