Chhattisgarh CM Baghel kicks off constituency-wise interaction drive

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday kicked off his constituency-wise public interaction drive from the state's tribal-dominated Balrampur district and interacted with villagers to evaluate the status of his government's schemes.

On receiving a complaint from an elderly woman during the drive regarding a ration card, Baghel immediately ordered the suspension of the chief municipal officer (CMO) of Kusmi Nagar Panchayat there for alleged negligence.

The chief minister accompanied by the state's Urban Administration Minister Shivkumar Dahariya left from Raipur at around 11.15 am in a helicopter and reached Kusmi Nagar Panchayat in Samri Assembly constituency on the first day of campaign titled, 'Bhent Mulaqat Abhiyaan', a government official here said.

The constituency is located over 400 km away from capital Raipur in Surguja division.

On learning about his arrival, people, particularly children and youth, gathered out of curiosity to see the helicopter and the chief minister and also to raise their grievances.

After landing in Kusmi, Baghel directly went to the local police station and performed rituals at Shri Ram Janki Temple there, after which he interacted with the police personnel and their families, the official said.

The chief minister visited a fair price shop, where during interaction with beneficiaries, he came to know from a local villager that her name was excluded from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) list and she does not have a ration card, he said.

Taking serious cognisance of the complaint, Baghel instructed the district collector to suspend the CMO of Kusmi Nagar Panchayat, he said.