Raipur: Several significant decisions were taken today during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. Briefing the media after the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao announced the approval of the ‘Chhattisgarh State Artificial Intelligence (AI) Mission.’ This initiative, backed by a five-year budget of ₹500 crore, aims to provide unprecedented momentum to good governance, state-of-the-art technology, skill development, and the digital economy within the state.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated that, modeled after the Government of India’s ‘IndiaAI Mission,’ this scheme entails establishing 100 AI data labs and 5 Centers of Excellence across the state, alongside providing direct financial and technical support to over 300 AI startups. The mission targets training 6 lakh students and 1.5 lakh government employees in AI, with the ultimate goal of developing more than 50 accessible, AI-driven government services for the general public.
The Deputy Chief Minister further noted that, in a move to carve a new niche for the state on the national industrial map, the cabinet approved the allocation of land at concessional rates to BEML (Bharat Earth Movers Limited)—a prestigious ‘Miniratna’ undertaking of the Government of India—for setting up a ‘Heavy Earth-Moving Equipment Manufacturing Plant.’ This will be Chhattisgarh’s first heavy machinery manufacturing industry, attracting substantial capital investment, boosting the manufacturing and MSME sectors, and creating new employment opportunities for local youth.
To enhance transparency and efficiency in government operations, approval was granted for the first phase of implementing the ‘Works and Account Management Information System’ (WAMIS)—developed by C-DAC Pune—within the Public Works Department (PWD). Implementation of this system will consolidate processes such as e-estimation, e-procurement, e-measurement books (e-MB), bill payments, and accounting management onto a single integrated digital platform. This will enable real-time monitoring of construction projects and reduce the time required for processing payments. Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated that significant amendments have been made to the guidelines of the ‘Chief Minister’s Rural Road and Development Scheme’ to strengthen infrastructure in rural areas. The requirement to carry out earthwork via MGNREGA prior to the construction of CC roads and drains in internal village lanes has been abolished. Furthermore, the scope of the scheme has been expanded to include all rural roads that were previously ineligible under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY); resources for this initiative will be mobilized through NABARD loans, environment and infrastructure development funds, and the District Mineral Foundation Trust (DMFT).
The Deputy Chief Minister announced the approval of a proposal to secure a 100% grant of ₹15 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the “Anjor LIGHT” technical assistance project. This three-year project, scheduled to run from December 1, 2026, to November 30, 2029, will impose no financial burden on the state. It will facilitate the establishment of a ‘Project Management Unit’ (PMU) dedicated to developing public finance management, the PPP ecosystem, green finance, and climate-resilient projects, in alignment with the ‘Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047’.
He further stated that a decision has been made to implement the ‘State Single Nodal Agency’ system across all state schemes to ensure the optimal use of public funds and strict financial discipline. Under this new arrangement, budget funds will no longer remain idle in bank accounts for extended periods without cause; instead, they will be transferred directly from a centralized ‘mother account’ to the accounts of beneficiaries or vendors as needed. This measure will improve cash management and effectively curb embezzlement, banking fraud, and the burden of unnecessary interest costs. In a significant move aimed at strengthening energy infrastructure and increasing participation from the general public and institutional investors, the government has authorized the Chhattisgarh State Power Generation Company Limited (CSPGCL) to issue Non-Convertible Debentures (NCDs)/bonds worth up to ₹200 crore and list them on the stock exchange. To facilitate this, the state government will provide a guarantee for the repayment of principal and interest and waive the guarantee fee; this initiative is expected to boost investment in the energy sector and impart fresh momentum to the power generation and distribution systems.
