Vishnu Dev Sai, Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh’s Republic Day Message

Bilaspur, January 2026 : Greetings to all mothers-sisters, elders, youth, and children.
Today we are celebrating the 77th Republic Day.
Heartiest congratulations and best wishes to all of you on Republic Day.
As far as my eyes can see, the glory of the tricolor is visible everywhere.
Every child of Mother India looks full of joy.
In every citizen’s heart, patriotism is surging.
Within every citizen, the flame of commitment to nation-building is burning.
I warmly congratulate such brave children of Mother India on the auspicious occasion of Republic Day.
Today is a day to celebrate the joys of a national festival.
Today is a day to remember our great personalities who sacrificed for the nation.
We are all grateful to all the freedom fighters who struggled hard for independence and made India the largest republic in the world.
On this day, we remember our constitution makers.
Our constitution, made by Baba Saheb Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar, inspires us to internalize the message of “manke-manke ek saman” (all humans are equal) given by Baba Guru Ghasidas Ji.
In Indian tradition, great saints like Tulsidas and Kabirdas prioritized freedom of expression in governance.
Our constitution provides every citizen with this right.

The Indian Republic has created an open society in which every citizen can express ideas for nation-building.
On this day, all citizens of the country celebrate the rights granted by the constitution.

Recently, we celebrated the silver jubilee of the state’s formation.
Our former Prime Minister, Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, gave us the gift of Chhattisgarh state.
We celebrated his birth centenary year as Atal Nirman Varsh (Year of Atal’s Creation).

On the occasion of the silver jubilee, the inauguration of our new assembly building, the temple of the constitution, was carried out by the esteemed Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji.

This building, a symbol of our democratic faith, truly represents Chhattisgarhi identity.
The architecture of this building, enriched with designs of rice ears and tribal arts of Bastar-Sarguja, reflects the soil of Chhattisgarh.

25 years ago, the first session of our assembly was held in Rajkumar College, Jashpur Hall, Raipur.
Along with the state, the assembly has also celebrated the silver jubilee of its rich traditions.
Many democratic traditions were established here, which were later emulated by assemblies of other states.

This year, we also celebrated the 150th anniversary of the national song Vande Mataram.
In the newly constructed assembly building, we had a special discussion on Vande Mataram’s contribution to nation-building.

From Konta in Sukma district to Sitamarhi Harchauka of Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district, people in every corner of the state sang Vande Mataram aloud.
This honor of our national song, written in praise of Mother India, is a true tribute to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.

This year also marks the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
Through one nation, one flag, one constitution, he sacrificed for the integrity of Mother India.
When Article 370 was removed from Jammu & Kashmir, it was a true tribute to Dr. Mukherjee from the nation.

This time, on the occasion of Tribal Pride Day, we also celebrated the 150th birth anniversary of the tribal leader Shri Birsa Munda.
Shri Birsa Munda inspired a sense of self-respect in tribal society.
He fought fiercely against British exploitation and colonial laws and made the ultimate sacrifice.

The land of Chhattisgarh has also witnessed tribal rebellions against British exploitation.
During the freedom struggle, tribal heroes contributed significantly through forest Satyagraha.

We are telling the story of the sacrifices of Chhattisgarh’s tribal heroes in the fight for independence through digital media.
The inauguration of the Shaheed Veernarayan Singh Tribal Freedom Fighter Museum was also carried out by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji on the occasion of State Foundation Day.
This is the first digital museum in the country.

This museum, showing the character of our tribal heroes who sacrificed for the nation’s dignity, is like a pilgrimage site for today’s generation.
A large number of people gather here, filled with reverence for their heroes.
Fairs will be held annually on the pyres of martyrs.
This will be the remaining mark of those who died for the country.

Today, we honor our brave soldiers who risked their lives to free our land from the threat of Maoism.

The Maoist violent ideology is a major challenge to the country’s democracy.
Their faith is neither in the constitution, nor in the nation’s dignity, nor in the symbols of national integrity.
The solution to this cancer-like disease is to eradicate it from the root.

Under the leadership of the Prime Minister and guidance of Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah Ji, we adopted a well-planned strategy to challenge the Maoists.
Our soldiers dominated areas day and night, facing danger in difficult weather and remote conditions, achieving every goal with courage and valor.

The extremely difficult objective of eliminating Maoist violence is now near completion.
By March this year, we will root out Maoism from this beautiful land.

The happy thing is that many people who had strayed are now returning to the mainstream of democracy.
They laid down arms and took Baba Saheb’s Constitution in their hands.
In the country of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, this was the most beautiful sight and strengthened the spirit of Satya Meva Jayate of the Constitution.

A few months ago, when I went to Jagdalpur to attend a program, I visited Bastar Cafe, where surrendered Maoist women now manage the cafe.
The joy on their faces from leaving the path of violence and taking the path of serving people is beyond words.

After every dark night, a new morning comes.
Now the sun of development is shining in the Maoist-free areas.
The shadow of fear has lifted from children’s faces; they hold books in their hands.
It is very pleasing to see Bastar in this new form.

Our state’s granary, that is, our bowl of rice, is overflowing with paddy.
After the formation of the state, paddy procurement was carried out systematically.
When paddy procurement began, the figure was 5 lakh metric tons; last time, this figure reached 149 lakh metric tons.

In the past two years, through farmer-friendly schemes, we have transferred ₹1.5 lakh crore into farmers’ accounts.
Our government takes decisions in the interest of farmers.

Under the Atal Irrigation Scheme, 115 irrigation projects that were incomplete and pending for years are now being completed, and we have approved a plan worth ₹2,800 crore for this.

The GST reforms implemented by the Prime Minister during Diwali have benefited our farmer brothers the most.
Tractors and other agricultural equipment have become much cheaper.
For businesses selling agricultural machinery, it has been a very busy time.

The biggest benefit of tax reduction on agriculture-related products is that our farmers are rapidly adopting modern farming techniques.

Our Chhattisgarh rice is exported to 120 countries.
Reduced costs and good prices provided by the government help farmers keep their products competitive.
Our country is also negotiating trade deals with other nations, including major global powers.
The Prime Minister has clearly stated that no trade agreements will harm farmers in any way.

The double-engine government never yields on farmers’ issues; it stands tall on farmers’ issues and ensures that farmer brothers receive their due rights.

Along with farmers, the prosperity of our worker brothers is our highest priority.
In the past two years, our government has transferred more than ₹800 crore to over 29 lakh workers through various schemes.

Considering the goal of women’s empowerment, provisions have been made for conditional employment of women even in night shifts.
In just 2 years, the number of insured workers under the Employees’ State Insurance Act has increased from 4.6 lakh to 6.26 lakh.

The central government replaced 29 old labor laws with 4 labor codes, and their implementation is being rapidly carried out in the interest of workers.

Our government has completed two years.
Fulfilling Modi Ji’s guarantee, in the very first cabinet meeting, we approved 18 lakh housing units.
So far, more than 26 lakh Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana homes have been approved in the state.

We are implementing this work to provide housing in mission mode.
I am very happy to tell you that approximately 2,000 houses are being built daily in the state—this is the highest pace in the country.

You all are witnesses to the housing revolution happening in Chhattisgarh.
Thatched roofs are a thing of the past; now every house is pucca, with basic facilities and clean water under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Before the formation of the state, people faced hours-long power cuts.
In terms of electricity production, we are currently second in the country and moving rapidly towards first place.

Today, BPL families in the state receive free electricity under the single-bulb scheme, and other families get 24-hour electricity at subsidized rates.

In the energy sector, we are working according to the needs of a developed India and a developed Chhattisgarh.
In this context, the Prime Minister laid the foundation of a super thermal power project worth ₹9,790 crore in Sipat.

The double-engine government focuses on the zero carbon emission goal, and accordingly, work is ongoing on city gas distribution pipelines in districts like Korea, Sarguja, and Balrampur.

Under the Prime Minister Solar Rooftop Scheme, state subsidies are also provided, leading to large-scale registration for renewable energy.

We also signed an MOU with GAIL for a gas-based fertilizer project, primarily focused on a urea production plant with an annual capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons.

Due to Naxalism, project implementation in Bastar had slowed, but now it has gained momentum.
Naxalism had left people homeless.
We are providing pucca houses to those who surrender weapons and return to the mainstream.
For this, 15,000 houses have been approved.

Through the PM Janman Yojana, we have approved 33,217 houses for specially backward tribes.
We have taken a pledge to develop Mother Chhattisgarh.
Mothers and sisters play the biggest role in shaping and developing Chhattisgarh.

I am happy that respecting women’s honor, our government, through the Mahatari Vandan Yojana, provides nearly 70 lakh women with ₹1,000 per month as a token of respect.
So far, ₹14,948 crore has been transferred to mothers’ and sisters’ accounts in 23 installments.

The Prime Minister has set a goal to completely free the country from the Macauley mindset over the next ten years.
India was once the world teacher, but the Macaulay mindset caused society to view every idea from a Western perspective and forget the ideals of Indian culture.

This mindset can be changed through education rooted in Indian values.
When we assumed office, a major challenge was education.

This was due to two reasons:

1. Due to COVID, online classes caused significant learning loss. Children faced difficulty in reading, writing, and basic mathematics, and addressing this loss was a big challenge, which we worked on diligently.
2. An even bigger problem was the lack of teachers in remote and rural areas.

There were 453 schools with no teachers, and 1,428 schools were running with only one teacher, though compared to the national student-teacher ratio, our state was relatively better.

We transferred surplus teachers from cities to rural areas through rational deployment, solving this problem.
Now, when I visit rural areas, people happily tell me that teachers have reached their schools and good education is taking place.

After implementing the National Education Policy, children are learning in local languages, making learning much easier.
We have implemented IT-based monitoring in schools through the Vidya Samiksha Kendra.
We plan to start 9,000 smart classes and install 22,000 computers in state schools.

Recently, a national assessment survey was conducted, and our state performed well; I credit all teachers for this.

In higher education, we have also implemented the National Education Policy.
Last month, we began construction of the Medical College building in Kabirdham.

To understand Chhattisgarh’s silver jubilee journey, one must understand the development of medical education.
Earlier, there was only one medical college in Raipur; now 15 medical colleges have been approved across the state.

Our government has strengthened healthcare facilities through the Multi Super Specialty Hospital in Bilaspur.
Additionally, land has been marked for a Government Physiotherapy College in Koni.
We have started MBBS courses in Hindi.

Kalidas was inspired by the Sanskrit masterpiece poem Meghadutam from Sarguja.
Sarguja Division is one of the most beautiful parts of the land.
We are working to promote tourism here.

In Mainpat, often called the “Shimla of Chhattisgarh,” the number of tourists has also increased.
The new industrial policy, which grants tourism the status of an industry and provides attractive provisions for homestay investments, is showing excellent results.

In Jashpur, large numbers of devotees are visiting to see Madheshwar Mahadev, the largest natural Shiva Linga.
Mayali in Jashpur has also been included under the Swadesh Darshan Yojana.

The expansion of rail, road, and air services is visibly accelerating development in Sarguja Division.
Due to attractive provisions for investment here, economic investments are happening rapidly.

We are also improving infrastructure related to education and healthcare.
For the establishment of a medical college in Jashpur, ₹359 crore has been approved.
Additionally, ₹32 crore has been approved for the construction of a 220-bed modern hospital.

We are working in mission mode to ensure the beauty and basic facilities of urban local bodies.
The results are evident.
All cities in Chhattisgarh performed well in the Swachh Survekshan survey.

The Prime Minister praised the cleanliness sisters of Bilha during the “Mann Ki Baat” program.
Raipur received the Promising Clean City Award and a 7-star rating in the Garbage Free Cities category.
Bilaspur ranked second among cities with a population of 3 lakh to 10 lakh.

Through the Mukhyamantri Nagarotthan Yojana, we are executing fundamental infrastructure works in all municipal corporations at a cost of ₹525 crore.

Promoting public transport, under the Prime Minister E-Bus Scheme, approvals have been granted for 100 e-buses in Raipur, 50 in Durg-Bhilai, 50 in Bilaspur, and 40 in Korba.

To commemorate Atal Ji’s birth centenary, we are building Atal complexes in all urban local bodies.
We continue to follow the path of good governance shown by Atal Ji.

Good governance has been adopted at every level of administrative functioning.
The first principle of good governance is transparency, and implementing this, we have adopted digital governance at all levels.

Through e-Office, we have established timelines, quality, and transparency in government work.
Biometric attendance has been implemented in all departments.
Employees are required to mark attendance through biometric devices at 10 a.m. sharp.
Officials and staff sit at their designated places on time, and work begins.

We have adopted the GeM portal in procurement, which has curtailed corruption in government purchases.
The effects of these extraordinary changes in governance are visible in the state’s GSDP.

The advance estimate of GSDP for 2024-25 is ₹3,29,752 crore, which is 7.51% higher than the previous year.
Similarly, compared to 2023-24, the per capita income of the state has increased by 9.37% to ₹1,62,870.

Preserving and promoting our Chhattisgarhi culture is of utmost importance.
Shri Ram Lalla is at the center of our cultural faith.
Under the Shri Ram Lalla Ayodhya Dham Darshan Yojana, more than 40,000 devotees have had the blessed darshan of Lord Shri Ram.

India is extraordinary, with sacred places in every corner of north, south, east, and west.
To enable the residents of the state to visit these sites, the Mukhyamantri Teerth Darshan Yojana has also been started, under which 5,000 devotees have visited holy places so far.

Recently, we organized the Raipur Literature Festival.
Through this event, we have tried to inspire the new generation with the works of eminent literary figures, including the late Vinod Kumar Shukla, recipient of the Jnanpith Award.

We will continue programs to preserve our language, folk art, folk songs, and cultural heritage.

Peace, security, and law and order have played a major role in the overall development of the state.
The Chhattisgarh police have made exemplary contributions.
While maintaining security, they have shown indomitable courage in anti-Naxal operations, with many officers making the ultimate sacrifice.

In recognition of this exceptional work, I announce that the entire Chhattisgarh Police Force will be awarded a 25th State Foundation Day Medal.

We will continue to work in accordance with the Anjor Vision Document for developed Chhattisgarh.
Through people’s participation, we will continue to shape and develop Mother Chhattisgarh.

On this occasion, the lines of the late Lakshman Masturiya Ji come to mind:
“Sarg la prithvi ma la dehu pran aisan thane, haw mor sang chalav re, mor sang chalav ji, mor sang chalav ga, mor sang chalav re”
We must bring Masturiya Ji’s lines to life and build a developed Chhattisgarh.
With the participation of all of you, we will surely achieve this goal.

I once again extend my heartfelt greetings on Republic Day.

Jai Bharat, Jai Chhattisgarh