Raipur, May 28 (IANS) Chilkapalli village, nestled in the remote area of Naxal-affected Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, has suffered a lack of basic amenities for a long time. However, the villagers are witnessing a transformational change in their lives, with the provision of basic essentials and access to government services, for the first time since Independence.

Niyad Nellanar scheme has played a pivotal role in this endeavour and helped the region evolve from ‘starved to sufficient’ in terms of facilities and services.

People here are getting a lot of help from the state government’s schemes. The Niyad Nellanar Yojana has proved instrumental in building roads and providing electricity connections to hundreds of households in the village.

This is for the first time since Independence that the Chilkapali village has got access to electricity. The villagers are indeed happy and excited about the development reaching their village.

Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai, speaking to news men recently, informed about the expansion of banking facilities in the Bastar region, good governance festival, quick solution of public problems through dialogue in the areas, which largely remained ignored and abandoned for the past seven decades.

Maoists have slowly started returning to the mainstream. Electricity has reached Chilkapali, a remote village in Bijapur district, for the first time since Independence. A new hope is visible on the faces of the villagers.

The Naxalism-affected village earlier lacked basic infrastructure like roads, access to clean drinking water, but now things are changing.

Roads, water and health services have become a reality in the village. Today, homes are lit up with electricity while villagers are able to get medication and treatment in the near vicinity.

A local resident said that Naxalism was the biggest obstacle to the development of this region.

A woman resident said that they are benefiting from the double-engine government.

Another local said that Naxalism is on its way out because of the double-engine government, setting the stage for multi-pronged development.

--IANS

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