Kumar Bahukhandi
IN Short
*Chief Minister Releases Coffee Table Book on the Occasion
*10,000 Livelihood Pond Construction Projects Launched in the State
*Approval Letters for Livelihood Ponds Distributed to PM Awas Yojana Beneficiaries
Raipur: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday December 14, 2025 released a coffee table book on the occasion of the completion of two years since his first cabinet meeting, where the decision to approve 18 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) was taken.
On this occasion, he also launched 10,000 livelihood pond construction projects in the state.
During the program, approval letters for livelihood ponds were also distributed to beneficiaries of the Janman Awas Yojana in Kawardha district and to beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural) under a special project for surrendered Naxalites and families affected by Naxal violence in Narayanpur district.
Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Principal Secretary of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department Niharika Barik Singh, Director and Commissioner of Mahatma Gandhi NREGA Taran Prakash Sinha, and Secretary of the Panchayat and Rural Development Department Bheem Singh were present on the occasion.
In Chhattisgarh, against a target of 26.27 lakh houses for the period 2016-2026 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Rural), 24.37 lakh houses have been sanctioned so far, of which 17.14 lakh houses have been completed.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, a new record has been set by completing the construction of approximately 8 lakh houses in just two years, which reflects the effective implementation of the scheme.
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Sai, the state government has completed the construction of approximately 8 lakh houses in the short span of the last two years.
This achievement reflects the pace of housing construction in the state. Especially in the last 6 months, an average of 2000 houses have been completed daily, which is a result of administrative efficiency and continuous monitoring. It is noteworthy that the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) (PMAY-G) was launched in April 2016, with the objective of providing permanent houses to eligible families in rural areas.
Under this scheme, financial assistance of ₹1.20 lakh is provided per house. Furthermore, the scheme has been integrated with other programs, under which 90 days of wages are provided through MGNREGA and ₹12,000 in assistance is given for toilet construction under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), ensuring that beneficiaries receive complete housing facilities.
Under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA), the construction of 10,000 livelihood ponds is being implemented in the state under the “More Village – More Water” campaign. These ponds will be constructed on the private land of eligible beneficiaries, including those under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin). The target is to complete all the ponds by May 2026.
The livelihood pond project will promote water conservation and harvesting, increase irrigation facilities, and encourage activities such as fish farming, duck rearing, tree plantation, and water chestnut cultivation in rural areas.
This will provide rural families with additional opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and increase their income. Thus, through the convergence of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin) and MGNREGA, the state government is simultaneously achieving the goals of rural development, housing security, employment generation, and water conservation, which is a significant step towards the inclusive and sustainable development of Chhattisgarh.
