Kumar Bahukhandi
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai poses for a group photograph with 36 young professionals selected for the second batch of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship following an interactive session at his official residence in Raipur on Friday, October 9, 2026. The fellowship aims to prepare young professionals for meaningful participation in public administration and the state’s development. Photo: channel24india.com via CMO.
Interacting with 36 young professionals selected for the second batch of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship, Sai urges them to combine knowledge, innovation and field experience to improve public services and accelerate Chhattisgarh’s development.
Key Highlights
- Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai interacts with 36 fellows selected for the second batch of the Good Governance Fellowship.
- Two-year programme includes five months of academic training and 19 months of field experience, with IIM Raipur playing a key role.
- Sai encourages participants to approach public administration with integrity, sensitivity and a commitment to public welfare.
- Government aims to train six lakh students in artificial intelligence under a ₹500-crore AI Mission.
- More than 700 employment fairs have reportedly helped approximately 24,000 young people secure jobs over the past two-and-a-half years.
- Fellowship participants will contribute to policy analysis, monitoring government schemes and improving public service delivery.
Young Professionals Must Become Partners in Good Governance: Sai
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has called upon young professionals to play an active role in transforming public administration, emphasising that education, technological knowledge and innovative thinking must ultimately contribute to improving people’s lives.
Interacting with the second batch of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship at his official residence in Raipur on Friday, October 9, 2026, Sai encouraged 36 selected participants to approach their assignments with sincerity, professional responsibility and sensitivity towards the needs of ordinary citizens.
The interaction went beyond a formal orientation, with the Chief Minister answering questions about governance, education, employment, industrial development, technology and his own journey from a remote village in Jashpur to the state’s highest executive office.
“Youth power is the strength of the nation. The active participation of young people is essential to building a developed Chhattisgarh and a developed India.” — Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai
Sai said young people possessed the education, energy, talent and fresh perspectives necessary to address contemporary governance challenges.
He encouraged the fellows to use their knowledge not merely to understand administrative procedures but to identify practical solutions capable of improving the implementation of government programmes.
Governance Must Be Guided by Ground Realities
The Chief Minister emphasised that effective administration begins with understanding the circumstances in which people live.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai addresses participants of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship at his residence in Raipur on Friday, October 9, 2026, encouraging them to combine knowledge, innovation and integrity with a commitment to public welfare and the vision of Viksit Chhattisgarh 2047. Photo:channel24india.com via CMO.
He advised the fellows to examine local challenges closely during their district assignments and work in coordination with government departments.
Their observations, he suggested, should be supported by reliable information, field experience and evidence-based analysis rather than assumptions.
The fellowship is designed to introduce young professionals to the functioning of government institutions while allowing them to contribute ideas for improving administrative efficiency.
Sai said the programme offered participants from different academic backgrounds an opportunity to apply their skills to public welfare.
“Understand local conditions and the real needs of people. Work with the administration and offer practical solutions based on evidence and field experience.” — CM Sai, translated from his remarks
The Chief Minister linked this approach with the broader vision of Viksit Chhattisgarh and Viksit Bharat 2047.
He said the national development objective envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi required active participation from educated and capable young citizens.
From a Village School to the Chief Minister’s Office
During the interaction, Sai recalled his childhood in Bagia village in Jashpur district, where educational facilities were limited.
He described how he had to travel approximately six kilometres to another village to appear for his Class V board examination.
Schools frequently operated from basic buildings, and children often carried mats or jute sacks from home to sit on during lessons.
Sai contrasted those circumstances with the educational opportunities now available in Chhattisgarh, including institutions such as IIM, IIT, IIIT, AIIMS and a national law university.
He also highlighted government support through textbooks, uniforms, midday meals, Prayas residential schools and facilities for competitive examination preparation.
The Chief Minister said education should be viewed as an instrument of individual advancement and social transformation.
“Education is the foundation of development. Wherever young people study, they should use their knowledge and experience for the progress of their society and state.” — CM Sai, translated from his remarks
Childhood Responsibilities Shaped His Public Life
Responding to questions about personal inspiration, Sai spoke about the difficulties he faced after losing his father at approximately ten years of age.
As the eldest of four brothers, he assumed responsibility for supporting his mother, grandmother and younger siblings while managing agricultural work.
He recalled ploughing fields with bullocks and performing other farming activities.
Those experiences, he explained, taught him the value of discipline, hard work and responsibility at an early age.
Sai said he had never imagined entering public life as a village sarpanch, much less becoming Chief Minister.
After being elected sarpanch unopposed, he went on to serve as an MLA, Member of Parliament and Union Minister of State.
He also remembered the late Dilip Singh Judeo, describing his patience, approachable nature and concern for people as important influences on his public life.
“Whatever responsibility you receive, fulfil it with complete dedication and honesty. Keep public welfare at the centre of your work. This brings respect and personal satisfaction while benefiting society, the state and the nation.” — CM Sai, translated from his remarks
Skill Development and Employment Remain Government Priorities
The Chief Minister highlighted the need to connect formal education with practical skills demanded by contemporary industries.
He said livelihood colleges across Chhattisgarh were providing vocational training, while 30 Industrial Training Institutes were being upgraded to meet changing industrial requirements.
According to figures shared by Sai, more than 700 employment fairs organised over approximately two-and-a-half years had helped around 24,000 young people obtain employment.
He also referred to the recent two-day state-level employment fair in Raipur, where more than 95 employers participated and approximately 5,000 young people reportedly received employment opportunities.
Sai said the government’s objective was to enable young people to find suitable employment within Chhattisgarh while also encouraging entrepreneurship.
Investment Must Translate Into Real Jobs
Discussing industrial development, Sai emphasised that attracting investment proposals was only the beginning of economic transformation.
The real measure of success, he said, would be the establishment of functioning projects and the creation of sustainable employment opportunities.
He noted that the state’s industrial policy provided incentives for local employment, women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities.
Referring to his recent visit to Singapore, Sai said he had presented Chhattisgarh’s investment potential to representatives of major industries.
He identified mineral resources, forest produce, semiconductor manufacturing and textiles among the areas capable of supporting economic expansion.
“Our objective is not merely to receive investment proposals but to convert them into actual projects and employment opportunities for young people.” — CM Sai, translated from his remarks
The Chief Minister also discussed the proposed Medicity in Nava Raipur, envisioned over approximately 100 acres with hospital facilities comprising 5,000 beds.
He said such developments could expand healthcare infrastructure while creating new professional and economic opportunities.
₹500-Crore AI Mission to Prepare Youth for Emerging Technologies
Artificial intelligence featured prominently in the discussion as the Chief Minister outlined the state’s plans to equip students and government personnel with modern technological skills.
Sai said the state budget included a provision of ₹500 crore for an AI Mission.
The initiative aims to provide artificial intelligence education to six lakh students and training to approximately 1,500 government officers and employees.
He stressed that technological developments were rapidly changing industries, administration and employment patterns.
A young participant of the Chief Minister’s Good Governance Fellowship interacts with Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai during the programme at his official residence in Raipur on Friday, October 9, 2026. The session provided fellows an opportunity to discuss governance, education, employment and their role in Chhattisgarh’s development. Photo: channel24india.com via /CMO.
Chhattisgarh’s young people, he said, should be prepared not simply to adapt to technological change but to become leaders in emerging fields.
“Our effort is to prepare the youth of Chhattisgarh not merely to participate in technological transformation, but to lead it.” — CM Sai, translated from his remarks
Fellowship Combines Academic Learning With District Administration
Secretary of Good Governance and Convergence and Secretary to the Chief Minister Rahul Bhagat presented the structure of the fellowship programme.
He explained that the second batch comprised 36 participants from diverse educational backgrounds, including engineering, science, management, mathematics, commerce and economics.
Some of the selected fellows are also involved in operating their own start-ups.
The two-year fellowship comprises five months of study and training and 19 months of field experience.
Participants will initially undergo three months of training at the Indian Institute of Management Raipur before working with district administrations to understand government programmes, administrative procedures and public service delivery.
The fellowship is being implemented by the Department of Good Governance and Convergence in collaboration with IIM Raipur and Transform Rural India.
Selection was conducted using Common Admission Test scores and IIM’s selection process.
The second batch includes participants from 14 districts of Chhattisgarh, including Dantewada, Bastar and Jashpur.
Fellows Share Their Aspirations With the Chief Minister
The interaction provided participants with an opportunity to discuss their expectations and professional ambitions.
Neelima Bhardwaj from Raipur asked the Chief Minister what he expected from the fellowship participants.
Another participant, Khushi, expressed gratitude on behalf of the fellows and said district-level assignments would help them understand how government programmes were implemented in practice.
Anshul from Jashpur discussed his educational background and asked what message the Chief Minister wished to convey to students from Chhattisgarh pursuing education outside the state.
Sai listened to the participants and encouraged them to apply their knowledge and experience to public service.
Rahul Bhagat also advised the fellows to study the state’s vision document, Anjor Chhattisgarh 2047, and write about their aspirations for the state’s future.
Fellowship Could Strengthen Evidence-Based Public Administration
The programme’s practical significance lies in connecting academic learning with the everyday functioning of government.
During their district assignments, fellows are expected to assist in monitoring schemes, analysing policies, improving departmental coordination and identifying opportunities to strengthen public services.
The three-day training and orientation programme included sessions on Chhattisgarh’s administrative structure, good governance priorities, public service guarantees, stakeholder identification and fieldwork.
The initiative provides a platform for young professionals to observe how policy decisions translate into outcomes at village, district and departmental levels.
Its long-term value will depend on whether participants can convert their observations into practical recommendations and measurable improvements.
A Call to Serve With Integrity and Sensitivity
The Chief Minister concluded the interaction by reminding participants that public service requires more than professional qualifications.
He emphasised that responsibility, integrity, empathy and the willingness to understand people’s problems are essential qualities for anyone working within the governance system.
For the 36 fellows, the programme represents an opportunity to experience public administration from within and contribute to the state’s development priorities.
For Chhattisgarh, it offers a potential bridge between young professional talent and the institutions responsible for delivering public services.
The central message from Sai’s interaction was that good governance cannot be achieved through administrative systems alone; it also requires capable, committed and socially responsible individuals willing to work for the public good.
The programme was attended by IIM Raipur Director Professor Sanjeev Parashar, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Good Governance and Convergence Suraj Sahu and other departmental officials.
