New Delhi, Nov 1 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated Chhattisgarh’s 25th anniversary celebrations at the Rajat Mahotsav in Nava Raipur, with laying foundation stones for transformative projects worth over Rs 14,260 crore, spanning roads, energy, industry, healthcare, and rural livelihoods.

He was on a day-long visit to the tribal dominated state.

Opening with a focus on dignity and enterprise, PM Modi inaugurated 12 new Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) blocks across nine districts to empower rural micro-entrepreneurs.

He also joined the “Griha Pravesh” of 3.51 lakh completed homes under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) and released Rs 1,200 crore as instalments to three lakh beneficiaries, ensuring secure, pucca housing for the state’s rural poor.

Connectivity received a massive boost with the foundation stone for a Rs 3,150 crore four-lane Greenfield Highway from Pathalgaon-Kunkuri to the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border under Bharatmala Pariyojana.

This 11-district corridor will link coal mines, steel plants, and industrial hubs in Korba, Raigarh, Jashpur, Ranchi, and Jamshedpur, forging a vital economic artery between Central and Eastern India.

PM Modi also laid the foundation for upgrading NH-130D across Bastar and Narayanpur, and inaugurated the two-lane enhancement of NH-130C to the Odisha border, dramatically improving access to healthcare, education, and markets in remote tribal regions.

In the power sector, the Prime Minister inaugurated the ER–WR Interconnection Project, adding 1,600 MW inter-regional transfer capacity for grid stability.

He dedicated energy initiatives worth over Rs 3,750 crore, including Rs 1,860 crore RDSS works – new lines, feeder separations, transformers, and low-tension upgrades – to enhance rural and agricultural supply.

Nine new substations worth Rs 480 crore across Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bemetara, Gariyaband, and Bastar will deliver reliable power to over 15 lakh people, even in tribal interiors.

Foundation stones were laid for additional substations and transmission projects worth Rs 1,415 crore in Kanker and Balodabazar-Bhatapara.

Energy security advanced with the dedication of the 489 km Nagpur-Jharsuguda Natural Gas Pipeline (Rs 1,950 crore), connecting 11 districts to the National Gas Grid and advancing the “One Nation, One Gas Grid” vision while pushing natural gas to 15 per cent of India’s energy mix.

PM Modi also inaugurated HPCL’s Rs 460 crore Raipur Petroleum Depot with 54,000 KL capacity, including 10,000 KL for ethanol, ensuring fuel stability and supporting cleaner energy goals.

Industrial momentum surged with foundation stones for two Smart Industrial Areas at Siladehi-Gatwa-Birra (Janjgir-Champa) and Bijletala (Rajnandgaon), plus a Pharmaceutical Park in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar dedicated to drug and healthcare manufacturing.

PM Modi laid the foundations for five new Government Medical Colleges in Manendragarh, Kabirdham, Janjgir-Champa, and Geedam (Dantewada), alongside a Government Ayurveda College and Hospital in Bilaspur, broadening medical education and access.

With every project, PM Modi underscored Chhattisgarh’s leap from aspiration to achievement, propelling the state and India toward Viksit Bharat.

–IANS

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