Education of Workers’ Children Key to Building Developed Chhattisgarh: Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai with students benefiting from the Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana at Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur on Monday, August 24, 2026. The scheme provides talented children of registered construction workers free quality education from Classes 6 to 12 in private residential school-Photo Credit.:channel24india.com via CMO

Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana opens doors of leading private residential schools to talented children of construction workers; ₹39.67 crore transferred to 1.45 lakh workers

Key Factors

• Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana has expanded from 100 students last year to 200 this year.
• Selected children from all 33 districts are receiving free quality education from Classes 6 to 12 in leading private residential schools.
• ₹39.67 crore has been transferred through DBT to the bank accounts of 1,45,841 workers under various welfare schemes.
• More than ₹774 crore has reached workers through DBT over the past two-and-a-half years.
• Sai interacted with students, honoured achievers and joined children from workers’ families for lunch.

Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to providing quality education and equal opportunities to children from workers’ families, saying their progress is integral to realising the vision of a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India.

Addressing the Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana felicitation programme at Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur, Sai said workers form a strong foundation of development through their contribution to roads, buildings, bridges and other infrastructure. Providing their children with good education and opportunities to move ahead in life is therefore a priority of the State government.

“When children from workers’ families move forward through education and fulfil their dreams, only then can the vision of a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India be realised.” — Vishnu Deo Sai

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai addresses the Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana felicitation programme in Raipur on Monday, August 24, 2026, where he said the progress of children from workers’ families is integral to building a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India-Photo Credit:channel24india.com via CMO

Sai said he was particularly pleased to see children from workers’ families confidently communicating in English and performing well in education, sports and other activities.

“Their confidence proves that when proper opportunities and good education are provided, no circumstance can prevent talent from moving forward.” — Vishnu Deo Sai

From Workers’ Homes to Bigger Dreams

The Atal Utkrisht Shiksha Yojana, launched last year with 100 children, has now been expanded to cover 200 students.

Talented children selected from all 33 districts are studying from Classes 6 to 12 without education costs at private residential schools including Rajkumar College, Delhi Public School and Rungta Public School.

Sai said institutions that workers once found financially beyond their reach have now become accessible to their children through the scheme. He described the initiative as going beyond admission to a good school by giving students a better educational environment, confidence and an equal opportunity to pursue their ambitions.

During the programme, ₹39.67 crore in assistance has been transferred through DBT directly to the bank accounts of 1,45,841 workers under various labour welfare schemes.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai initiates the DBT transfer of financial assistance to workers during the programme at Pt Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in Raipur on Monday, August 24, 2026, as Labour Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan (L) and Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma (R) look on. During the programme, ₹39.67 crore was transferred directly to the bank accounts of 1,45,841 workers-Photo Credit:channel24india.com via CMO

The State is currently implementing 67 welfare schemes through three labour welfare boards, covering education, healthcare, maternity assistance, disability support, pensions, skill development, employment and housing. Sai said the government is seeking to ensure that eligible workers receive these benefits transparently and that financial assistance reaches their accounts directly.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai shares a meal and interacts with children from workers’ families during the programme in Raipur on Monday, August 24, 2026. Students asked Sai about his childhood, education and life experiences as he encouraged them to dream big and work hard-Photo Credit:channel24india.com via CMO

The Chief Minister also shared experiences from his own life while interacting with the students and urged them not to allow difficult circumstances to limit their ambitions.

“Dream big, work hard and move forward with the resolve to serve the country and the State.” — Vishnu Deo Sai

Sai told the children that whether they aspire to become doctors, engineers, scientists, administrative officers, entrepreneurs or pursue other professions, education provides the foundation for achieving their goals.

He also pointed to the presence of national institutions such as IIT, IIM and AIIMS in Chhattisgarh and said arrangements are being made to support higher education for children from workers’ families, including educational loans and assistance for overseas studies. The government wants to ensure that economic circumstances do not stand between a talented child and education, he said.

Sai also referred to expanding educational opportunities in areas affected for years by Naxalism. He said initiatives such as Education Cities at Orchha and Jagargunda are intended to give children in Bastar and other remote areas access to opportunities comparable with those available in larger cities.

Labour Minister Lakhan Lal Dewangan said more than ₹774 crore in assistance has been transferred directly to workers’ accounts over the past two-and-a-half years. He said the objective is to ensure that children do not restrict their ambitions because of their families’ economic circumstances.

Higher Education Minister Tank Ram Verma said a developed Chhattisgarh is essential to achieving the goal of a developed India and described the education scheme as an important opportunity for children from workers’ families.

Students themselves provided some of the strongest testimony to the programme’s impact.

Atish from Bijapur, who is studying at Delhi Public School in Rajnandgaon, said he had never imagined getting an opportunity to study at such a school. He told Sai that he now dreams of becoming an IAS officer and serving the country and the State.

Ishika Dahare from Kabirdham, studying at Rungta Public School, said the new educational environment has given her the confidence to communicate comfortably in English. Parents also said that educating their children in such residential schools had previously appeared financially beyond their reach.

One of the most informal moments of the programme came when Sai sat down to have lunch with the children.

Away from the formality of the stage, students asked him about his childhood, studies, favourite food and struggles in life. Sai responded to their questions and shared personal experiences while encouraging them to work hard, remain disciplined and continue learning.

One child described the interaction simply: “The Chief Minister is like a good teacher. However many questions we ask him, he does not get annoyed and answers every question.”

Sai told the students that their success would be the greatest source of happiness for their parents and the government, and urged them to remember their responsibilities towards society and Chhattisgarh after achieving success in life.

The programme brought together students, parents and workers alongside ministers and officials, but its central message remained focused on education: a worker’s economic circumstances should not determine the limits of a talented child’s ambitions.