Raipur, March 9 (IANS) The Chhattisgarh Assembly, on Monday, approved demands for grants totalling more than Rs 14,655.74 crore for the financial year 2026-27.

This includes key allocations for Public Health Engineering, Urban Administration and Development, Public Works (Roads, Bridges, and Buildings), and Sports and Youth Welfare.

Responding to discussions in the House, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao emphasised that the budget vividly reflects the state government’s policies, intentions, programmes, and schemes.

He highlighted the thematic progression of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government’s budgets: knowledge in the first year, speed in the second, and resolution (Sankalp) this year.

These efforts align with fulfilling public welfare aspirations and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promises from day one, Deputy CM Arun Sao said.

In the Public Health Engineering Department, Deputy CM Sao noted strong support for completing Jal Jeevan Mission projects with transparent payments and priority for those more than 80 per cent complete.

Over the last two-and-a-half years, 5,077 tanks have been built, and more than 5,028 villages certified as ‘Har Ghar Jal’.

Of 29,173 approved single-village projects, 7,000 are finished.

For 2026-27, Rs 3,000 crore is allocated to provide tap water to nearly nine lakh families and complete pending schemes, plus Rs 50 crore for operation and maintenance.

Additionally, Rs 260 crore targets 44 group water supply schemes under NABARD in low-groundwater rural areas, Rs 20 crore for state-funded group scheme maintenance, Rs 30 crore for urban project loans, and specific provisions like Rs 2 crore for Sirri scheme in Dhamtari and Rs 10 crore for reservoir-based supply to villages.

Two new schemes were announced in Urban Administration: Rs 100 crore for underground electrification and Rs 200 crore for Adarsh Shahar Samriddhi Yojana. For Public Works, Rs 9,451 crore is earmarked for constructing and repairing roads, bridges, and buildings, prioritising flyovers in Raipur and divisional headquarters to ease traffic and reduce accidents (Rs 51 crore for road safety).

In Chhattisgarh’s silver jubilee year, PM Modi inaugurated the new Assembly building, with 148 other buildings completed and 225 ground-breaking ceremonies held this year.

Sports initiatives include launching the Chief Minister’s Sports Excellence Mission with Rs 100 crore, Rs 57 crore each for Chhattisgarh Sports Promotion Scheme and sports academies, and Rs 15 crore for the State Youth Festival, Rs 5 crore each is allocated for Bastar Olympics and Surguja Olympics.

–IANS

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