Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that Dharsa Vikas Yojana will soon be started in the state to give farmers convenient access to their fields. He said that a new avenue of income has been opened for the farmers by linking Chief Minister's Plantation Scheme with Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana. In a virtual programme organized at his residence office on Wednesday, Chief Minister inaugurated and performed bhumipujan of 1430 works worth Rs 565 crore in Balodabazar-Bhatapara and Mahasamund districts.
He dedicated 1172 works worth Rs 295 crore for Balodabazar district and 258 works worth Rs 270 crore for Mahasamund district.
Although the pace of construction works got affected due to lockdown, but we kept the more important works going with full force. State Government took effective, consistent and consolidated steps to save poor people, farmers, labourers and villagers from hunger, unemployment and worries of the future. Last year as well, poor people were provided rice free of cost during lockdown. This year, the arrangement for rice distribution in May and June was made in advance, and now the decision to distribute rice free of cost for five months from July to November has been taken. Now all the ration card holders will be provided additional stock of rice equivalent to the entitlement under Prime Minister Poor Welfare Scheme.
Chief Minister said that the development works that got affected during the first and the second wave of COVID-19 will now be completed at faster pace. Development works have been resumed soon after the second wave settled. On Tuesday, bhumipujan and inauguration of development works worth nearly 700 crore was done in Durg and Balod districts.
Baghel sanctioned Rs 6 crore for construction of a pucca road and a bridge from village Pahanda in Balodabazar district to Raipur via Limahi and assured of sanctioning Rs 20 lakh for building construction on land allotment for Thethvar Yadav Community Hall in Balodabazar, in response to the demand of Shailesh Nitin Trivedi, Chairman of Textbook Corporation.
The CM said that despite the adverse circumstances due to COVID crisis, State Government has been working in interest of all the sections of society including poor, farmers, laborers and tribals. Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana helped in empowering the farmers. The installments of Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana continued to reach the accounts of the farmers whenever they needed it for the agricultural works. Last year, an amount of Rs 5628 crore was transfered directly to the accounts of 19 lakh farmers in four installments under this scheme. Now the scope of this scheme is being further expanded including tur, maize, kodo, kutki, soybean, pulses and oilseeds along with sugarcane and paddy.
Baghel said that Godhan Nyay Yojana has also brought great respite to the farmers and cattle rearers during COVID crisis. So far, more than Rs 95 crore has been paid to the dung vendors against the procurement of cow dung. Chhattisgarh was the first state in the country to provide employment under MNREGA works during the last lockdown. This year as well, 25 percent of the annual target under MNREGA has been completed in two months.