In a high-level strategic meeting held in Delhi on Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai engaged in an extensive dialogue focused on the ongoing transformation of the Bastar region. The discussions centred primarily on the Bastar development model and the effective implementation of various social welfare schemes designed for Maoist-affected areas.
Union Minister Amit Shah is likely to visit Bastar on May 18 and 19 to personally review the progress and engage with the local administration. Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma was also present to provide specific insights into the security and developmental synergy currently taking place in the state.
A major highlight of the meeting was the briefing on the Chief Minister's 'Healthy Bastar' Campaign. The Union Home Minister was told that health check-ups have been successfully completed for more than 21.86 lakh people within a single month.
This massive undertaking involves medical teams penetrating remote villages to provide free treatment and identify serious ailments, ensuring that the state's healthcare reach is no longer limited by geographical barriers. The state government is also pioneering a shift in its security-to-development strategy.
Former security camps are being systematically transformed into Public Convenience Centres and hubs. These hubs function as integrated access points where citizens can access facilities related to health, education, banking, and 31 different government schemes.
This initiative is part of the "Bastar Munne Campaign", which aims to ensure that government benefits reach the very last person in the social hierarchy. Infrastructure also saw a significant boost with the recent inauguration of a super-specialty hospital in Jagdalpur.
This facility is expected to drastically reduce the local population's dependence on hospitals in Raipur and Bilaspur for critical medical treatment. The expansion of the 'Dial-112' emergency service and the establishment of these new convenience centres are being recognised as major transformative steps for the Bastar region.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai emphasised that rapid, positive changes are now visible on the ground. Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded these initiatives, particularly the expansion of healthcare services in previously inaccessible zones.