Formation of New District will bring new hope and opportunities of growth and development for the region
Abundant minerals and resources in the region will give impetus to the industrial development
The newly formed district will be inaugurated on September 3 at Raja Fateh Singh Sports Ground in Khairagarh
New administrative unit i.e. Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district will be carved out of Rajnandgaon district and this new district so formed will be inaugurated on September 3 at hands of Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel. The area under Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district has suffered due to naxal activities for a long time. But now with administrative decentralization, governance and administration in these areas will come closer to common people. Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel will inaugurate the newly-formed 31st district of Chhattisgarh ‘Khairgarh-Chhuikhdan-Gandai’ in a program to be organized at Raja Fateh Singh Sports Ground, Khairagarh at 1 pm. On this occasion, he will also unveil 95 development works worth Rs 364 crore 56 lakh. Moreover, goods worth Rs 37 lakh 48 thousand will be distributed to 213 beneficiaries under various schemes.
After Chief Minister Mr. Bhupesh Baghel announced the formation of this district, notification regarding the same was published in the gazette. Jalbandha was given the status of sub-tehsil by the district administration. Simultaneously, a notification has been issued in the gazette to upgrade Salhewara as Tehsil. This decision of the state government will not only benefit the common people but will also lead to radical changes in these areas, accelerating the development here. Formation of this new district is a dream come true for the localites.
The newly-formed Khairagarh-Chhuikhdan-Gandai district will be under Durg division. Population of this district is 3 lakh 68 thousand 444. There are 494 villages and three urban bodies under this district. Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district will have two sub-divisions Khairagarh and Gandai-Chhuikhadan, three tehsils- Gandai, Chhuikhadan, Khairagarh, two development blocks- Chhuikhadan and Khairagarh, and 16 Revenue Inspector Divisions. It has 13 thousand 562 revenue cases, 1 lakh 18 thousand 183 hectares total prepossessed area, 37 thousand 14 hectares of total unacquired area, and 1 lakh 55 thousand 197 hectares of revenue area. The total number of account holders in this district is 1 lakh 53 thousand 663. There are 107 Patwari Halka, 221 Gram Panchayat, 338 Kotwar, and 316 Patel here. This new district is bounded by District Kabeerdham in the North, Tehsil Dongargarh in the South, Tehsil Rajnandgaon District- Rajnandgaon, Tehsil Saja District- Bemetara in the East, Tehsil- Dhamdha District Durg and Tehsil Lanji District- Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh) in the West. .
Formation of a new district will bring major relief to the local residents, as they would no longer have to travel afar to get their work done. Administrative decentralisation will directly benefit the common people. Basic facilities such as education, healthcare, drinking water, food supply will be expanded and made easily available to the people. Moreover, this would also help in effective implementation of government public welfare schemes in the remote areas. Enhanced road connectivity, construction of bridges and culverts will make the traffic movement in remote forest areas smooth and systematic. Earlier, villagers in remote areas had to travel 40 km to reach Rajnandgaon district headquarters.
Dense forests of Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district are abundant in minor forest produce. A large number of forest dwellers in these areas have got employment and economic benefits through collection of Kodo, Kutki, Ragi, Bhelwa, Baheda, Kaalmegh, Lakh, Mahul leaves. Now with formation of the district, works in the field of plantation, forest produce utilization, Narva development, forest and wildlife protection and development-oriented facilities will be administered in a more systematic and strategic manner. Recently, establishment of Minor Forest Produce Processing Center under Gandai Forest Zone of Khairagarh Forest Division has been approved. This Minor Forest Produce Processing Center, which will be set up at a cost of Rs 70 lakh, will provide the means of livelihood based on forest produce, besides the plethora of sustainable employment opportunities.
Khairagarh-Chhuikhadan-Gandai district is also rich in mineral resources, which will give impetus to industrial development. Limestone is a minor mineral available in the Khairagarh region.Moreover, minerals such as quartzite, silica sand, briquette soil are also available here. Limestone is found in Chhuikhadan area and there is a scope of finding common stone and iron mineral ore here as well. Siddhababa Reservoir Minor Irrigation Project, which is being constructed by the government at a cost of Rs.220 crore 7 lakh 19 thousand, will change the face of this area, as 34 villages will be benefited from this project to be built on Lamti river. This project would provide irrigation facility for 1, 840 hectares of land. Besides the development of agriculture sector, Surhi Reservoir Minor Irrigation Project is being implemented for renovation, lining work, canal expansion and enhancement of overall irrigation capacity. 91 villages are being benefited from Pipariya Reservoir Medium Irrigation Project and 6 thousand 240 hectare area is being irrigated.
