Budget session of C'garh Assembly commences

The budget session of Chhattisgarh Assembly today started with Governor Balramji Das Tandon's address to the House.
However, as Governor Balramji Das Tandon delivered his customary address to the Assembly, opposition MLAs raised the issue of liquor ban and bonus to farmers.
The Congress alleged that the ruling BJP government was ignoring the welfare of farmers and also demanded to enforce liquor ban in the state.
During his address, Tandon said, "To promote cashless economy, the state government carried a massive awareness campaign under which as many as 16 lakh people were provided training. 1.19 lakh bank accounts were opened under Jan Dhan scheme. Aadhaar seeding with Jan Dhan accounts is being done so that it could be used for cashless transactions.

Online payments in Public Distribution System, paddy procurement, scholarship, social security pension and many others schemes is encouraging cashless transaction, he added.
He also said that joint operations by state police and paramilitaries are being carrying out to fight Left Wing Extremism (LWE) in the state.

Between January 1, 2016 and January 26, 2017, 223 police-naxal encounters took place, wherein, 145 Maoists were killed, while 323 arms and 327 landmines recovered. In order to bring Naxalites to the mainstream, attractive surrender policy has been derived with enhanced compensation amount and better rehabilitation policy, he added.
Under the District Mining Fund, Rs 196 crore had been allocated for the development in mining-affected areas. The implementation of DMF in Chhattisgarh has received national accolades, he said.

"The state government has also paid attention on minimising the input cost of agriculture, procurement on support price, on maximising the agriculture production through subsidy and concessions and marketing of the crops. In previous 13 years, total paddy production has increased by 39 per cent, wheat production by 24 per cent and oilseed production has hiked by 13 per cent," he added.
The state government has announced special package to
give thrust to start-up units under the Centre's scheme, he said.
"With the special effort of the state government, a 'Food Park' is being established in Dhamtari at a cost of Rs 45 crore, which will attract a possible investment of Rs 500 crore, he said.

In Naya Raipur- the upcoming capital of the state, an electronic manufacturing cluster is being set up at the cost of Rs 92 crore. The cluster is also expected to see an investment of Rs 500 crore, he added.
Similarly, Rs 300 crore investment is expected in proposed 'plastic park' in Khairjhitti village of Rajnandgaon, he added.