Raipur, June 18, 2025
Many important decisions were taken in the Cabinet meeting held today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Dev Sai at his residential office in Civil Lines –
1 Taking an important decision regarding certain facilities available to the castes which are deprived of inclusion in the Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste list due to technical reasons, the cabinet has given consent to provide state scholarships and stipends only from the state fund to the students of Dihari Korwa, Baghel Kshatriya, Sansari Oraon and Pabiya, Pavia, Paviya community at par with Scheduled Tribes and to the students of Domra caste at par with Scheduled Castes and to provide the facility of giving admission in hostels-ashrams under the approved seats.
2. The Council of Ministers has taken an important decision to provide financial assistance to consumers by the State Government for installation of solar rooftop plants on the roofs of houses under the Pradhan Mantri Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme to promote renewable energy in Chhattisgarh and to provide economic benefits to electricity consumers.
Under the PM Surya Ghar Free Electricity Scheme, domestic consumers will get central financial assistance as well as additional financial assistance from the state for installing solar rooftop plants at their homes through Chhattisgarh State Power Distribution Company Limited (CSPDCL), which will vary based on the capacity of the solar plant (1 kW, 2 kW, 3 kW and above). For example, a total of Rs 45,000 will be provided for a 1 kW plant (Rs 30,000 central and Rs 15,000 state assistance) while for a plant of 3 kW or more, the assistance will be Rs 1,08,000 (Rs 78,000 central and Rs 30,000 state assistance). Similar assistance has also been proposed for housing societies/residential welfare associations. This grant amount will be received by CSPDCL in advance and it will give it to the beneficiaries. A target has been set to set up 60,000 solar power plants in the year 2025-26 and 70,000 solar power plants in 2026-27. This will result in a financial burden of Rs 180 crore in the financial year 2025-26 and Rs 210 crore in 2026-27.
CSPDCL will be the implementing agency of this scheme and will implement it as per the guidelines of the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The company will open a separate bank account for operating this scheme, in which the subsidy amount will be kept and accounted for. State financial assistance will be given on priority to those domestic consumers whose solar plant has grid synchronization on or after 1 April 2025.
3 The Council of Ministers has taken a significant initiative to conserve wildlife, especially tigers, and promote eco-tourism in the state by deciding to form the “Chhattisgarh Tiger Foundation Society”. This society will work under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It has been operating in Madhya Pradesh since 1996. Its main goal is to save the continuously declining tiger population (currently around 18-20) in Chhattisgarh. This institution will be self-financed, so there will be no additional burden on the government treasury. It will raise funds from individuals and institutions that cooperate.
This society will be directly involved in activities related to the conservation of tigers and other wildlife. It will promote eco-tourism with the participation of the local community, which will not only increase tourism but will also create employment and income opportunities for the local people. Also, it will encourage environmental education, research and training, thereby preparing future conservationists. This initiative will bring external funds, expertise and resources for conservation, which will provide new employment opportunities to the local communities and maintain the environmental balance of the state.
This will prove to be a milestone in the field of wildlife conservation in Chhattisgarh, which will protect biodiversity as well as provide a strong base to eco-tourism.
4 The Council of Ministers approved the merger of ‘Vivekanand Institute of Social Health Welfare and Services, Chhattisgarh (Viswas)’, an associate institute of the non-government aided educational institution ‘Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur’, with the Ramakrishna Mission Ashram Narayanpur.
5 For the establishment of Horticulture College (Horticulture University), it was decided to provide 100 acres of land out of 94.290 hectares of Rajgami estate in Belgaum under Saja Tehsil of Bemetara district free of cost to the Horticulture Department.
6 Traditional products like herbal and Mahua tea are being prepared by women self-help groups in Jashpur district under the brand ‘JashPure’. The Council of Ministers has approved the proposal to transfer this brand to the state government or CSIDC to provide a wider market for these products and promote marketing.
Brand transfer will give a boost to agro and food processing units, increase the demand for local raw materials and provide more employment opportunities to tribal women. Trademark transfer will not put any additional financial burden on the state.
7 Keeping in view the supreme sacrifice of the martyred police personnel, the cabinet has decided by amending clause 13 (3) of the Unified Revised Instructions-2013 issued for compassionate appointment that – in the case of police servants martyred in Naxalite violence, any eligible member (male or female) of their family can be given compassionate appointment in any other department, other than the police department, in any district or division of the state, on the basis of option. Earlier, there was a system of giving compassionate appointment, as far as possible, in the same department or office in which the deceased government servant was working before his death.
8 Taking an important decision for systematic exploration, prospecting and development of infrastructure for minor minerals in Chhattisgarh State, the Council of Ministers approved the draft notification for formation of “State Mineral Exploration Trust” (SMET).
It is worth noting that under the State Mineral Exploration Trust in Chhattisgarh, an additional 2% royalty amount received from all minor minerals will be deposited in the SMET Fund. This can be used for exploration of minor minerals, use of high technology in infrastructure development, information system, logistic support, upgradation of human resources etc. On the lines of the National Mineral Exploration Trust of the Government of India, a State Mineral Exploration Trust will be formed in the state.
