Empowering Urban Living: Chhattisgarh Government’s New Initiatives
By Shri Chhagan Lonhare,
TFP Bureau, Raipur; Sep 15, 2023: The Chhattisgarh government has ushered in a wave of innovation and convenience in urban areas with an array of new initiatives aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, enhancing employment opportunities, and simplifying citizens’ lives.
Mahatma Gandhi Urban Industrial Park:
In a bid to foster entrepreneurship, self-employment, and self-reliance in urban areas, the government is establishing the Mahatma Gandhi Urban Industrial Park across 14 municipal corporations and 44 municipal councils in the state. These industrial parks will serve as hubs for entrepreneurs, self-help groups, and young individuals seeking employment, offering them improved opportunities to thrive in urban settings.
Mukhyamantri Mitan Yojana:
Recognizing the demands of modern life, the state introduced the ‘Mukhyamantri Mitan Yojana’ to spare citizens the hassle of frequent trips to government offices. Under this scheme, ‘Mitans’ visit citizens’ homes to gather essential information for government documents, prepare the necessary paperwork, and provide home delivery services. Initially implemented in all 14 municipal corporations, the scheme has now expanded to include all municipal councils and 02 nagar panchayats in district headquarters. What began with 13 services has now grown to encompass 25, including Aadhaar, PAN, Ration Card, Revenue Records, Birth-Death, Marriage Registration/Correction, Gumasta License, Shramik Card, and more. Remarkably, over 1.2 lakh people have received certificates at home through this scheme.
To avail themselves of the Mukhyamantri Mitan Yojana, citizens simply need to call the toll-free number 14545 to schedule an appointment. On the designated date and time, a Mitan arrives at the applicant’s residence to collect the necessary documents. These documents are then verified through a tablet and uploaded to the portal. Once the relevant departments review and approve the documents, the certificates are issued and delivered to the applicant’s doorstep by the Mitan. This initiative has significantly reduced the need for citizens to visit Municipal Corporations, Tehsils, and other government offices, offering greater convenience, particularly to senior citizens, disabled individuals, laborers, farmers, women, and the general public.
Mukhyamantri Slum Health Scheme:
Chhattisgarh also recognizes the importance of healthcare accessibility. The ‘Mukhyamantri Slum Health Scheme’ extends free medical care to common citizens through mobile medical units during medical camps, providing consultations, treatments, medications, and daily tests. To date, over 53 lakh patients have received free examinations in 70,271 camps, with over 45 lakh patients receiving free medicines and more than 14.32 lakh patients undergoing laboratory tests. The third phase of the program has commenced, operating an additional 30 mobile medical units.
Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store Scheme:
To strengthen the urban health system, the government initiated the ‘Shri Dhanwantri Generic Medical Store Scheme.’ This initiative offers high-quality generic medicines at concessional rates through 196 stores in urban areas. The stores stock 329 generic medicines, 28 surgical items, and products from Chhattisgarh Herbals. To date, medicines worth Rs. 204.74 crore have been recovered, with Rs. 80.17 crore worth of products sold to 71.47 lakh beneficiaries. The scheme has enabled savings of Rs. 124.57 crore for the public.
These initiatives collectively reflect the Chhattisgarh government’s commitment to enhancing urban living conditions, boosting entrepreneurship, and ensuring citizens’ access to quality healthcare and essential services.
Shri Chhagan Lonhare is a journalist based in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, covering developments in the region.
