Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration Minister Arun Sao has issued strict directions to urban local bodies across the state to resolve civic issues, improve governance, and take strong action against illegal plotting and unauthorized construction.
Chairing a day-long review meeting at the Circuit House in Raipur, Sao assessed the performance of all Municipal Corporations and Municipal Councils. He expressed dissatisfaction over recurring complaints related to drinking water shortages and civic mismanagement, warning officials to focus on long-term solutions rather than temporary measures.
Permanent Solution to Water Crisis Within a Year
The Deputy CM instructed officials to prepare a roadmap to permanently address drinking water problems in all municipal corporations within the next year.
He said urban development projects should not be carried out merely to exhaust budgets, but must genuinely solve citizens’ problems. He also warned that accountability would be fixed and strict action taken in cases of negligence.
In a strong move, Sao ordered the suspension of the Executive Engineer handling a delayed drinking water scheme in Dhamtari and directed that penalties be imposed on the contractor responsible for the delay.
Drain Cleaning Deadline Before Monsoon
With the monsoon season approaching, Sao ordered all major drains, nalas, and drainage systems in municipal corporation areas to be cleaned by May 31.
He also asked officials to implement preventive measures against waterlogging in urban areas. A state-level inspection team will physically verify the work in the first week of June. If arrangements are found unsatisfactory, health officers and engineers concerned may face action.
Crackdown on Illegal Plotting and Construction
The Deputy CM took a serious view of illegal land plotting and unauthorized construction activities in cities. He directed local bodies to act firmly and ensure that such violations are curbed immediately.
He emphasized that civic bodies must improve both their functioning and public image through proactive governance and quality service delivery.
Focus on Housing and Welfare Schemes
Reviewing the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban), Sao instructed officials to complete all pending houses by September 2026. He also directed that houses yet to begin construction must be started within one month, while all houses approved in March 2026 should begin before the onset of rains.
Under PMAY Urban 2.0, he asked officials to promptly send proposals of beneficiaries who complete construction within the 18-month deadline so they can receive an additional ₹32,850 under the Chief Minister Griha Pravesh Samman Yojana.
Support for Street Vendors and Water Conservation
The Deputy CM also reviewed the PM SVANidhi Scheme and asked officials to coordinate with banks to ensure maximum loan approvals for street vendors.
To strengthen groundwater recharge in cities, he directed urban bodies to promote more rainwater harvesting projects through DMF funds, CSR initiatives, and public participation.
Wide Range of Schemes Reviewed
The review meetings covered multiple urban governance areas, including:
- Revenue collection
- Electricity bill payments
- Salary disbursement
- Infrastructure development
- 15th Finance Commission works
- Nalanda campus projects
- Nagarotthan Yojana
- Water supply schemes
- Disaster management
- Godham Yojana
- AMRUT Mission
- Swachh Bharat Mission
- PM SVANidhi
- Atal Monitoring Portal
- iGOT Karmayogi
- Rainwater harvesting projects
Officials from the Urban Administration Department, SUDA, municipal corporations, and councils attended the meeting. Sao will continue the review process with Nagar Panchayats on April 21.
