Chhattisgarh to have 4 new districts, 18 tehsils: CM Baghel on Independence Day

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Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Sunday greeted people on the country's 75th Independence Day and announced the creation of four new districts in the state as well as the development of parks exclusively for women in all districts of the state. The CM also said that steps taken to curb the Naxal menace in the state were "showing encouraging results".

"Taking the process of decentralisation further, four new districts will be created - namely Mohla-Manpur, Sakti, Sarangarh-Bilaigarh and Manendragarh, while 18 new tehsils will also be formed,” Baghel said addressing an Independence Day function at the police parade ground. The four new districts will take the total number of administrative districts in the state to 32.

Baghel also said that in every district headquarters and municipal corporation, a park will be developed exclusively for women, which will be known as the 'Minimata Udyan'.

In another decision, the CM announced removal of the age limit for admissions in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in colleges.

“Under the prevailing system, there is an age-limit for admissions in colleges for undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The age limit will be removed in the interest of the youth seeking to pursue higher education,” he said.

He also said the process of ownership transfer (of land) will be simplified to ensure relief for the public from the complexities of revenue related work.

In order to provide medicines at concessional rates to people of the state, the 'Mukhyamantri Affordable Medicine Scheme' is underway in urban areas and from now onwards, it will be known as 'Shri Dhanwantri Yojana', he said.

The CM further said steps taken to eliminate the menace of Naxalism were showing encouraging results.

Baghel said he was happy to say that the problems which were pending for many years in Chhattisgarh were resolved since his government was elected in 2018.

“The success being achieved in curbing the inherited problem of Naxalism is encouraging. Under the 'Bastar Fighters' battalion, new recruitment of 2,800 personnel will be done,” he said.

As many as 63 fortified police station buildings are being constructed in Naxal-affected districts, he said, adding that an action plan for modernisation of the police force has also been approved.

Considering the usefulness of 'Dial 112', an emergency helpline service, it will now be extended to the entire state, the CM said.

At present, the emergency helpline service is available in some districts of the state, including Raipur. Several steps have been taken to keep police personnel stress-free and to make them more aware of public concerns, the CM said.

Without naming anyone, Baghel said, “It is an irony that even while observing the country's 75th Independence Day, we have to face some or the other trends and reactionary forces which were on the rise in 1947,” he said.

To understand from where such forces, that undermine the foundations of peace, non-violence and communal harmony, are nurtured would tantamount to understanding the "values of our freedom,” he said.

"It was our need then to follow the path of fraternity that ensured social, economic and political justice to all citizens, freedom of expression, belief, religion and worship, equality of status and opportunity, dignity of the individual and unity and integrity of the nation, and we need it even today," Baghel said.

"Today, we once again take the pledge that we will follow principles of the Constitution and the path of Gandhi-Nehru-Ambedkar, no matter how difficult and full of challenges it may be," he added.

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