Since 2014, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has embarked on a remarkable journey of transformation. Over the past 12 years, the country has expanded its economic and technological capabilities while reshaping its aspirations at home and its standing abroad. From financial inclusion and digital infrastructure to entrepreneurship, manufacturing and space exploration, the Modi era has been marked by an India increasingly confident about its ability to set ambitious goals and build the capabilities to achieve them.
The most consequential change is visible beyond statistics—in the aspirations of India’s people. Young Indians are looking beyond conventional employment towards entrepreneurship and innovation. Women, particularly in rural areas, are moving from being beneficiaries of welfare programmes to becoming earners and entrepreneurs.
Indian enterprises are expanding globally. India’s G20 Presidency in 2023, the inclusion of the African Union in the G20 and initiatives around renewable energy, disaster resilience and the Global South demonstrated a country seeking to contribute solutions to global challenges. Chandrayaan-3’s historic lunar landing provided another powerful symbol of this confidence.
This transformation has been reinforced by the Modi government’s focus on manufacturing and investment. Make in India, followed by Production Linked Incentive schemes, the semiconductor programme and infrastructure expansion, has sought to position India as a competitive global production and tech hub. Investments involving companies such as Micron, Tata Electronics, CG Power, Kaynes Semicon and the HCL-Foxconn joint venture reflect the growing semiconductor ecosystem.
When Startup India was launched in 2016, India had around 500 DPIIT-recognised startups. By March 2026, the number had crossed 2.23 lakh. More than half have emerged from Tier II and Tier III cities.
For Chhattisgarh, this is an opportunity to ensure that our youth need not leave the state to pursue their ambitions. A young entrepreneur in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bastar or Surguja should be able to build a company from home and take it to national and global markets. Our agriculture, forest produce, minerals, tribal heritage, tourism and emerging opportunities in drones, AI, clean energy and digital services provide a distinctive foundation.
Chhattisgarh is already attracting significant investment. The state’s new industrial policy is built around three pillars—attractive financial incentives, ease of doing business through transparent processes, and fast-track approvals through a single-window clearance system.
The state received investment proposals worth more than `8 lakh crore from 84 companies. Through our New Industrial Policy 2024–30, we are seeking to create an investor-friendly environment. Through Chhattisgarh Investor Connect, we have taken our proposition to Tokyo, Osaka and Seoul. Raipur has also hosted international platforms, such as the Green Steel and Mining Summit and the Chhattisgarh International Trade Expo.
Across Chhattisgarh, more than 26 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana have provided families with greater security and dignity. Nearly complete electrification of railways is strengthening connectivity and opening new possibilities for the economy.
Chhattisgarh’s farmers are central to this transformation. Paddy procurement at Rs 3,100 per quintal, with a ceiling of 21 quintals per acre, has strengthened the state’s agricultural support system. At the national level, PM-KISAN provides eligible farmers `6,000 annually through direct transfers. The next phase of Chhattisgarh’s agricultural development must build on this foundation through diversification, dairy, horticulture, millets and other allied activities.
For Chhattisgarh, the empowerment of women and tribal communities is not a peripheral objective. It is central to our development model.
The same is true of health and education. Ayushman Bharat has expanded access to healthcare. PM-SHRI schools and Eklavya Model Residential Schools are creating new opportunities for children across Chhattisgarh.
Nowhere is our larger vision more important than in Bastar. We want its narrative to encompass culture, tourism, tribal entrepreneurship, investment and opportunity alongside its challenges. Bastar Pandum and our international investment outreach are part of this effort to make Bastar’s rich identity an economic asset without compromising its culture.
The Modi era has created platforms—from Make in India and Startup India to Digital India, Skill India, Nari Shakti and Drone Didi. The next task is to turn these platforms into deeper outcomes. For Chhattisgarh, that means ensuring that a young person can build a company for the world, a woman can become a technology entrepreneur and a tribal producer can capture greater value from local resources.
India’s rise is creating a new horizon of possibilities. Chhattisgarh is determined not merely to witness that rise, but to be an active participant in shaping it.
Vishnu Deo Sai
Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh
