Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to education, describing it as the “foundation of nation-building” during the 'Gyan Dhara – Shiksha Samvad' (Education Dialogue) event held in Raipur.
The event was organized by Haribhoomi and INH Media Group and witnessed the participation of senior ministers, educators, students, and academic leaders from across the state.
Addressing the gathering, CM Sai said, “Our government considers education as the foundation of nation-building. Since the day I took charge of the Education Department, my top priority has been to deeply understand the challenges and implement concrete reforms.”
He said an extensive review undertaken by the state government revealed an uneven distribution of teachers, with rural schools facing shortages despite a student-teacher ratio better than the national average. “As a result, no school in Chhattisgarh is without a teacher today. Villages like Irakbhatti, where schools were shut for years, have now reopened,” he said. The Chief Minister also announced that recruitment for 5,000 new teachers will commence shortly to meet the continuing demand.
Accelerated implementation of NEP 2020
Highlighting the state’s swift adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, CM Sai credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, NEP has been rolled out across India, and our state has adopted it with urgency and commitment.”
He informed that primary education is now available in 18 regional languages and dialects, which he said will enhance both cultural preservation and academic performance. CM Sai also noted that under the PM-SHRI School Scheme, students are benefiting from hi-tech infrastructure while ₹133 crore has been sanctioned for building maintenance and hostel upgrades.
Dual approach to tackle Naxalism in Bastar
Touching on the long-standing issue of left-wing extremism, the Chief Minister said, “Chhattisgarh is a state blessed with minerals, forests, fertile lands, and biodiversity, yet it has long suffered due to Naxalism.” He revealed that during a strategic meeting with Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah, a dual approach involving both security measures and development initiatives was adopted.
“We appealed to the Naxals to surrender and return to the mainstream, and the results have been encouraging — over 1,500 Naxals have surrendered so far,” CM Sai stated. He also mentioned the launch of the ‘Niyad Nellanar’ rehabilitation scheme and underlined that “the permanent solution to Naxalism lies not just in force but in expanding access to education, roads, electricity, and drinking water.”
Highlighting Bastar’s transformation, he noted that Dhudhmaras village has been ranked among the world’s top 20 tourism villages. “Tourism has now been granted industry status,” he said, adding that the Bodhghat Project aims to irrigate 7 lakh hectares and generate 200 MW of power.
Growth in higher education institutions
Reflecting on Chhattisgarh’s educational journey over the past 25 years, the Chief Minister remarked, “There was a time when the state had only one medical college. Today, we have 15 functional medical colleges.” He added that 19 private universities have been set up, with three more in the pipeline.
“India was once the Vishwaguru (global teacher) and is now moving back toward that stature. Students from abroad are coming to India for education. Our aim is to make Chhattisgarh a hub of higher education,” he said.
Vision 2047: A developed Chhattisgarh with education as catalyst
The Chief Minister also unveiled his government’s long-term roadmap, stating, “Education has been accorded top priority in this vision. Our goal is to align the quality of our schools and colleges with international standards, and make education a powerful contributor to the state’s GSDP.”
The “Viksit Chhattisgarh by 2047” vision document focuses on achieving global benchmarks in education and infrastructure to transform the state’s social and economic landscape.
Honouring educators
As part of the event, CM Vishnu Deo Sai presented the “Utkrisht Shikshak Samman” (Excellence in Teaching Award) to several distinguished educators, including Ms. K. Sharda, Mr. B.R. Sahu, Mr. Bharat Kishore Yadav, Dr. Dhananjay Pandey, and Mr. Baldau Singh Shyam.
Deputy Chief Minister Shri Vijay Sharma and Revenue and Sports Minister Shri Tankaram Verma also addressed the gathering, reinforcing the state's focus on educational reform. The event was attended by MLAs Shri Purandar Mishra, Shri Motilal Sahu, and Guru Khushwant Saheb, alongside numerous students and educationists.