New Delhi, June 29, 2026: Chhattisgarh’s innovative ‘Material Bank Model’ received special national-level acclaim today at a two-day national rural development conference held in New Delhi.
Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan, praised the model, developed under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), describing it as an effective innovation that accelerates rural housing construction.
Chhattisgarh was represented at the conference by Deputy Chief Minister-Panchayat and Rural Development Vijay Sharma.
The ‘Material Bank Model’ developed in Chhattisgarh is operated by women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs) acting as ‘Dealer Didis’.
Through this initiative, construction materials are made available at a single location to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) in remote rural areas. This has made the process of housing construction easier, faster, and more cost-effective.
This initiative has boosted the income of SHG women, with over 10,000 ‘Didis’ moving towards becoming ‘Lakhpati Didis’ (women earning an annual income of over Rs 1 lakh).
The model was showcased as an effective example of women’s empowerment, livelihood enhancement, and rural housing construction.
Union Minister Chouhan stated that Chhattisgarh has set an example of innovation and effective implementation in the field of rural development.
He also commended the work being done under RSETI (Rural Self Employment Training Institutes) and the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana to connect rural youth with skill development, self-employment, and livelihood opportunities.
Notably, Chhattisgarh provided the highest number of mason training sessions in the country last financial year through RSETI. He described these efforts as inspiring for other states.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma stated that under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, the state government is continuously working towards rural development, skill upgradation, the promotion of self-employment, and providing better facilities to poor families.
He remarked that this national-level recognition serves as a testament to the state’s public welfare initiatives, innovations, and effective implementation of schemes, and will inspire the state to achieve even more in the realm of rural development.
