TFP Bureau, Raipur, June 11, 2025: Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai today attended the oath-taking and felicitation ceremony of Shri Kedarnath Gupta, the newly appointed authorized officer of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank Limited, held at Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur. Alongside, the Chief Minister virtually inaugurated a new branch of Apex Bank at Farasabahar in Jashpur district, congratulating local residents on the enhanced banking access.
Addressing the event, Shri Sai emphasized that the vision of spreading cooperatives to every household is being realized under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Cooperative Minister Shri Amit Shah. Inspired by their guidance, the state government is vigorously working to strengthen cooperative networks throughout Chhattisgarh.
Shri Sai highlighted the promotion of dairy farming in partnership with the National Dairy Development Board, with milch animals being distributed across six pilot districts to boost milk production. He also outlined the ongoing initiative launched on Panchayati Raj Day to provide banking facilities to farmers and rural citizens by establishing Atal Digital Suvidha Kendras in 1,460 Gram Panchayats, with plans to extend these services statewide by next year.
Reflecting on past reforms, the Chief Minister praised former Assembly Speaker and Chief Minister Dr. Raman Singh for reducing interest rates on farmers’ short-term loans, ultimately enabling interest-free agricultural credit today. He welcomed the opening of the new Apex Bank branch in Farasabahar, which will save farmers the arduous journey to Pathalgaon, some 50-60 km away.
Dr. Raman Singh, in his address, paid tribute to pioneers of the cooperative movement in Chhattisgarh such as Shri Vamanrao Lakhe and Thakur Pyarelal. He noted that 2025 is the International Year of Cooperation and credited Union Minister Shri Amit Shah’s efforts for transformative progress in the sector. Dr. Singh lauded Chief Minister Sai’s pioneering procurement of paddy at record rates, and his commitment to extending cooperative benefits to the remotest villages. He described Apex Bank as a powerful institution with a turnover of Rs 40,000 crores, having disbursed Rs 7,500 crores in farmer loans so far.
Dr. Singh also applauded Prime Minister Modi’s push to connect every citizen to banking services, highlighting the success of direct benefit transfers without intermediaries. He called for continued efforts to link 100% of farmers with cooperatives and Apex Bank facilities soon.
In a related development, Mazgaon Dock Ship Builders Limited handed over a cheque of Rs 2.25 crore to Satya Sai Heart Hospital in Raipur under CSR initiatives, witnessed by Chief Minister Sai, who expressed gratitude for the generous contribution.
The event was attended by Cooperation Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Revenue Minister Shri Tankaram Verma, Food Minister Shri Dayaldas Baghel, MLAs, Chairpersons of various corporations and boards, Additional Chief Secretary Cooperation Shri Subrat Sahu, and other dignitaries.
