TFP Bureau, Raipur; July 10, 2024: During his visit to Raipur, Union Minister of Power and Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Manohar Lal emphasized that Chhattisgarh will experience rapid development through better coordination between the state and central governments. He reviewed ongoing projects in energy, housing, and public facilities in a meeting held at the ministry, promising full support from the Government of India to meet Chhattisgarh’s electricity and housing needs.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Shri Arun Saw, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Tokhan Sahu, and Chief Secretary Shri Amitabh Jain attended the review meeting. Shri Manohar Lal highlighted the various subsidy schemes and initiatives to promote solar energy, urging the state to maximize the use of funds and grants provided by the central government. He assured that the central government would ensure smooth facilitation of development schemes in the state.
The Union Minister suggested utilizing the 100 buses received by Raipur under the Clean City initiative for transportation between Naya Raipur and Raipur. He reviewed the progress in reducing line losses, installing smart meters, electrifying backward tribal areas, and ensuring coal availability for power generation. Additionally, he assessed the progress of housing and urban projects, including the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, PM Swanidhi, Amrit Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission, PM e-Bus Service, Smart City Mission, and National Urban Development Mission, pledging adequate funding for these schemes.
Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai expressed gratitude to Union Minister Shri Manohar Lal, noting that his prompt review within a month of assuming office would help accelerate the state’s development. He stated that efforts are underway to increase power generation, predicting Chhattisgarh will soon regain its ‘Power Surplus State’ status. The Chief Minister highlighted recent improvements in electricity availability for farmers and small workers, with significant discounts on electricity bills for irrigation pumps. He requested priority approval for 19,906 pending houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and an additional 50,000 houses with a revised central share, as collected during the Vikasit Bharat Sankalp Yatra.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration and Development Minister Shri Arun Saw affirmed the state’s commitment to adhering to the guidelines of the Government of India for urban development, including cleanliness, housing, livelihood, and drinking water. He expressed optimism that cooperation from the central government would further accelerate these initiatives.
The review meeting was attended by Ms. Roopa Mishra, Joint Secretary, Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Mr. Shashank Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Power, Ms. Anita Meena, Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban), Mr. P. Dayanand, Secretary to Chief Minister, Dr. Basavaraju S., Secretary, Urban Administration and Development Department, Director Mr. Kundan Kumar, CEO, CREDA, Mr. Rajesh Singh Rana, and Regional Executive Director, NTPC, Mr. Pradipta Kumar Mishra, along with other officials from the concerned departments.
