Kumar Bahukhandi
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai – File Photo
In Short
*Upcoming Year Declared ‘Maa Gaurav Year’ (Mother’s Pride Year)
*The Sai Government is Writing a New Chapter in Women’s Development
Raipur: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the Chhattisgarh government has announced that the upcoming year will be celebrated as ‘Maa Gaurav Year’ (Mother’s Pride Year), giving top priority to the respect, safety, and empowerment of women.
Chief Minister Sai said that in line with the vision of a developed India envisioned by the successful Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Chhattisgarh government is taking new and innovative decisions. The Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision 2047 has been prepared for a developed Chhattisgarh.
Considering the strong participation of women in a developed Chhattisgarh, the state government has decided to celebrate the upcoming year as ‘Maa Gaurav Year’.
The Chief Minister clarified that ‘Maa Gaurav Year’ will be a strong commitment to taking women’s empowerment, safety, health, self-reliance, and social dignity to new heights.
He expressed confidence that this year will write a new chapter of leadership, participation, and respect for women in Chhattisgarh, which will form a strong foundation for a developed, harmonious, and empowered Chhattisgarh.
Chief Minister Sai said that the government receives its greatest blessings from mothers and sisters. Their trust, support, and blessings provide new energy and direction to the work of public service. Inspired by this emotional and social responsibility, the state government has taken this historic decision.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that the first year of his service as Chief Minister was dedicated as the ‘Year of Trust’, during which trust was re-established between the government and the people.
The second year was celebrated as ‘Atal Nirman Year’, dedicated to former Prime Minister and Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during which many important works related to strengthening infrastructure, social development, and public welfare were completed. Now, the upcoming year of service will be celebrated as ‘Maa Gaurav Year’, dedicated to women, where mothers and sisters will be the focal point of all major schemes and programs of the state. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, the initiatives undertaken over the past two years, with women’s empowerment at their core, have established Chhattisgarh as a model state on the national stage.
The government has made the respect, safety, health, livelihood, and decision-making power of women the foundation of its policies, charting a new course for socio-economic transformation.
Under the Mahtari Vandan Yojana, which aims to strengthen women’s economic independence, approximately 70 lakh married women in the state are receiving a monthly assistance of ₹1,000. So far, ₹14,306.33 crore has been transferred directly to their bank accounts in 22 installments.
The provision of ₹5,500 crore for women’s welfare is clear evidence that women are at the heart of the state’s development journey.
Decisions such as a 1% reduction in registration fees to grant women property rights, the construction of 368 Mahtari Sadans (women’s centers), and online payment of honorariums to Mitani (community health workers) and Anganwadi workers have further strengthened good governance and transparency.
To empower self-help groups economically, 42,878 women’s groups have been provided with concessional loans amounting to ₹12,946.65 lakh. Furthermore, the ready-to-eat food program has been entrusted to women’s self-help groups in six districts, including Bastar.
To create new livelihood opportunities for women, initiatives such as the Chief Minister Noni Sashaktikaran Yojana, Nawabihan Yojana, Digital Sakhi, Didi E-rickshaw Yojana, sewing machine assistance, and Minimata Mahtari Jatan Yojana have been implemented. Under the Chief Minister Kanya Vivah Yojana, a significant portion of the assistance for girls’ marriages is being deposited directly into the girl’s bank account, strengthening both transparency and self-reliance.
Chhattisgarh has also taken historic steps in the field of women’s safety. The integrated operation of One-Stop Centers, the 181 Women’s Helpline, and Dial 112 has ensured quick and effective assistance during times of crisis. Under the Sukhad Sahara scheme, more than 218,000 widowed and abandoned women are receiving monthly financial assistance.
The Shuchita scheme, the bicycle distribution scheme for adolescent girls to strengthen their health and education, and the construction of the Unity Mall in Nava Raipur are significant steps towards connecting the products of women’s self-help groups to national and international markets. Efforts to give global recognition to the ‘Jashpure’ brand, run by tribal women in Jashpur district, are also opening new opportunities for women.
Minister for Women and Child Development, Lakshmi Rajwade, stated that making women economically self-reliant, along with creating a safe, dignified, and empowering environment for them, is the state government’s top priority. She said that initiatives like the Mahtari Vandan Yojana, Nawabihan, Lakhpati Didi, Shuchita, and Mahtari Sadan are laying a strong foundation for the holistic development of women.
By allocating a budget of ₹8,245 crore to the Women and Child Development Department in 2025-26, the state government has sent a clear message that women’s welfare, safety, and empowerment are its highest priority.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh is emerging as a symbol of new direction, new hope, and new transformation in the field of women’s empowerment.
