Amit Shah at Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav 2026: State Moves from Naxalism to Development
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said that Chhattisgarh is moving out of the shadow of Naxalism into a new era of peace and prosperity. Addressing the closing ceremony of Chhattisgarh Rajyotsav 2026 in Nava Raipur on Tuesday, 3 November, Shah said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai’s efforts, new development opportunities are opening up across the state. The ceremony marked the 26th anniversary of the state’s formation.
Shah paid tribute to former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who created Chhattisgarh in 2000, and said that while Vajpayee gave the state its identity, Prime Minister Modi is now driving its transformation. He recalled that Chhattisgarh was once described as a land rich in resources but with poor people, and expressed confidence that in the coming decade both the land and its people would prosper. He praised the courage of security forces and local communities, and commended the firm and sustained strategy of the central and state governments that has pushed back Naxal violence from tribal areas.
During the ceremony, Shah presented the Rajya Alankaran Awards to individuals and institutions for exceptional contributions across a wide range of fields, including tribal upliftment, social harmony, women’s empowerment, literature, arts, journalism, sports, agriculture, cooperation, medicine, labour, law, rural tourism and public service. The awards, presented on the state’s foundation-day celebrations, recognised work that has strengthened Chhattisgarh’s society and economy.
A major highlight of the event was the release of the 33rd instalment of the Mahtari Vandan Yojana. Shah transferred Rs 632.63 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 67 lakh eligible women across the state. The scheme provides financial assistance of Rs 1,000 per month to eligible married women, aimed at strengthening their economic independence and supporting family needs. With this instalment, the scheme has so far transferred more than Rs 21,000 crore to women’s bank accounts, making it one of the largest direct-benefit programmes in the state.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, who presided over the event, said the government remains committed to fulfilling its promises, including the Mahtari Vandan Yojana and the Ramlala Darshan Yojana, as Chhattisgarh moves towards a developed India by 2047. He also noted Prime Minister Modi’s message to the state’s nearly three crore citizens, appreciating its progress and wishing it continued growth. Shah also highlighted the Peepal City initiative in Nava Raipur, which aims to plant five lakh peepal saplings for environmental conservation.
In his address, Shah also underlined the government’s readiness to debate every issue in Parliament, including electoral roll revision and border security, saying Parliament remains the proper constitutional forum for high-level debate. The Rajyotsav closing ceremony thus combined celebration with a clear message: a state once held back by violence is now being defined by development, women’s welfare and public recognition of good work, with the Modi government and the Sai government working together to carry that change forward.
