Raipur, April 29, 2026: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, while discussing the remarkable success of the “Niyad Nella Nar Scheme” during a meeting of the State Tribal Advisory Council today, announced the imminent implementation of its next phase, “Niyad Nella Nar 2.0.”
Sai stated that through this advanced initiative—the Niyad Nella Nar Scheme—basic amenities such as electricity, water, roads, and rations will be further expanded in remote regions of the state.
He added that, concurrently, the health screening of 36 lakh people under the “Chief Minister Swasth Bastar Scheme” is progressing steadily.
During the meeting, held today at the Secretariat under the Chief Minister’s chairmanship, comprehensive discussions were held regarding the holistic development of the tribal community, and several significant decisions were taken.
Sai noted that Bastar—a region geographically larger than Kerala—had remained deprived of development for decades; however, schemes are now being rapidly expanded there, establishing a new trajectory of development.
Prioritizing the preservation of tribal culture and traditions, he issued directives to ensure the protection of ‘Devgudis’ and ‘Sarna’ sites. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to take effective and stringent measures to prevent illegal encroachment.
Sai informed that through the “Dharti Aaba Gram Utkarsh Scheme,” education and healthcare facilities are being strengthened in 6,600 villages across the state, while 32,000 housing units have been sanctioned under the PM-JANMAN scheme.
He directed that cases involving the exploitation of tribal land under long-term leases be investigated. Additionally, he issued instructions to promptly forward the proposal for including the Korwa and Sansari Oraon communities in the Scheduled Tribes list to the Central Government.
With the objective of strengthening education and infrastructure, the Chief Minister emphasized the need to increase hostel capacities, ensure their proper maintenance, and guarantee the adequate availability of teachers.
He also issued clear directives to establish expedited educational arrangements for children in Naxal-free zones and to strictly avoid conducting classes in open-air settings.
Expressing displeasure over the slow progress in the construction of the Ambikapur National Highway, the Chief Minister issued directives to complete the works in a time-bound and high-quality manner. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to pay special attention to routes that are prone to disruption during the monsoon season.
Minister of the Tribal Welfare Department and Vice-Chairman of the Council Ramvichar Netam stated that for a long time, Naxalism remained the greatest impediment to development in the remote tribal regions of the state, including Bastar and Sarguja. With the elimination of this challenge—which persisted for the past four decades—the effective and rapid implementation of public welfare schemes has now become possible in these areas, with the direct benefits reaching the local populace.
Netam remarked that the tribal community is now rapidly integrating into the mainstream of development and gaining access to new opportunities for advancement.
He further noted that following the eradication of Naxalism, the ground-level implementation of various schemes has significantly improved. All departments have been instructed to work in mutual coordination to ensure the timely completion of approved projects. He placed special emphasis on the need for public representatives and officials to resolve sensitive issues promptly and on a priority basis.
Netam stated that basic amenities—such as electricity, water, and roads—are now reaching the settlements of particularly backward tribal groups. Additionally, the construction of new hostels is providing talented individuals from remote areas with better opportunities for advancement, thereby paving the way for their holistic development.
Present on this occasion were Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap, Vice-Chairperson of the Bastar Development Authority Lata Usendi, Vice-Chairperson of the Sarguja Area Development Authority Gomati Sai, Vice-Chairperson of the Central Area Development Authority Pranav Marpachchi, and MLAs Raimuni Bhagat, Chaitram Atami, Vikram Usendi, Uddeshwari Paikra, Neelkanth Tekam, and Asharam Netam. Also in attendance were Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Subodh Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary of the Tribal Welfare Department Sonmani Bora, Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam, along with secretaries from various departments and members of the Council.
