Chhattisgarh Unveils Youth-Centric Economic Roadmap at World Leaders Forum
CM Vishnu Deo Sai pitches state as emerging investment hub; targets 5,000 startups by 2030 and AI training for 6 lakh students
New Delhi/Raipur, August 21, 2026: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Friday showcased the state’s emerging economic landscape and investment opportunities at the two-day World Leaders Forum in New Delhi, pitching Chhattisgarh as a new-age investment destination driven by youth, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
Addressing global business and economic leaders, Sai said the state was moving beyond its traditional dependence on minerals and conventional industries and was building an economy powered by artificial intelligence, startups, green energy, advanced manufacturing and value addition.
The Chief Minister said the government’s focus was not merely on attracting investments but on converting them into jobs, entrepreneurship and higher incomes.
“Our youth should not remain job seekers; they should become job creators,” Sai said, underlining the government’s focus on building a strong ecosystem for young entrepreneurs.
The forum brought together prominent leaders from India and across the world, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Economy grows at 11.57%, reaches ₹6.31 lakh crore
Highlighting the state’s economic performance, Sai said Chhattisgarh’s economy had reached around ₹6.31 lakh crore in 2025-26, registering a growth rate of 11.57 per cent. Per capita income has risen to ₹1,79,244.
The state government, he said, was pursuing economic growth alongside welfare initiatives to ensure that the benefits of development reached all sections of society.
The ₹1.72 lakh crore budget for 2026-27 places emphasis on infrastructure, capital expenditure and social welfare, with investments planned in road, rail, energy, digital connectivity and industrial infrastructure.
Over ₹8 lakh crore investment proposals under new industrial policy
Sai said creating a transparent and investor-friendly business environment remained a key priority of his government.
Investment procedures have been simplified through the Industrial Development Policy 2024-30, One Click Single Window System 2.0 and other ease-of-doing-business reforms.
More than 450 procedures have been simplified over the past two years, he said. Since the launch of the new industrial policy, Chhattisgarh has received investment proposals worth more than ₹8 lakh crore.
While steel, cement and mineral-based industries continue to remain important, the state is now emerging as a destination for investments in semiconductors, electronics, AI, data centres, pharmaceuticals, textiles, logistics, green energy and food processing.
5,000 startups by 2030
Youth entrepreneurship is at the heart of the state’s new economic strategy, Sai said.
Chhattisgarh has set a target of developing 5,000 startups by 2030. New entrepreneurs are being provided seed-fund assistance of up to ₹10 lakh to help convert innovative ideas into viable businesses.
The government is also focusing on connecting young people with technology, skills, innovation and markets to create a strong startup ecosystem.
6 lakh students to receive AI training
Artificial intelligence is another major pillar of Chhattisgarh’s future economic strategy.
The state plans to provide AI training to 6 lakh students and 1.5 lakh government employees. More than 50 AI-enabled government services are also proposed to make public services faster and more citizen-centric.
Sai said AI would not be pursued merely as a technological transformation, but as a tool to improve education, prepare young people for future jobs and entrepreneurship, and enhance government service delivery.
₹500 crore AI Mission, ₹1,000 crore Data Centre Park
Chhattisgarh is implementing a ₹500 crore State AI Mission, under which the government plans to establish 100 AI data labs and five Centres of Excellence while supporting more than 300 AI startups.
An AI Data Centre Park involving an investment of around ₹1,000 crore is also being developed in Nava Raipur.
The initiative is expected to strengthen the state’s position in India’s emerging digital and AI ecosystem while generating new employment opportunities.
Bastar emerges as a new growth frontier
Sai described the transformation underway in Bastar as one of the most significant chapters in Chhattisgarh’s development story.
With an improving security situation, Bastar is opening up to new opportunities in development, tourism, investment, employment and entrepreneurship, he said.
A ₹4,824 crore Livelihood Enhancement Plan is being prepared to increase the incomes of around one million families in Bastar and other parts of the state.
The government has also reopened 421 previously closed schools in Bastar, while digital health profiles have been created for more than 34 lakh people.
The ₹3,513 crore Jagdalpur-Raoghat railway project, Sai said, would be a major milestone for Bastar’s economic development by improving industrial and commercial connectivity and helping local products reach larger markets.
Tourism, local products to power Bastar’s economy
Chhattisgarh’s natural beauty, tribal culture and heritage offer significant tourism potential, Sai said.
The government is working to place destinations such as Chitrakote, Tirathgarh, Kanger Valley and Sirpur on the global tourism map.
The state’s decision to accord industry status to tourism is expected to attract private investment and create jobs in hospitality, hotels, transport, handicrafts and allied sectors.
The government is also promoting processing and value addition of minor forest produce, medicinal plants, millets and agricultural products.
4,000 MW additional solar capacity planned
Sai said Chhattisgarh was leveraging its position as one of India’s major energy-producing states while accelerating its transition towards green energy.
The state aims to develop around 4,000 MW of additional solar power capacity in the coming years.
More than 90,000 households have already been connected to solar energy, while Chhattisgarh’s first floating solar power plant has been established in Bhilai.
The expansion of renewable energy, Sai said, would create opportunities for both investment and green jobs.
From raw materials to value addition
The Chief Minister said Chhattisgarh’s new economic strategy was aimed at moving beyond the extraction of natural resources towards greater value addition within the state.
Electronics manufacturing infrastructure is being developed in Nava Raipur and Rajnandgaon. A proposed space manufacturing cluster in Rajnandgaon, 142-acre pharmaceutical park, and textile and ready-made garment parks are expected to strengthen the state’s next phase of industrial growth.
The discovery of lithium in Korba has also opened up opportunities in battery manufacturing, energy storage and new-energy industries.
Ease of Doing Business Act to fast-track approvals
Sai said the Ease of Doing Business Act, 2026 had been enacted to make industrial procedures simpler, transparent and time-bound.
For low-risk industries, the law provides for automatic approval if a decision is not taken within the prescribed period.
The framework covers 43 services across eight departments and is expected to benefit around 15 lakh micro, small and medium enterprises.
‘Investment is a means, not the final objective’
Presenting Chhattisgarh before global investors, Sai said the state offered a combination of natural resources, abundant energy, land, a young workforce, improving connectivity, modern infrastructure and investor-friendly policies.
He said the next phase of Chhattisgarh’s growth would be driven increasingly by knowledge, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Investment is a means to transformation, not its final objective,” Sai said, stressing that the ultimate goal was to create better opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship and income for the state’s youth and improve the quality of life of its people.
