Raipur, March 22, 2026: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai today said that his government remains steadfastly committed to the upliftment of the tribal community of the state.
The Chief Minister attended the Gondwana Adarsh Mass Marriage Ceremony, organized under the aegis of the ‘Bawangarh Adivasi Dhruv Gond Samaj Turturiya Mata Mahasabha, Lavan,’ held at the village of Odan in the Balodabazar district.
On this occasion, Sai extended his blessings, congratulations, and best wishes for a blissful married life to the 28 newlywed couples who tied the knot during the mass marriage ceremony in accordance with traditional Gondi rituals.
Sai reiterated that his government is committed to the upliftment of the tribal community. He stated that all tribals who adhere to the Gondwana culture are worshippers of nature; they have made significant contributions toward the conservation of water, forests, and land.
The Chief Minister highlighted that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, numerous schemes are being implemented to foster the advancement of tribal communities. A budgetary allocation of Rs 200 crore has been earmarked this year for the ‘Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan’ (Tribal Village Upliftment Campaign). Similarly, the ‘PM-JANMAN’ scheme is proving to be a milestone in the direction of the holistic development of tribal communities.
The Chief Minister further stated that the State Government is working continuously to promote tribal art and culture. To preserve and propagate tribal traditions, the ‘Chief Minister Samman Nidhi’ (Chief Minister’s Honour Fund) has been launched, through which financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per annum is being provided to traditional healers and spiritual guides such as Baigas, Guniyas, and Sirhas.
He noted that forest produce and the collection of Tendu leaves constitute a major source of income for tribal communities. The procurement price for Tendu leaves has been increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,500 per standard bag.
The government has also reinstated measures to ensure that tribals venturing into the forests to collect forest produce do not suffer foot injuries from thorns; consequently, the distribution of footwear (Charan Paduka) will be undertaken this year as well. A budgetary provision of Rs 60 crore has been allocated specifically for providing footwear to Tendu leaf collectors.
Responding to the demands of community office-bearers, Chief Minister Sai announced a grant of Rs 50 lakh each for the construction of a Kanwar community hall in Kasdol town and a community hall in the Palari Nagar Panchayat, as well as Rs 25 lakh for the construction of a community hall at the Baradev Thana in village Odan.
Additionally, he granted approval for the construction of a CC road connecting the Shani Temple to the Baradev Thana in village Odan.
