Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said his government was committed to all-round development of the state and was busy formulating new schemes. The state government is surging on the path marked for growth and development with a clear vision of Viksit Chhattisgarh, Sai said while addressing people at the police parade ground on the occasion of Independence Day on Thursday. Sai unfurled the national flag and took salute at an impressive parade. He said Chhattisgarh was playing an effective role in Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision to make India a developed country by 2047. The Chief Minister said independence from colonial rule came about due to the hard struggle and sacrifices of "our ancestors". Our ancestors fought a long struggle against British imperialism... Democratic forces have to be strengthened, he added. Crediting Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Chhattisgarhs creation, it is his dream of seeing a developed seen should be achieved. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to security forces fighting Naxalites in the state. In the last eight months, 146 Maoists have been killed and 29 new security camps were going to open. Sai said that they have formed the State Investigation Agency (SIA) so that the investigation and prosecution action can be done more effectively to deal with Naxalite incidents. Sai said that paddy had been bought from farmers at Rs 3,100 per quintal with a cap of 21 quintals per acre. Sai said a record 145 lakh tonnes of paddy were purchased in the state.

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