“Remote Areas and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups Need Development the Most” – CM Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai addressing the award ceremony organised at New Rest House in Raipur on Saturday August 2, 2025 -Photo Credit-CG/PR

In Short

*Chief Minister Awards Aspirational Districts and Blocks for Outstanding Performance in the Sampoornata Abhiyan

*Two Districts and Six Blocks Receive Gold Medals for Achieving Full Saturation Across All Six Indicators

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai felicitated aspirational districts and development blocks that achieved excellence in meeting the goals of the Sampoornata Abhiyan. At a program held on Saturday August 2, 2025 at the New Rest House in Raipur, he presented awards to districts and blocks that met the set indicators between July and September 2024 under the three-month-long Sampoornata Abhiyan.

He also honored officials and employees from various departments for their contributions in these regions.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai Giving away awards to aspirational Tribal dominant districts and Blocks of Chhattisgarh for achieving success in all the key indicators under the Sampoornata Abhiyan of NITI Aayog on Saturday August 2, 2025 at New Rest House in Raipur-Photo Credit -CG/PR

The aspirational districts of Bastar and Kondagaon, and the aspirational blocks of Shankargarh, Mainpur, Makri, Koyalibeda, Orchha, and Pratappur were awarded gold medals for achieving full saturation in all six key indicators. Deputy Chief Ministers Arun Sao and Vijay Sharma, MP Brijmohan Agrawal, and MLAs Sunil Soni, Motilal Sahu, and Guru Khushwant Saheb were also present at the ceremony.

In his address, Chief Minister Sai said that the vision of a developed India envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi includes the holistic progress of all sections of society. He emphasised that remote areas and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) need development the most. Recognising this, the Government of India launched the PM Janman Yojana, through which essential services like housing, drinking water, electricity, and roads are reaching the remotest forest regions.

Programs like the Dharti Aaba Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan, which includes 6,661 villages in Chhattisgarh, are helping realise this vision by bringing development to far-flung areas. The CM noted that villages included in the Centre’s aspirational districts and blocks program are progressing rapidly.

Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao stated that since 2018, the Aspirational District Program has aimed to uplift underdeveloped districts and blocks. Various sectors are being targeted to improve human development indicators and bring them to saturation levels. He expressed hope that development and welfare at the individual level will pave the way for a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India.

Deputy CM Vijay Sharma highlighted that, beyond physical progress, the focus has been on improving human development indicators. He appreciated the targeted work on often-overlooked indicators and extended best wishes to all districts and blocks for continued progress.

Chief Secretary Amitabh Jain and Secretary of Planning, Economics, and Statistics Ankit Anand presented the work and achievements under the Sampoornata Abhiyan. NITI Aayog’s Member-Secretary Ashish Bhatt, Member K. Subramaniam, and Director of the Planning Department Roktima Yadav were also present .

Districts and Blocks Awarded for Performance on Six Key Indicators

Out of 49 indicators for aspirational districts and 40 for aspirational blocks, six key indicators were selected for saturation under the Sampoornata Abhiyan. These included:
• ANC (Antenatal Care) registration
• Pregnant women receiving supplementary nutrition
• Soil Health Cards distribution
• Full immunization of children
• Electrified schools
• Schools providing textbooks within one month of the academic session
• Diabetes screening
• Hypertension screening
• Number of SHGs receiving revolving funds

Districts and blocks that achieved full saturation across all six indicators were awarded gold medals. Those achieving five indicators received silver medals, four earned bronze, and three earned copper medals.

Gold Medals Awarded to Bastar and Kondagaon

The districts of Bastar and Kondagaon, along with the blocks of Shankargarh, Mainpur, Makri, Koyalibeda, Orchha, and Pratappur, achieved full saturation in all six indicators and received gold medals.

Silver medals were awarded to districts Dantewada, Korba, Kanker, Narayanpur and blocks Lakhanpur, Baikunthpur, Durgkondal, Gaurela-2, Korba, and Pithora.

Bronze medals went to district Bijapur and blocks Gariaband, Usoor, Podi Uproda, Bodla, Tokapal, and Kuwankonda.

Copper medals were awarded to the districts Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki, Mahasamund, Sukma and block Ambagarh Chowki.

Current and former collectors of the awarded districts received the honors.