Raipur, June 16: Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and current Vidhan Sabha Speaker Dr Raman Singh on Tuesday inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for several development projects in Bhatapara.
The projects included the foundation stone laying of a shopping complex and a Chaupati Centre, besides the unveiling of statues at Mahatari Chowk and of martyr Krishna Khonde. Dr Singh also inaugurated a modern auditorium built at a cost of ₹8 crore within the Gajanand Agrawal College campus. The project was originally announced in 2016 by then Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh and former MLA Shivratan Sharma.
The event was attended by Revenue Minister Tankram Verma, Municipal Corporation President Ashwani Sharma, former Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gaurishankar Agrawal, Anurag Singh, Kedarnath Gupta, Anand Yadav, Sanam Jangde, Akanksha Jaiswal, and Tesulal Dhurandhar. Senior administrative officials, including Balodabazar-Bhatapara Collector Kuldeep Sharma, Superintendent of Police OP Sharma, and SDM Shyama Patel, were also present.
Addressing the gathering, Dr Raman Singh praised Shivratan Sharma, describing him as an “unprecedented legislator” who continued to drive development works in the region even when not in power. He said that installing statues of the 1971 war martyrs would inspire patriotism among the younger generation.
Dr Singh highlighted the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 12-year tenure, stating that India has reached new milestones in development since 2014. He added that the benefits of various Central welfare schemes have reached every section of society.
Former MLA Shivratan Sharma said that significant infrastructure development had taken place under the BJP government. He noted that the completion of the Bhatapara branch canal has provided irrigation facilities to more than 60,000 acres of agricultural land, benefiting thousands of farmers. He also stated that most rural roads in the constituency have been connected to major highways under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Speaking on the long-standing demand for administrative upgradation, Sharma expressed confidence that Bhatapara would eventually be carved out as an independent district during BJP rule. He recalled that in 2016, on his birthday, he had requested Dr Raman Singh to gift the region an auditorium and Mopka College, both of which have now become a reality.
Municipal Corporation President Ashwani Sharma thanked the guests and residents, stating that development works worth ₹4.50 crore commenced on Tuesday. He noted that the auditorium, pending for nearly a decade, had finally been completed with administrative support. He acknowledged the contributions of current Collector Kuldeep Sharma, former collectors Rajat Bansal and Deepak Soni, and former SDM Narendra Banjara in completing the projects.
