Raipur, August 05, 2026: In a cabinet meeting held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, approved the formation of the ‘Chhattisgarh State Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mission’.
The objective of the Chhattisgarh State Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mission is to promote good governance, new technology, skill development, and the digital economy within the state.
The mission will span five years, with an expenditure of Rs 500 crore, officials said.
Under this mission, 100 AI data labs will be set up, 5 Centers of Excellence will be established, support will be provided to over 300 AI startups, and AI training will be imparted to 6 lakh students and 1.5 lakh government employees. More than 50 AI-based services will be developed to streamline and accelerate government operations.
Aligned with the Government of India’s ‘IndiaAI Mission’, this initiative marks a significant step towards establishing Chhattisgarh as a responsive, innovation-driven, and future-oriented digital state, they said.
Additionally, the Cabinet approved a proposal to allocate land at concessional rates to Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML) for setting up a Heavy Earth Moving Equipment manufacturing plant in Chhattisgarh.
BEML is a prestigious ‘Miniratna’ Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) under the Government of India. This will be the state’s first industry dedicated to manufacturing heavy earth-moving equipment; its establishment will give Chhattisgarh a new identity on the country’s industrial map and mark the beginning of a modern heavy machinery manufacturing industry in the state.
This significant decision by the Cabinet will boost large-scale investment in the state, create new employment opportunities for local youth, and provide direct and indirect benefits to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
Establishing the plant will accelerate industrial growth, strengthen the local economy, and position Chhattisgarh as a key hub in the manufacturing sector.
The Cabinet has approved the first phase of implementing the Works and Account Management Information System (WAMIS) for the digital management of construction activities within the Public Works Department. Through this system, processes such as work sanctioning, e-estimation, e-procurement, e-measurement books (e-MB), bill payments, accounting management, and quality monitoring will be conducted on an integrated digital platform.
Developed by C-DAC Pune, this system will initially be implemented in the Public Works Department (PWD) and subsequently expanded to other construction and infrastructure departments. This initiative will enhance transparency in construction works, expedite the payment process, enable real-time monitoring of projects, and make project implementation more effective and accountable.
During the Cabinet meeting, approval was granted to amend the guidelines issued for the construction of all-weather roads under the ‘Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak evam Vikas Yojana’ (Chief Minister’s Rural Road and Development Scheme).
The amendments remove the mandatory requirement for earthwork via MGNREGA prior to road construction and allow for the construction of CC (cement concrete) roads and drains in internal village lanes. The eligibility scope of the scheme has been expanded to include all rural roads not covered under the ‘Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana’ or other similar schemes. Financial resources may be sourced from NABARD loans, the Environment and Infrastructure Development Fund, the Mineral Trust Fund, and other sources as required. The administrative department will approve the works, while a state-level high-powered committee will be constituted to review implementation and ensure inter-departmental coordination.
The Cabinet has approved a proposal from the Finance Department to secure a full grant of Rs 15 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the “Anjor LIGHT” (Anjor Linked Implementation & Guidance for Holistic Tracking) technical assistance project, aimed at implementing the ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047’.
This is a three-year multi-sectoral project (running from December 1, 2026, to November 30, 2029) that entails no financial contribution from either the State Government or the Government of India.
The project encompasses strengthening public financial management, developing the PPP ecosystem, promoting green and blended finance, improving the operational efficiency of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), developing climate-resilient projects, and creating a pipeline of priority-based projects aligned with ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047’. A Project Management Unit (PMU) will be established for this purpose.
As the project is entirely grant-based, it will impose no additional financial burden on the state; instead, it will accelerate institutional capacity building, investment promotion, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Council of Ministers has approved the proposal to implement the State Single Nodal Agency (S-SNA) model for state schemes. The objective of this new system is to ensure more transparent, secure, and effective utilization of funds allocated for government schemes. Funds will no longer remain idle in various bank accounts for extended periods; instead, payments will be made directly to beneficiaries or vendors only when required, through a centralized ‘mother account.’
This model, based on the SNA system already implemented by the Government of India for Centrally Sponsored Schemes, will now be applied to state schemes as well, thereby further strengthening transparency, accountability, and good governance.
This system will enable real-time monitoring of scheme implementation, strengthen financial discipline, and effectively curb issues such as idle funds, embezzlement, and banking fraud. Additionally, it will enhance the state’s cash management capabilities, reduce the unnecessary burden of interest costs, and ensure the optimal utilization of available financial resources.
The Cabinet has also approved a proposal for the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited (CSPGCL) to issue Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs)/bonds worth up to Rs 200 crore and list them on the stock exchange, with the aim of increasing participation from the general public and institutional investors. This decision will provide the company with new avenues for mobilizing financial resources, encourage investment in the energy sector, and accelerate the development of the state’s power infrastructure.
To facilitate this, the state government will provide a guarantee, including a waiver of guarantee fees, covering the repayment of principal and interest. Furthermore, the company’s Board of Directors has been authorized to make necessary decisions regarding the listing process, and the Energy Department has been authorized to issue the requisite directives.
