Prez arrives in Chhattisgarh on two-day visit

President Ram Nath Kovind arrived today in Chhattisgarh's Bastar district on a two-day visit to the region during which he will take part in several programmes.

Chief Minister Raman Singh along with some of his cabinet colleagues and other officials received the president at Jagdalpur airport at around 10.30 am, a government official told PTI.

Soon after his arrival, Kovind left for Jawanga in Dantewada district in a helicopter.

From Jawanga, he will reach Heeranar village by road, where he will interact with farmers and self-help groups (SHGs) at the Integrated Farming System centre, the official said.

He will also interact with students at Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram in Heeranar and have lunch with them.

Later, he will interact with students of Saksham School and Astha Vidya Mandir in Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Education City premises in Jawanga.

Kovind will inaugurate YUVA BPO centre in the education city campus and will interact with its employees, the official said.

After an overnight stay at the rest house in Chitrakote area of Bastar, the president will dedicate the Jagdalpur Medical College Hospital to the nation tomorrow and address a public gathering, he said.

Thereafter, Kovind will leave for Delhi from Jagdalpur airport, he added.

Around 7,000 security personnel are part of the three-layered water-tight security arrangements made for the president's visit to Dantewada and Bastar, a senior police official said.

The security cover comprises personnel of the state's special forces, including Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG), along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), he said.