Cabinet meeting held at Chief Minister’s residence office, Civil Lines under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday June 18, 2025

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai Chai the Cabinet Meeting held on Wednesday June 18, 2025 -Photo-Credit-CG-PR

Decisions of the Council of Ministers

Many important decisions were taken in the Cabinet meeting held today at his residence office in Civil Lines under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai –

1- The Council of Ministers, taken an important decision regarding certain facilities available to the castes deprived of inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste list due to technical reasons, has agreed to provide only state scholarships and stipends from the state fund to the students of Dihari Korwa, Baghel Kshatriya, Sansari Oraon and Pabiya, Pavia, Paviya society at par with Scheduled Tribes and to the students of Domra caste at par with Scheduled Castes and to provide the facility of admission in hostels-ashrams under the approved seats.

2– The Council of Ministers has taken an important decision to provide financial assistance to consumers by the State Government for installation of solar rooftop plants on the roofs of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme to promote renewable energy in Chhattisgarh and to provide economic benefits to electricity consumers.

Under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme, along with central financial assistance, additional financial assistance will be given by the State for installation of solar rooftop plants on the houses of domestic consumers through Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL), which will vary on the basis of the capacity of the solar plant (1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW and above). For example, a total assistance of Rs. 45,000 (Rs. 30,000 central and Rs. 15,000 state assistance) will be provided for a 1 kW plant while a plant of 3 kW or more will be Rs. 1,08,000 (Rs. 78,000 central and Rs. 30,000 state assistance). Similar assistance has also been proposed for housing societies/residential welfare associations.

The grant amount will be received by CSPDCL in advance and it will disburse it to the beneficiaries. A target has been set to set up 60,000 solar power plants in the year 2025-26 and 70,000 in 2026-27. This will entail a financial burden of Rs. 180 crore in the financial year 2025-26 and Rs. 210 crore in 2026-27.

CSPDCL will be the implementing agency of this scheme and will implement it as per the guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The company will open a separate bank account for the operation of this scheme, in which the subsidy amount will be kept and accounted for. State financial assistance will be given on priority to those domestic consumers whose solar plant has grid synchronization on or after 1 April 2025.

3 The Council of Ministers has taken an important initiative to conserve wildlife, especially tigers, and promote eco-tourism in the state and decided to form the “Chhattisgarh Tiger Foundation Society”. This society will work under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It has been operating in Madhya Pradesh since 1996. Its main goal is to save the continuously declining tiger population in Chhattisgarh (currently around 18-20). This institution will be self-financed, so that there will be no additional burden on the government treasury. It will raise funds from individuals and institutions who cooperate.

This society will be directly involved in activities related to the conservation of tigers and other wildlife. It will promote eco-tourism with the participation of the local community, which will not only increase tourism but will also create employment and income opportunities for the local people. Also, it will encourage environmental education, research and training, which will prepare future conservationists. This initiative will bring external funds, expertise and resources for conservation, which will provide new employment opportunities to the local communities and maintain the environmental balance of the state.

This will prove to be a milestone in the field of wildlife conservation in Chhattisgarh, which will protect biodiversity as well as give a strong base to eco-tourism.

4– The Council of Ministers approved the merger of Vivekananda Institute of Social Health Welfare and Services, Chhattisgarh (Vishwas), an associate institution of the non-government aided educational institution Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur, with Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur.

5– It was decided to provide 100 acres of land out of 94.290 hectares of Rajgami Estate in Belgaum under Saja Tehsil of Bemetara district free of cost to the Horticulture Department for the establishment of Horticulture College (Horticulture University).

6– Traditional products like herbal and Mahua tea are being prepared by women self-help groups in Jashpur district under the brand ‘JashPure’. The Council of Ministers has approved the proposal to transfer this brand to the State Government or CSIDC to provide a wider market to these products and promote marketing.

The brand transfer will promote agro and food processing units, increase the demand for local raw materials and provide more employment opportunities to tribal women. The trademark transfer will not put any additional financial burden on the state.

7– Keeping in mind the supreme sacrifice of the martyred policemen, the Council of Ministers has decided to amend clause 13 (3) of the Integrated Revised Instructions-2013 issued for compassionate appointment and said that – in the case of police personnel martyred in Naxalite violence, any eligible member (male or female) of their family can be given compassionate appointment in any other department, in any district or division of the state, other than the police department, on the basis of option. Earlier, there was a system of giving compassionate appointment as far as possible in the same department or office in which the deceased government servant was working before his death.

8- Taking an important decision for systematic exploration, prospecting and development of infrastructure of minor minerals in the state of Chhattisgarh, the Council of Ministers approved the draft notification for the formation of “State Mineral Exploration Trust” (SMET).

It is worth Mentioning that under the State Mineral Exploration Trust in Chhattisgarh, an additional 2% royalty amount received from all minor minerals will be deposited in the SMET Fund. Which can be used in the exploration of minor minerals, use of high technology in infrastructure development, information system, logistic support, upgradation of human resources etc. State Mineral Exploration Trust will be formed in the state on the lines of National Mineral Exploration Trust of Government of India.

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