Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai Requests Special Grants from Central Finance Commission to Address State’s Unique Challenges

RaipurIn a meeting with the 16th Finance Commission during their visit to Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai requested special grants for the state, considering its unique circumstances and needs. The Chief Minister highlighted that Chhattisgarh is a young state with a tribal majority, surrounded by difficult geographical conditions and affected by Maoism. He emphasized the need for more financial resources to bring Chhattisgarh on par with developed states.The meeting was attended by Dr. Arvind Panagariya, Chairman of the 16th Finance Commission, Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary, Agriculture Minister Ramvichar Netam, Food Minister Dayaldas Baghel, Water Resources Minister Kedar Kashyap, Industry Minister Lakhanlal Devangan, Health Minister Shyam Bihari Jaiswal, Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade, Revenue Minister Tankaram Verma, Finance Commission members Ajay Narayan Jha, Annie George Matthew, Dr. Manoj Panda, Dr. Soumyakanti Ghosh, Secretary Ritvik Pandey, and other delegation members.During the meeting, Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai mentioned that rapid development work is being carried out in Maoist-affected areas, with effective measures to control Maoism.

Due to difficult geographical conditions, infrastructure development in these areas incurs additional costs. Under the ‘Niyad Nellnar Scheme,’ efforts are being made to ensure basic facilities like education, health, roads, electricity, and water.The Chief Minister stated that increased financial assistance from the Central Finance Commission would significantly enhance public welfare activities in backward areas. He expressed that Chhattisgarh is working diligently to become a Developed Chhattisgarh alongside a Developed India. He hopes the Central Finance Commission will provide more financial assistance to realize this vision.The Chief Minister noted that due to the challenging geographical conditions, the costs and timelines of projects related to rail, road, telecommunications, energy, and irrigation increase, leading to additional expenses.

He also pointed out that due to the GST consumption and destination-based tax system, the real benefits of mining activities are not reaped by Chhattisgarh but by states where value addition and consumption of minerals occur.The Chief Minister highlighted that Chhattisgarh started with a small economy of ₹29,539 crores in 2000. By 2023-24, the state achieved a GSDP target of ₹5,09,000 crores and aims to double the GSDP size in the next five years. He urged for an increase in the central government’s contribution to jointly operated schemes with the state government.Dr. Arvind Panagariya praised Chhattisgarh’s economic progress, noting that the state is rapidly advancing. He mentioned that Naya Raipur has been developed beautifully and systematically. He emphasized the importance of focusing on manufacturing units to fulfill the vision of a Developed India and Developed Chhattisgarh. He acknowledged Chhattisgarh’s rapid economic growth and improvements in fiscal stability and social indicators. Dr. Panagariya said that the state’s greatest resource is its human capital, which needs to be skilled for the manufacturing and service sectors.Finance Minister O.P. Choudhary, presenting the state’s financial scenario, mentioned that Naya Raipur is being developed as a green smart city and requires more resources from the center for infrastructure development. He assured that Chhattisgarh follows financial discipline according to set standards and will continue to do so, striving to eliminate leakages through modern technology in the tax system. The Finance Minister provided important suggestions regarding the criteria for tax distribution between the center and states by the Central Finance Commission. Deputy Chief Ministers and other ministers also requested more resources for their respective departments.Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain delivered the welcome address. DGP Ashok Juneja presented the resource needs for the police force, and NRDA CEO Saurabh Kumar presented the resource requirements for Naya Raipur’s projects.