Important decisions taken Cabinet meeting

Raipur, Jan 19

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai today chaired cabinet meeting, where several important decisions were taken:

The decisions taken in the meeting that include Payment of ₹3,100 per quintal for paddy procurement:
In the interest of farmers, a significant decision was made in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guarantee. Approximately 2.7 million farmers in Chhattisgarh who sell paddy at the minimum support price (MSP) will receive payments at ₹3,100 per quintal as per the state government’s declared rate. The central government has set the MSP at ₹2,300 per quintal, which is already being paid to farmers. The Chhattisgarh government will provide the remaining ₹800 per quintal as input assistance in a lump sum by February 2025.

Online auction of surplus paddy:
The cabinet decided to sell surplus paddy procured during the Kharif marketing year 2024-25 through an online platform.

Special relief package for mini steel plants and steel industries:
To support industries facing economic slowdown, the cabinet approved a relief package for HV-4 category electricity consumers (mini steel plants and steel industries without captive power plants or with plants below 1 MW and a load exceeding 2.5 MVA). A maximum discount of ₹1 per unit on energy charges will be provided from October 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.

Increased financial assistance for artists and writers:
As per the announcement made in the legislative assembly session, the Chhattisgarh Artists Fund Rules, 1982, will be amended. The financial assistance for artists and their dependents will be increased from ₹25,000 to ₹50,000, and in case of death, financial aid of ₹1 lakh will be provided.

MoU with National Stock Exchange for student skill development:
The state government will sign an MoU with the National Stock Exchange (NSE) under the Student Skilling Program (SSP) to equip youth with skills and knowledge in financial markets, investment tools, and financial planning. This training will be provided to high school, higher secondary, and college students.

Creation of a new post in the Excise Department:
A new post of Additional Excise Commissioner (Pay Matrix Level-15) will be created in the Commercial Tax (Excise) Department.

Land allocation for healthcare services:
The cabinet approved the free allocation of 5 acres of additional land in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar to Shri Sathya Sai Health & Education Trust for healthcare services.

Land allocation for The Art of Living Centre:
Under the Chhattisgarh Special Area (Real Estate Disposal) Rules, 2008, the cabinet approved 40 acres of land at a concessional rate in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar for setting up The Art of Living Centre.

Amendments to the Land Purchase Policy in Nava Raipur:
The Nava Raipur Atal Nagar Development Authority will amend its 2017 Land Purchase Policy based on mutual agreements.

One-time settlement scheme for unsold properties:
Residential and commercial properties constructed by Chhattisgarh Housing Board that have remained unsold for over five years will be offered at a discounted rate of 10%, 20%, or 30% under a one-time settlement (OTS) scheme.

Approval for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana – Urban 2.0:
The cabinet approved a total grant of ₹3,938.80 crore to benefit 132,000 beneficiaries under PMAY-U 2.0. This includes a mandatory state share of ₹1,450 crore and an additional state share of ₹538 crore, which will be disbursed upon house completion or possession.

Ready-to-eat food production assigned to women’s self-help groups:
To empower women’s self-help groups (SHGs), the cabinet decided to assign the production of ready-to-eat (RTE) food to SHGs. In the first phase, this initiative will be implemented in five districts.

Extension of reservation provisions for OBCs in Panchayati Raj institutions:
The cabinet approved the extension of the ordinance amending the Chhattisgarh Panchayati Raj Act, 1993, regarding representation and reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system.