RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh has earned accolades from the Ministry of Mines for its commendable, result-oriented performance in implementing District Mineral Foundation (DMF) trust fund projects in mining-affected areas.
Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy presented a citation to Chhattisgarh, which was received by the state’s mining secretary P Dayanand at the National DMF workshop. The award recognised the state's “good initiatives taken for development and welfare programmes with transparency.”
Chhattisgarh’s efforts were showcased as a model for other states, which were urged to emulate its achievements in data uploading, transparency, and on-ground implementation, a state government spokesperson said.
The recognition brings a measure of solace to Chhattisgarh, where a multi-crore DMF scam had rocked the previous Congress regime.
The Ministry of Mines maintains a DMF database for all states on the National DMF Portal under the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana.
Chhattisgarh was specifically honoured for nearly 90% database uploading of its DMF audit reports on both the state and national DMF portals.
The National DMF workshop, held in Delhi, aimed to enhance the effectiveness of the Pradhan Mantri Khanij Kshetra Kalyan Yojana and DMF while promoting sustainable and inclusive development in mining-affected regions.
“Under the DMF, the Chhattisgarh government continues to work towards inclusive development in key sectors such as education, health, drinking water, infrastructure, and livelihood in mining-affected areas,” the spokesperson added.
So far, 1,01,313 development projects have been approved in the state at an estimated cost of Rs 16,506 crore, of which 70,318 have been successfully completed.
The state claims to have adopted a transparent and public welfare-centric approach in DMF implementation, with planning and monitoring tailored to each district's local needs. Officials said the current regime in Chhattisgarh targets not just physical development but also social empowerment.
Secretaries, directors, and district collectors from mining-affected regions across the country attended the national workshop in Delhi.
Notably, on May 27 this year, Chhattisgarh’s Bureau for Investigation of Economic Offences (EOW) filed a 6,000-page chargesheet in a special Raipur court against Saumya Chaurasia, former deputy secretary to ex-CM Bhupesh Baghel, then Korba collector Ranu Sahu, and others in connection with the DMF scam.